Heavy rain from overnight storm causes flooding in Guerneville, Santa Cruz

The most potent storm to pass through the greater Bay Area during a wet weekend dumped rain across the region overnight, with flooding reported in Guerneville and Santa Cruz.

Residents of Guerneville in Sonoma County were told to prepare to evacuate amid localized flooding in the town early Monday morning.

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The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said in an advisory shortly before 2 a.m. that flood waters have risen in small creeks and streams in the northern areas of Guerneville due to weather conditions.

While the flood warning is for areas close to the Russian River, the river itself is not expected to breach its banks. The river level is high after the overnight rains. Usually it is around ten feet, but Monday morning it had risen to 24 feet.  

The American Red Cross has set up a response team in the parking lot at the Safeway supermarket in Guerneville, the Sheriff's office said.

There was localized flooding reported in parts of Guerneville. CBS News Bay Area captured knee-high water in the area of Sycamore Court that had led some residents to pack up some of their belongings and leave their homes.

The Sonoma County Office of Education announced Monday morning that all schools in Guerneville would be closed Monday.

The school district decided to suspend operations due a creek flooding that is affecting nearby roads in Guerneville, education officials said in a statement.    

Major flooding was reported in the Neary Lagoon neighborhood of Santa Cruz where cars parked outside of an apartment complex on Felix Street were standing in at least two to three feet of standing water. So far, there has been no official word on damage.

Guadalupe Cuevas lives at the Cypress Point Apartment Complex. She was checking her car to make sure it started before heading to work Monday morning. She said her sister's car was flooded at the apartment complex.

"She came out at like 3 in the morning to check on her car and the water was knee high," said Cuevas. "Because her boyfriend got home from work because he works at the hospital. And he was like, 'It's flooded, really bad. Check on your car.'" 

There were also issues on Highway 9 due to a landslide that was first reported Saturday. The highway was closed in both directions between Redwood Gulch Road and Sanborn Road in Santa Clara County due to the slide. There is also an emergency road closure in Santa Cruz between Exit Road and Paradis Park due to a fallen tree.

The CHP said Empire Grade in Santa Cruz is also shut down because trees and slides are blocking the entire roadway at various locations. 

A mudslide has also affected state Highway 152 east of Mt. Madonna. The road has one-way traffic control in place, according to the CHP.

Early Monday afternoon, CHP in Santa Cruz reported that Paulsen Road was closed due to flooding.

Motorists are advised to expect delays and to use alternate routes to avoid the area. There is no estimated time to reopen the roadways.  

San Pablo Dam Road was closed Monday to traffic in both directions due to a fallen eucalyptus tree, Contra Costa County Public Works Department said on social media at 11:37 a.m.

The downed tree is approximately 750 feet west of Tri Lane in El Sobrante.  

Officials ask people to avoid the area as crews work to remove the tree. There is currently no estimate as to when the road will reopen.

UC Santa Cruz police were also reporting some minor flooding on campus and advised caution.

A fallen tree shut down a roadway in San Mateo's Baywood-Aragon neighborhood early Monday morning, police said.

The tree blocked traffic on West Fourth Avenue from Dartmouth Road to El Camino Real, the San Mateo Police Department said in an advisory around 5:10 a.m. 

The affected roadway is expected to be closed until approximately 1 p.m. Monday or until the tree can be removed. Motorists are advised to use an alternate route. 

San Mateo police reminded travelers to drive carefully in the rain and watch out for falling branches and debris that can cause damage to vehicles, windows, buildings, houses or anyone walking or driving in the area.

As of 3 a.m., observed rain totals for the previous 24 hours included 2.44" at Sonoma County Airport, 3.98" at Venado and 3.97" at Mount Tamalpais, according to the National Weather Service. There were numerous reports of urban nuisance floods, small streams rising, and small landslides, mainly concentrated on the North Bay but extending as far south as the mountains of Santa Cruz county. 

While the rain will diminish over the course of Monday morning, there will still be residual flooding issues. A flood watch remains in effect for the North Bay through 10 p.m. Monday evening.

In the Sierra, an avalanche warning will remain in effect through Tuesday morning for the backcountry in the mountains around the Lake Tahoe area. The region could see more than a foot of snow, according to The Sierra Avalanche Center in Truckee, California. The incoming storm is expected to bring up to 8 inches of snow to the lake's shores and up to 14 inches at higher elevations with winds gusting up to 60 mph beginning late Monday.  

A power problem interrupted BART's service at the Oakland Airport Connector, transit officials said early Monday morning.

Due to the interruption, bus service is being provided from Coliseum station to the Oakland International Airport, BART said. Normal service was restored shortly before 9 a.m.

In:
• Storm
• Santa Cruz
• Storm Watch
• Guerneville
• Flooding