From the National Weather Advisory:

NORTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY-CENTRAL SACRAMENTO VALLEY- SOUTHERN SACRAMENTO VALLEY-CARQUINEZ STRAIT AND DELTA- NORTHERN SAN JOAQUIN VALLEY-CLEAR LAKE/SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY- NORTHEAST FOOTHILLS/SACRAMENTO VALLEY-MOTHERLODE- 412 AM PST SAT FEB 23 2008

...HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING...

A HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 4 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH SUNDAY MORNING FOR THE SACRAMENTO AND NORTHERN SAN VALLEYS AND ADJACENT SIERRA NEVADA FOOTHILLS...THE DELTA AND SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY.

STRONG AND GUSTY SOUTHERLY WINDS ARE EXPECTED TO DEVELOP OVER THE AREA LATER THIS AFTERNOON AND PERSIST INTO SUNDAY MORNING. WIDESPREAD SOUTHERLY WINDS OF 20 TO 30 MPH ARE LIKELY TONIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING WITH WIND GUSTS FROM 50 TO 60 MPH POSSIBLE IN THE CENTRAL VALLEY...SURROUNDING FOOTHILLS AND OVER THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF SOUTHERN LAKE COUNTY.

THE WINDS WILL BE ACCOMPANIED BY MODERATE TO HEAVY RAIN CREATING DRIVING RAINS AND POOR VISIBILITY AT TIMES.

THESE STRONG AND GUSTY WINDS MAY CAUSE ADDITIONAL DAMAGE TO TREES AND STRUCTURES ALREADY WEAKENED BY EARLIER WIND STORMS THIS WINTER. PEOPLE ARE URGED TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS BY SECURING LOOSE OBJECTS AND CUTTING BACK LOOSE LIMBS. PEOPLE SHOULD ALSO MAKE SURE THEY PREPARE FOR POSSIBLE POWER OUTAGES.

A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH...OR GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. MOTORIST ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.

Same forecast here in Salinas.

Forecast for Monterey Bay/Northern Salinas Valley/Hollister Valley and Carmel Valley Hide

Updated: 4:00 am PST on February 23, 2008
Updated: 4:00 am PST on February 23, 2008
High Wind Warning in effect from noon today to 10 am PST Sunday...
High surf advisory in effect from 3 am Sunday to 12 PM PST Monday...

Ouch... hope you guys make it through ok....

That's our northwest version of the hurricane. And it's the second hurricane type pattern to roll through this winter. In my 20 years in California, it is only this winter season I have witnessed two such hurricane type formation. It is global climatic change happening.

Joe, I'm quit skeptical that this current storm has anything to do with global climatic change, the storm has arrived in Colorado today providing yet more snow for the mountains. Much of this snow storm will of course flow back to Southern California this coming summer. I hope the storm makes it over the mountains into Eastern Colorado, and also drops a good dose of snow (poor man's fertilizer) on our fields. - Millet

I won't argue on this one Millet. There is global volume of evidence presented by both sides of the camp, and some say, there is no smoking gun but smoking ballistic missiles of evidences, to swamp our tiny enjoyable forum. And I am with to just let us just spend time discussing citruses.

I agree Joe, as I don't think any minds would be changed anyway. The snow fall this year in the Rocky Mountains and especially the Colorado river basin area is now 169 percent of a 30 year average. In some places such as Wolf Creek Ski Area, the snow is now at 163 inches deep. With Colorado's largest snow fall month (March) yet to come. Then comes May which is the wettest month in Colorado with a mixture of snow and rain. So parts of Utah, Arizona, Nevada and a lot of Southern California should be getting a lot of water to drink this year. - Millet