Storm conditions lead to road hazards; one man is injured by a falling tree on Highway 1.

Weather conditions have resulted in several major road closures. As some roads reopen while floodwaters recede or fallen trees are cleared, others close—the traffic landscape is a moving target.

Blanco Road between Marina and Salinas was reopened early Tuesday morning, March 14, but Blanco was later closed at Reservation road due to flooding. Dozens of other roads, both minor neighborhood access roads and major thoroughfares, remain closed. 

Highway 1 remains closed in both directions at Spindrift Road in Carmel Highlands after a major injury there on Tuesday morning, March 14. 

A man was injured at about 11:45am on Tuesday, while traveling on Highway 1 at about Spindrift Road. According to the California Highway Patrol, crews were on the scene removing fallen trees that came down the night before, as more trees continued to fall. The man was struck by a tree and sent to a local hospital to be treated for major injuries. 

No update on his condition was available as of Tuesday afternoon. 

Despite extensive damage around the county, there have been few casualties—this is the second reported injury, after a firefighter was struck by a falling tree in Pacific Grove on March 9. 

“Thankfully, there have been relatively few injuries,” says CHP Public Information Officer Jessica Madueño. “Today was one of the first incidents. The saturation in the ground, high winds and additional rain definitely played a factor.” 

There is a chance of rain once again on Friday, and into the weekend, but not at the levels seen the week before. 

You can check the latest closures on the county's interactive map, viewable here.