California Drought May Be Cause for Mt. Shasta Mudslide

By Mark Leberfinger, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer

September 22,2014; 9:15PM,EDT

 

 

U.S. Forest Service officials continue to monitor a mudslide that occurred Saturday at Mt. Shasta in northern California.
The mudslide began around 3 p.m. PDT Saturday and continued through the night in Mud Creek Canyon, a Forest Service spokeswoman said in a news release.
The cause of the mudslide is believed to be due to the drought conditions which have left Mt. Shasta's glaciers exposed to the sun's heat.
A mudslide from Mt. Shasta crosses Pilgrim Creek Road in northern California on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014. (Photo/U.S. Forest Service/Steve Bachmann)
"Pockets of liquid water can be held in place by glaciers; when a portion of that glacier shifts or melts, it can release water down the mountainside. These flows gather debris as they travel, creating potentially dangerous conditions for anyone traveling through the area," Shasta-Trinity National Forest spokeswoman Andrea Capps said in the news release.
Visitors are still being asked to stay away from the Mud Creek area due to unpredictable conditions, according to an update released on Monday by the Forest Service.
The region is currently under extreme drought conditions, according to the Palmer Drought Intensity Index.
No relief is expected this fall to help alleviate the drought conditions, AccuWeather.com meteorologists have said.
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The mudslide closed two roads in the area; Highway 89 remained open.
As debris continues to flow, impacts will also be seen in the lower McCloud River. Sediments from Mud Creek will likely impact water quality and fishing by creating turbidity issues in the river below Lake McCloud, Capps said.
Extreme drought conditions continue for most of California, according to the Palmer Drought Intensity Index. (Photo/NOAA)
No structures were damaged and there were no reported injuries.
A mudslide from Mt. Shasta merges into the McCloud River in northern California on Sunday, Sept. 21, 2014. (Photo/U.S. Forest Service)

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Melted glacier causes giant mudslide on Mt. Shasta, closing some roads. sacb.ee/1ylxgWc #cawx #climate #drought

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National Weather Service reinstates flash flood watch for Mt. Shasta mudslide area north of McCloud. pic.twitter.com/zxPCilhVse

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Expert blames Mt. Shasta mudslide on drought, melting glacier: lat.ms/1udmRsV pic.twitter.com/a3cmoo4Cyw

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#California: Mt #Shasta's massive mudslide blamed on #globalwarming & drought latimes.com/local/lanow/la…

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California drought: Glacier melts, causing massive mudslide on Mt. Shasta. No injuries reported. fw.to/YQMUqIM

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MT @EI_Water: Huge California mudslide may have been triggered by drought reut.rs/1v9HxPp #cawater

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#forest Huge California mudslide may have been triggered by drought: Reuters reut.rs/1v9HxPp California's t... pic.twitter.com/9qVxd9nota

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