Times-Standard
High surf was predicted last Thursday, with a dry afternoon in what has been a rainier-than-average December.
The National Weather Service announced a hazardous weather outlook for increased threat of sneaker waves through Friday evening.
Though the weather outlook warned of 22-foot swells, meteorologist Nancy Dean said that by 4 p.m. Wednesday, 15 to 16 foot swells off the coast were trending downward.
Dean said this afternoon should mark a short dry spell, with another storm skirting the coast on Friday.
Mixed snow and rain fell below 1,000 feet in Trinity County and eastern Humboldt County over the Christmas holiday weekend, but significant snow didn’t fall below 2,500 feet, Dean said.
Dean said she’s heard from more than a few people tired of the wet weather.
The weather service issued a comparison to last year’s December rainfall showing a remarkable increase in North Coast showers in 2012.
Both Eureka and Arcata saw around 10 inches of rain between Dec. 1 and Dec. 25 this year. The same period last year saw just a half-inch of rain. Normal rainfall is between six and seven inches. Despite the inclement weather, North Coast highways were relatively calm through the holiday weekend.
California Highway Patrol Sgt. Phil Stacy said that the CHP’s maximum enforcement period, which lasted through midnight Christmas Day, saw six DUI arrests in the Humboldt County area and no fatal accidents.
Grant Scott-Goforth can be reached at 441-0514 or gscott-gofor t h@times-standard.com.
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