Storm soaks Valley, briefly floods highway north of Merced. Here’s where we stand on rain

A winter storm brought robust rainfall to the Merced area Wednesday night into Thursday morning, and National Weather Service forecasters say more is on the way.

The storm brought .94 inches of rain to Merced from Wednesday through Thursday morning.

The Los Banos weather station near San Luis Reservoir recorded .64 inches of rain during that period, according to Jeff Barlow, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Hanford.

The potential for rain showers is expected to continue Thursday morning into the afternoon.

The most recent rains temporarily closed Highway 59 just north of Merced, between Bellevue and Oakdale roads, according to Caltrans. That closure was lifted later Thursday morning.

Highway 59 just south of Merced, between Sandy Mush and Reilly roads, remains closed.

Merced residents are expected to see a break from the rain Friday, but another weather system is expected to move into the region Saturday afternoon around 4 p.m.

Barlow said the Merced area could see up to 2 inches total of rain from Saturday through Tuesday. “It’s kind of parade of storms, they keep coming and coming,” Barlow said.

Officials are keeping an eye on local waterways like Bear Creek, which swelled to 9.4 feet at McKee Road by Thursday morning, from a depth of 6.9 feet the day prior. Bear Creek could rise to 22.6 feet by Tuesday (23 feet is considered flood stage).

As of Thursday morning, PG&E was responding to one power outage in the Atwater area, affecting roughly between 500 and 4,999 customers.

Meanwhile, further north in Sacramento County, flooding with the recent storm was less severe than a few days ago, when a portion of Highway 99 closed near Galt.

That storm led to some motorists being stranded on the highway, and some people lost their lives in the extreme flood waters.

The identities of the three victims whose bodies were found Sunday and Wednesday in Sacramento County floodwaters have been identified by the coroner.

They were: Steven Sampson, 45, of McAlester, Oklahoma; Mei Keng Lam, 57 of San Leandro; and Katherine Martinez, 61, of Orland, Sacramento County Coroner Rosa Vega confirmed.

Sampson’s body was found Sunday morning in a vehicle near Dillard Road and Highway 99, authorities said. Lam was found near Dillard Road on Wednesday morning, also near Dillard Road but not in a vehicle. Martinez was located inside a submerged vehicle in Galt.

Locations where Merced County residents can pick up sand bags:

Ballico Fire Station, 11284 Ballico Ave. (209) 634-1022

Cressey Fire Station, 9255 Cressey Way (209) 394-8211

Delhi Fire Station, 16056 Acacia St. (209) 634-5007

Dos Palos Y Fire Station, 8047 W. Dairy Lane (209) 387-4223

El Nido Fire Station, 10537 S. Hwy 59 (209) 722-8452

McKee Fire Station. 3360 N. McKee Rd. (209) 723-4510

McSwain Fire Station, 961 Gurr Rd and Hwy 140 (209) 384-7027

Merced County Public Works, 2165 W. Wardrobe Ave .(Thornton Road entrance) (209) 385-7601 (209) 385-5810 after hours

Planada Fire Station, 9234 E. Broadway (209) 382-0502

Santa Nella Fire Station, 29190 Centinella Rd. (209) 826-6339

Snelling Fire Station, 15974 Lewis St. (209) 563-6661

Stevinson Fire Station, 2738 Lander Ave. (209) 634-7086

Additional sandbag information and locations

City of Atwater, First St & Atwater Blvd (209) 777-0273

City of Dos Palos, 1817 General Ave. (209) 392-2176

City of Gustine, 440 4th Street (Gustine Corp Yard) (209) 854-6183

City of Livingston, Corner of Dwight Way & Walnut Avenue (Max Foster Sports Complex) (209) 394-8044

City of Los Banos, 1015 F St. (209) 827-7044

City of Merced Call For locations (209) 385-6891 or visit www.cityofmerced.org