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Looking ahead to upcoming rainfall in the Santa Cruz Mountains

BOULDER CREEK, Calif. (KION-TV) -- After a little break from the active weather, the rain is back! Adding to the already water logged ground from last week’s storm that brought areas of the Santa Cruz Mountains over 10 inches of rain, flooding, and debris flows.

"It was intense watching it. We sit on top of a big hill, so we had a bunch of slides happen around our driveway," explained Boulder Creek resident, Taylor Castillo.

"We got a lot of rain, we had over a half an inch an hour all night. Streams came way up. Loch Lomond came up 7 feet over night, which is pretty amazing," said Steven Butler, Registered Professional Forester and Certified Erosion Control Specialist from Boulder Creek.

One Boulder Creek homeowner, who lives just downstream from the CZU Lighning Complex Fire burn scar, captured the moment flash flooding started to occur in Foreman Creek just feet from his home.

“I heard the noise and sometimes you hear a truck going by on the road. It was a rumble, kind of like that. And after about 10 seconds I decided to step out side and take a look,” shared Owen Imholte.

Boulders and giant logs collided, eventually taking out a power line moments after Owen left the his property. Seeing the creeks intensity was something he hadn’t seen before.

“It’s never been anywhere near that high in our experience, we have heard stories from our neighbors of when things have risen in the past,” continued Imholte.

Unlike last week, these next few systems look to be less intense. Most say, they’re not usually concerned when storms hit.

“People that live out here are a little prepared, You know. Rain is probably the least of our worries, its probably fires that are a bigger thing,” mentioned Zach Michel, Forest Lakes, Felton resident.

While others say, natural disasters are part of the risks that come with the territory.

“It’s nature. We are living in nature and if things happen, then it happens. Its expected. We live in a place that sees fires, floods, all kinds of things,” said Souror Deldar.

However some still worry about consecutive days of light to moderate rainfall.

“Its still just more weight coming in, so it all accumulates to a spot and that eventually does some corrosion. Its worrisome,” continued Castillo.

The worries, KION is told, all depends on where you live and what you live next to. Most welcome the rain and hope a wet winter puts a damper on next year’s fire season.

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Erika Bratten

Erika Bratten is a weather forecaster for KION News Channel 5/46.

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