Oakhurst, CA March 21, 2011 Snowstorm and damage

At 4 am we were woken up by thunderous crashes in the night. We ran outside into a fresh snowstorm that had dropped about 8 inches of snow.
The oaks in our area are quite big and do not usually experience too much snow. The heavy loading of snow on the limbs caused them to crack and fall. Sometimes the whole tree would crash down. The experience was very eerie and the crashes sounded like a giant beast coming through the forest in the dark. Crashes could be heard about every 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Power was knocked out for a few hours. Once the sun was up we did a short drive to survey the damage. What we saw was frightening but luckily we saw no one injured and for the most part property damage was limited. Almost every large oak tree we saw dropped at least one big limb.
The music is added only to help convey the feeling of seeing it all first hand.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

• oakhurst
• ca
• snow
• storm
• tree
• damage
• oak
• march
• 21
• 2011

[suewylan]

Good video! Is that digeradoo music in the background....sounds like.

[sierraclimber2]

@suewylan - Yes, that is didgeridoo music in the background. It is a very low keyed didgeridoo and about 10 feet long to get that tone

[sierraclimber2]

I take that back, Traffic Hazard Location: CRITTER CREEK LN AT JOHN WEST RD ThomasBrothers: 266 6D info as of: 3/24/2011 8:39:47 AM

ADDITIONAL DETAILS

8:39AM ENTIRE RDWY IS BLOCKED

8:39AM DOWNED TREES IN THE RDWY

8:39AM POWER POLE, TRANSFORMER, ALL WIRES!

[sierraclimber2]

This is around Road 426 and School Road. Got more snow last night. Only about 3 inches though so no additional damage around here.

[pollysfrogs]

That was one crazy storm we had. Just looking at the aftermath on rd 426 is so sad.

All those beautiful Oaks. Lucky that big one on hang tree didn't go.

[suewylan]

I was wondering! That was perfect as a 'soundtrack' Did you have much damage on your property?...I don't know if that what you were showing. We are nearby off Hwy 274 and didn't get but a few branches down but some fell on our street.

[turtlegill]

Wo w - this takes me back to another record snowstorm (# 5 (?)) in February 2001. No - would not/could not go down Critter Creek and John West. Made it down Hangtree, then working driveway to driveway along Pirce Lake Dr. I saw all those trees and branches down on the homes and cars. Afterward it was FLOODED with claims adjusters!

Now it's like, like, seeing it again. Thank you.

[fourx5]

Was this up off of 41?