Rare Snowfall Dusts Monterey County as Storm Blankets Chew’s Ridge

Snow is falling across the Central Coast’s coastal mountain ranges, with over 2 inches measured at Chew’s Ridge in Monterey County on Tuesday.

The ridge is a 5,000-foot summit in the Santa Lucia Range between Big Sur and Soledad. Forecasters expect more accumulation over the next couple of days as the storm lingers, prompting a winter weather advisory for the area.

The kind of snowfall more commonly associated with the Sierra is now appearing in the Central Coast mountains, with additional bursts expected as the storm progresses this week.

By Wednesday morning, Caltrans crews reported a dusting of snow atop coastal peaks above the Pacific and Highway 1 south of Big Sur.

“Crews working the Big Sur coast on Feb. 18, witnessed a rare enough sight, a dusting of snow atop coastal peaks. Crews will begin to tackle cleanup of the catchment area at Regent’s Slide during breaks in the rain. Please remember to adjust your driving to weather conditions,” the agency said in a 9:45 a.m.

The photos were captured looking north from Willow Creek picnic area off Highway 1 near Gorda.

Highway 1 remains closed near Regent’s Slide, from two miles north of Lucia to one mile south of the Esalen Institute. In a post Tuesday evening, Caltrans said the slope above the roadway at Regent’s Slide is stable, and crews are awaiting breaks in the rain to clear debris from an overtopped catchment area.

Drivers in the Big Sur area are urged to slow down, watch for changing conditions, and avoid closed sections of Highway 1 while crews work between storms.