By Mary-Justine Lanyon
Editor
At least it never rains here according to the 1972 song by Albert Hammond. But those of us who have been on the mountain over the past few weeks have experienced an unusually wet holiday season.
Visitors who were hoping for snow were bitterly disappointed. Motorists experienced heavy downpours, dense fog (clouds), gusty winds and roads covered with mud and rocks.
The CHP posted a warning on Facebook: “As we get more adverse weather in these upcoming days, please remember: Mother Nature doesn’t have favorites. The Arrowhead Area (of the CHP’s jurisdiction) is EXTREMELY susceptible to rockslides. Stay alert. Stay focused. Stay safe.” The message accompanied a photo of one of the many rockslides Caltrans and the county had to clear from local roads.
The Arrowhead Lake Association opened the Willow Creek spillway to let some of the overflow from the now-full Lake Arrowhead go down the hill.
How much rain did the mountain receive? Ron Chalfant, who posts weather updates on the Lake Gregory Weather Group Facebook page, reported these numbers for the period Dec. 23, 2025, through Jan. 2, 2026:
- Bernina Drive – 15.27 inches
- Lake Gregory – 14.37 inches
- Golf Course – 16.03 inches
- Hospital – 15.80 inches
- Skyforest – 11.68 inches
“Getting accurate rain totals is not an easy task,” Chalfant said. “Most rain gauges are affected by trees and wind. But this is what I have.” He added these are the most accurate locations – some are Southern California Edison and some are personal reports.
On Monday, Jan. 5, Chalfant sent these additional numbers for the previous 24 hours:
- Bernina LACSD – 1.69 inches
- Lake Gregory – 1.65 inches
- Golf Course – 2.33 inches
- Hospital – 1.62 inches
- Skyforest – 1.82 inches
Over the weekend, many folks just shook their heads when encountered with this question: What if this had been snow?
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