LAKE COUNTY, Calif. — The heavy rainfall continuing to fall across Lake County has brought flooding and mudslides, and led the National Weather Service to expand a flood advisory to cover the south county.

The agency’s Eureka office announced the action shortly before 2:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Lake County residents have been told to expect minor flooding of small streams in low lying and poor-drainage areas and rock and mudslides as moderate to heavy rain continues this afternoon. The public also is urged not to drive through flooded roads.

That advisory, in effect until 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, built on a flood watch and advisory issued earlier for Lake County. The flood watch remains in effect until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

The National Weather Service reported that at 1:25 p.m. Tuesday Doppler radar and automated rain gauges had indicated heavy rain, with minor flooding ongoing or expected to begin in the advisory area. Between 2 and 4 inches of rain had fallen at that point, with another one inch expected.

The rain is the result of a prolonged atmospheric river event that the National Weather Service said will continue to bring moderate to heavy rain in northern and central California and heavy mountain snow in the Sierras, southern Cascades and northern Rockies through Wednesday.

About an hour before the flood advisory was extended, the city of Lakeport reported that Martin Street was closed due to flooding at Estep Street, with the public asked to follow the detour signs that Public Works had set up.

The city of Clearlake also reported on Tuesday that it had limited sandbag supply available immediately at its Public Works corporation yard at 6820 Old Highway 53.

The California Highway Patrol reported that there was roadway flooding at Highway 29 and Highway 53 on Tuesday afternoon, a mudslide on Highway 20 near Saratoga Springs near Upper Lake that took out a telephone pole and a mudslide just across the fog line on Highway 29 at Cruikshank Road in Kelseyville, and the unpaved portion of Highland Springs Road near Lakeport is flooded.

The Lake County Public Works Department reported on Tuesday afternoon that Mesa Drive in Clearlake Oaks from Stubbs Road to 1,000 feet up from Lakeview Drive was closed due to a landslide.

In Hidden Valley Lake, Spruce Grove Road Extension is closed near USS Liberty Lane (Quarry Road) due to a road slipout.

In Kelseyville, Bell Hill Road is closed at the low water crossing due to water across the roadway. Likewise, in Middletown, the seasonal closure at the lower water crossing on Dry Creek Cutoff Road is in effect.

In Lakeport, Scotts Valley Road is closed from Hendricks Road to the fruit exchange due to roadway flooding.

Rainfall totals in inches for the 72-hour period ending at 3.15 p.m. Tuesday are as follows:

— Hidden Valley Lake: 5.47.
— High Glade Lookout (above Upper Lake): 2.71.
— Kelseyville: 4.32.
— Knoxville Creek: 4.27.
— Lake Pillsbury: 7.72.
— Lower Lake: 3.13.
— Lyons Valley: 3.62.
— Middletown: 7.02.
— Nice: 3.01.
— Whispering Pines: 6.68.

The U.S. Geological Survey’s gauge on Clear Lake shows that the lake’s level, which was just over 6 feet on the Rumsey gauge — the special measure for Clear Lake — on Jan. 31, and by Tuesday afternoon had risen to 6.87 feet Rumsey. The lake is considered full at 7.56 feet Rumsey.

Email Elizabeth Larson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.. Follow her on Twitter, @ERLarson, and on Bluesky, @erlarson.bsky.social. Find Lake County News on the following platforms: Facebook, @LakeCoNews; X, @LakeCoNews; Threads, @lakeconews, and on Bluesky, @lakeconews.bsky.social.