Between 3.5-4.5 inches of rain fell over 24 hours (over the weekend), generating peak flow of approximately 4,500 cfs at the Merced River's Happy Isles gage. This volume equates to a 5-year flood event (defined as a 20% chance of getting a flood of this magnitude or larger in a given year). The late October's warm winter storm contained tropical moisture resulting in substantial rainfall up to 10,000 feet in elevation. Previous storms this fall helped to saturate soils prior to this flood larger than would be expected for the first major fall storm. The flood magnitude was approximately the same as the peak snowmelt flood at 10.45 feet June 7 on Pohono Bridge gage this year.
