Downpour in the mountains

Whoa! About two hours ago, it started hailing out here in Trabuco Canyon (in Orange County)! Then came lots of thunder, followed by rain—as in "cats 'n' dogs." A half hour later, I started getting those automatic calls from the county telling me to vamoose. The voice mentioned most of the canyons out here, including Trabuco and Modjeska.

Then Rebel Girl, who's at Irvine Valley College, called me to report that KNX is saying that there's some kind of mudslide down by Cook's corner and the road is closed. (Cook's is a mile from my place, which is 3 miles above O'Neill Park.)

Sheesh!

UPDATE: Rebel Girl just called me. There's a mandatory evacuation of Modjeska Canyon, of course, but she's at the community center along Santiago Canyon (between Modjeska and Silverado canyons) with Limber Lou. She's safe and sound, but they won't let her into Modjeska Cyn. where her home is.

A neighbor just informed me that, at Cook's Corner, the police are preventing entry into Live Oak Canyon (my location, across from Hamilton Trail). Live Oak Road continues down to Trabuco Canyon and then crosses Trabuco Creek before climbing up to Rancho Santa Margarita. The neighbor told me that the creek crossing has "one hundred feet of mud" across it. I'm pretty sure he didn't mean one hundred feet deep. 100 feet along the road, I figure. Impassible (right now) for ordinary vehicles.

So, for now, I'm boxed in. If I leave via Cook's Corner, they won't let me back in, so I'm sittin' tight. (There's no threat of mudslides where I live; the winter fires stopped just short of my area, at Hamilton Trail.)

I'll keep you posted!

3:00: The Register reports that "Torrential rain falling in the canyon areas this afternoon has created mud and debris flows with unconfirmed reports that people are trapped in homes and at a park."

Evidently, the first reports of mud flows started at about 12:30.

There also are unconfirmed reports of people trapped in O'Neill Regional Park near Trabuco Canyon, and two dozen damaged homes in Modjeska Canyon.

Heavy rainfall has caused debris and mud flows in Santiago, Modjeska and Williams canyons and closed many streets, officials reported. The intersection of Santiago Canyon Road and Modjeska Canyon Road is blocked, and from Fire Station No. 18 to the top of Modjeska grade is covered in mud, Blawn said.

Cook's Corner also is shut down and there is no access to the canyons from the southern El Toro area, Blawn said.

"Fire crews were forced to back out of cook's corner because debris was coming down," Blawn said. Cook's Corner restaurant is flooded and water is ankle-deep.

Near as I can tell, there've been no reports of anybody getting hurt.

3:10:
The Times now reports that

At Cook's Corner, about 12 people were eating burgers and omelets when water and mud poured into the restaurant at about 12:15 p.m.

"It's super bad," said Rhonda Palmeri, manager of the biker bar, which is at the juncture of Santiago Canyon and Live Oak Canyon roads. "It's all mud. The bar is all flooded out and we're trying to get the patrons out."

Rebel Girl just called. While we spoke, a woman who had just left Modjeska Canyon reported that there’s mud and boulders behind Tucker Wildlife Sanctuary (at the end of the canyon). Not sure what to make of that.

I'm heading down to the creek, see what's up. Be back soon.