“this is going up to the tower above titlowhill.” Photo courtesy Friend O’ The LoCO Stoney Times.

Today is a day of rest. The Outpost reports bright and sunny conditions outside is window on the Humboldt County coast, and the National Weather Service assures us that this state of affairs will hold throughout the day, with clear skies at night. Tomorrow, they say, the rain will start again and continue until at least Monday.

Meanwhile, the last atmospheric river to flow over us dropped a whole load of snow on the hills — a rare enough sight in these parts over the last few years of drought. Snow pics lit up the #HumboldtCounty Instagrams yesterday, and people have been kind enough to send in pics of their own fun and frolic, mostly up Titlow Hill way. Photog Stoney Times found a pretty thick layer of the stuff on his snow pilgrimage yesterday, and our CAMMED page tells us that snowy conditions still hold en route to Horse Mountain, Humboldt’s winter wonderland.

The same is true out Highway 36: Caltrans tells us that chains are required three miles east of Mad River all the way into Platina in Shasta County. There are no chain restrictions on Highway 299 between here and Redding at the moment.

 Berry Summit Vista Point yesterday. Photo: Stoney Times.

“Everyone going up the hill to play.” Photo: Stoney.

So: Good times abound for all, and forecast of an intense El Niño weather pattern hitting our shores during the first quarter of 2016 indicates that these good times will continue. 

And here’s another reason to rejoice: For the first time in God knows how long, the snow pack is piling up statewide. The California Department of Water Resources says that as of today we’re at about 83 percent of normal snow pack in the northern part of the state; 85 percent of normal in the Central Sierras and 81 percent of normal in the southern Sierras. 

The low 80s don’t sound like all that great, but of course they are a damn sight better than last year.