Flooding likely again as next set of storms heads to Merced County

Merced County residents should prepare for more flooding in the next week as another set of storms heads for the Valley that could dump several more inches of rain, officials said Wednesday.

There could be power outages and and there is a possibility of high, fast-rising water that could cause localized flooding, Merced city staffers said. Drivers are also cautioned to slow down in the rain and on wet streets.

The Merced area could get about 0.33 inches of rain on Thursday, more than half an inch Friday and more rain through next Wednesday, according to William Peterson, a meteorologist technician with the National Weather Service in Hanford.

Problematic areas that saw flooding in recent weeks are likely at risk to do so again, he said.

“The ground is saturated from the last storm we went through,” he said.

The National Weather Service has issued flash flood warnings in the foothills, he said. Several inches of snow are forecast above 7,000 feet.

County and city workers say they have used the break from storms to try to prepare for the next deluge.

“City crews are checking the city’s storm drains and gutters for debris that could lead to street flooding and looking for other weather hazards,” Assistant City Manager Stephanie Dietz said in a news release. “Creeks running through the city will be monitored once the storm event begins, to watch for potential flooding.”

Emergency officials around Merced County are doing similar work to ready the area for an increase in rain and river flows, according to a news release from the Merced County Office of Emergency Services.

“High flows along the Merced and San Joaquin rivers are anticipated to continue in the coming days, with significant impacts to the northwest-side of Merced County,” the release said. “Residents are urged to remain clear of any waterways affected by recent storms.”

Recent storms have pummeled the county. A flood emergency in January likely caused $3 million to $3.5 million in damage, Merced County CEO Jim Brown reported Tuesday during a special meeting of the Board of Supervisors.

Sandbags are available at Fire Station 51, 99 E. 16th St., Merced, and sand is available at 10 locations throughout the city. Sand seekers should bring a shovel, city staffers said.

This story was originally published February 15, 2017 at 4:48 PM with the headline "Flooding likely again as next set of storms heads to Merced County."