Atmospheric river: Roads closed, streets flooded, creeks overflow across Bay Area
San Francisco – Floods and rock slides have closed some roads in the Bay Area. A winter storm made landfall on the coast on Saturday, drying up the drenching rains as the year drew to a close.
Total precipitation for the San Francisco Bay Area exceeded 4 inches.
Rising water from the San Lorenzo River in Santa Cruz County has prompted authorities to issue evacuation orders for Felton Grove and Paradise Park. [Check your zone at http://community.zonehaven.com]
The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office issued an evacuation alert Saturday afternoon for residents near Santa Rita Creek.
A precautionary alert for the Bolsa Knolls area has been issued due to rising water levels in the creek.
The warning covers the areas north of Russell Road, east of Bellinzona Road, south of St. Moritz Way, west of San Juan Glade, and west of Paul Avenue. The warning remains in effect until further notice, according to the Sheriff’s Office.
Officials in San Francisco issued a warning on Saturday for several areas affected by landslides and flooding.
The Vernal Heights Park parking lot, 400 blocks of Uroa Street, and areas of O’Shaughnessy Boulevard and Malta Drive were affected by the landslide. Residents should expect traffic delays, consider alternative routes, and allow for additional travel time.
KPIX
Additionally, due to flooding, residents are being urged to avoid 14th and Folsom streets and areas of Marina Boulevard near Marina Green.
Along San Francisco’s famous Fisherman’s Wharf, most crab stalls have closed due to flooding along Taylor Street.
Cal Fire CZU via Twitter
In San Mateo County, firefighters rescue people from flooded homes in Half Moon Bay.
At least two streams in Sonoma County overflowed their levees early Saturday morning, with others approaching flooding stages.
Torrential rains from storms will pour down already flooded hillsides, leading to excessive runoff and the threat of landslides.
Early Saturday morning, the National Weather Service issued flood warnings and advisories for communities throughout the Bay Area.
Flood Warnings for Santa Rosa, Petaluma, Novato, Rohnert Park, Windsor, Healdsburg, Sonoma, Cloverdale, Sevastopol, Cotati, Larkfield Wikiup, Roseland, South Santa Rosa, Boyes Hot Springs, Black Point Green Point , Forestville, Guerneville Graton, Occidental, Monte Rio.
KPIX 5 First Alert Weather: Current conditions, forecasts and alerts for your area
“Several streams in Sonoma County (Green Valley and Willow Brook) are already past flood stage, and several more (Santa Rosa and Colgan) are past activity stage and approaching minor floods,” he said. The weather service reported at 5:20 am.
A wind advisory has also been issued with reports of gusts of up to 60 mph in the last 12 hours.
around noon, National Park Service announces closure Many locations in the Golden Gate National Recreation Area, including Alcatraz, Fort Point, Muir Woods, Point Bonita Lighthouse, Nike Site, Tennessee Valley Beach, and the top of Conzelman Road overlooking the Golden Gate Bridge.
Wet road conditions and flooding have resulted in dozens of reported accidents on Bay Area roads.
Shortly after 11 a.m., the CHP office in San Francisco tweeted that highway 101 was closed in both directions due to massive flooding. Drivers were advised to use I-280 as an alternative route. The closure had not lifted as the evening progressed, in part due to a large rig crash in the area.
At about 10:20 a.m., Caltrans officials tweeted that Niles Canyon Road was closed in both directions on Mission Boulevard. (SR-238) Between Fremont and Snall in Alameda County due to debris flow. It was unclear when the highway would reopen.Niles Canyon Road is Closed Friday due to slides near Palomares Rdbut this was a new case.
Highway 1 near Big Sur was also closed due to a landslide. The highway had only reopened about three weeks ago after another landslide hit the area. Caltrans is working to remove the highway, but has not provided an estimate for when it will reopen.
Problems were reported on Interstate 580 in the East Bay, and the Fairmont’s San Leandro freeway in both directions was closed due to flooding.
Authorities have reported more than a dozen incidents and closures in Santa Cruz County, including the closure of Highway 9 in Bear Creek due to a slip.
An accident occurred on Hwy 242 South on Concord Avenue in the East Bay, blocking the lane. There were reports of about a foot of flooding on the road.
The Stockton Police Department posted photos of a flooded railroad underpass and a car that appeared to stall in more than a foot of water.
Belmont police reported flooding in many areas, including Harbor Boulevard on Old County Road, where cars were submerged in flooded underpasses. First responders had to rescue a driver from a car that was caught in the flood waters, but the person was unharmed.
Several roads in San Mateo were closed Saturday morning due to flooding.
San Mateo Police have urged drivers to avoid the area of 42nd Street between the Caltrain underpass El Camino Real and Pacific Boulevard, and the area of Delaware Street between Bermuda Drive and Saratoga Drive.
Borrell Creek flooding has also flooded Bermuda Drive, according to police.
Check the water level of South Bay Creek to confirm flooding
Pleasant Hill Police have urged people to be aware of flooding throughout the city. Residents have been told to avoid the area of Paterson Boulevard. Between Monte Cresta and Santa Barbara, Astrid Doctor bends due to severe flooding between Pleasant Valley. Be careful when entering or exiting the highway.
Heavy rain also created dangerous driving conditions. At 5:47 a.m., a CHP officer was responding to more than 40 incidents, including accidents, debris flows, and flooded roads.
The first storm earlier this week brought about 5 inches of rain to the Tamalpais and Santa Cruz Mountains.
“Precipitation will increase as this Pineapple Express vents moisture toward the Bay Area,” forecasters said. Models vary for miles about where the heads of this stream are aiming first, with some in Mendocino County and others affecting San Mateo County.”
North Bay residents prepared for the worst from Saturday’s storm.
Tamalpais Valley resident Becky King told KPIX she worries about whether the drains near her home will hold up in heavy rain.
“My house is near a stream that is higher than my house level. They try to enforce it every year, but it usually floods,” King said. “So I’m a little more worried this year.”
Creek levels around the county, such as those near King’s house, will be closely watched by the Marin County Fire Department during this storm.
“It looks like we’ll have more extreme weather on Friday and Saturday, so we’ll look into putting more people on the station,” said Marin County Deputy Fire Chief Chris Martinelli. If the water level rises, it will trigger the deployment of water rescuers.”
An even bigger concern is what the next storm week will bring.
“These saturated soils will not have time to dry completely, and the wet pattern will be prolonged,” the Japan Meteorological Agency said. More rain on the 5th, and a third moderate atmospheric river flows into the area around 4-5 January.”
“At the moment, total precipitation looks to be similar to or slightly higher than what was seen on December 26-27 and what could be seen on Saturday. inches expected to continue after January 5, when Bay Area and Central CA residents could experience additional flooding and shallow landslides. There is one thing you should be aware of.”
An avalanche warning has been issued for the backcountry around Lake Tahoe and Mammoth Lakes in southern Yosemite.
On the Sierra’s Eastern Front, flood watches and warnings were issued over the weekend north and south of Reno, with mild to moderate flooding predicted along several rivers and streams.
Southern California had moderate to heavy rain on Saturday. The area will begin to dry out on New Year’s Day after no rain during his Rose’s parade in Pasadena on Monday.