Northern California and the Bay Area had significant rainfall on Thursday, the second day of an atmospheric river. The North Bay saw the most precipitation before the storm moved south on Friday.
Marin, Napa, and Sonoma counties are under a flood advisory through early Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service. In its daily forecast discussion, the Weather Service’s Bay Area offices reported that the North Bay had received over 7 inches of rainfall at Charles M. Schulz Airport in Santa Rosa during the course of 24 hours, and over 10 inches in the coastal mountains of Sonoma County.
According to the Weather Service, throughout the past 36 hours, the mountain settlements of Venado and Austin Creek in Sonoma County had received 13.83 and 12.95 inches of rain, respectively.
KPIX First Alert Weather: Local weather conditions, warnings, and maps
Sonoma County flooding, damage
The city had the second-wettest day in a 24-hour span in the previous 120 years, according to the Santa Rosa Fire Department. On Thursday, flooding occurred on Airway Drive north of Hopper Avenue due to persistent rain. The single access road at the Sutter Health clinic flooded, causing cars to be submerged.
Traffic Alert: Stay away from the intersection of Hopper Avenue and Airway Drive.
According to the Santa Rosa Police Department, the…
A Sutter Health representative told CBS News Bay Area, “We evacuated our care center at 3883 Airway Drive in Santa Rosa for the safety of patients and staff due to extreme weather and flooding.” “The combined actions of local authorities, particularly Santa Rosa Fire and Police, allowed the evacuation to go off without a hitch. We are truly appreciative of their assistance. For information on scheduling and continuing care, we advise patients at this location to contact their provider’s office.”
Firefighters rescued a car stuck by floods from the flooded Green Valley Creek along Green Valley Road on Thursday, west of Santa Rosa, close to the town of Graton. Additionally, firefighters were called to Slusser Road, which is close to River Road, south of the airport, after a motorist tried to drive across a section of the road that was flooded. The driver managed to flee, but the automobile became trapped after half submerging.
On Wednesday evening, a huge tree struck a house and at least one automobile in Forestville, sending one person to the hospital. Power cables next to the house were also downed by the tree.
11.21.24 Crews were called to a car in the water on Slusser Road close to River Road soon after six in the morning today. When our fire department arrived, they discovered the automobile was empty. Don’t drown, turn around.#sonomacounty#sonomacountyfiredistrictpic.twitter.com/B1wEU5vrui #stormimpacts#cawx#floodedroads
Storm fueled by atmospheric river, bomb cyclone
A deep, quick decrease in pressure that occurs when a polar air mass collides with a tropical air mass—known as bomb cyclogenesis, or abomb cyclone—combines with the tropical moisture from the atmospheric river to produce the storm’s ferocity.
Until 6 a.m. on Friday, a high surf advisory was also in force for the entire Bay Area coast, including Southern Monterey Bay, from Point Reyes south to Big Sur. The weather service predicted that well-exposed west-facing beaches would experience massive breaking waves of 14 to 19 feet, while southwest-facing beaches would see waves of 19 to 22 feet.
Power outages across Bay Area
The majority of the storm’s effects, such as fallen trees and power lines and hundreds of power outages since Wednesday, were occurring north of the Golden Gate. As of 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, Pacific Gas and Electric reported that over 2,400 individuals, primarily in the North Bay, were without power.
According to the Weather Service, the powerful southerly winds that are currently affecting the Bay Area were predicted to lessen on Thursday, but they won’t significantly improve until Friday night.
Rainfall amounts on Thursday could decrease slightly in the North Bay; however, another 1 to 3 inches of rain are still expected in the valleys and up to another 6 inches in the mountains over the next 24 hours.
More rain coming Friday
While the rain Thursday will mostly be concentrated north of Interstate Highway 80, by Friday the storm will be more evenly distributed across the Bay Area. The Weather Service said the bomb cyclone conditions off the Pacific Northwest will reform by Friday increasing the intensity of the atmospheric river moisture flowing through the region. Heavy rain and strong winds are expected throughout the day Friday.
Longer-term forecasts see more rain for the Bay Area even as the atmospheric river conditions end, the Weather Service said. Showers are expected Saturday and subsequent waves of rain Sunday night and possibly Tuesday will also soak most of the region.
The total rainfall forecast from Thursday through next Tuesday ranges from about 2 inches in San Jose to over 6 inches in Santa Rosa in addition to what has already fallen.
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