LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – The heavy rain that hit Lake County on Sunday led to some spots of minor flooding in Lakeport, a downed tree and utility lines in Nice and hazardous road conditions elsewhere.
Rain fell steadily around the county on Sunday afternoon after forecasters had warned area residents to be prepared for precipitation.
The forecast proved accurate, with the resulting rains making for tricky driving conditions. The California Highway Patrol reported that rocks and small boulders had been spotted along areas of Highway 175 near the Granite Construction quarry, on Bottle Rock Road not far from Highway 29 and on Highway 20.
Early in the afternoon a large oak tree fell on Highway 20 at Hudson, knocking utility lines into the roadway, the CHP reported.
The incident originally was reported as a traffic collision just after 1 p.m. but later blamed on the tree alone, according to reports from the scene.
The CHP created a detour off of Highway 20 and onto Manzanita in order to allow utility crews to work on the pole. Caltrans, Northshore Fire and the sheriff's office also responded to assist with controlling the scene.
A call to Pacific Gas & Electric about possible power outages and other impacts was not returned Sunday evening. Mediacom also was reported to be working on lines at the site.
The roadway was reopened at about 4:45 p.m., the CHP said.
The rain appeared to get heavier in the late afternoon, and at around 5 p.m. Sgt. Kevin Odom of the Lakeport Police Department said he noticed some minor areas of flooding in the city, especially at around N. Forbes and 10th streets.
“Heavy rain has obviously done something to overload the system,” he said.
After he drove through the area and saw the flooding, Odom notified the city's Public Works Department.
Public Works staff put up barricades around the flooded areas and were working late Sunday evening to try to find out what was going on and how to fix it, Odom said, noting the water appeared to be going toward the lakefront.
Lake County News had received reports of some businesses in the area being flooded, but Odom said he wasn't aware of actual flooded structures.
The National Weather Service said Sunday that a surface cold front was located coming through the county, with rain expected to continue through the night and early Monday.
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