Mudslides, School Closures As Storm Smacks Bay Area
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- Heavy rain continued to deluge the Bay Area on Friday, turning creeks into raging torrents of water, triggering school closures in Sonoma County and mudslides that closed Highway 1. Meanwhile, authorities have canceled flood warnings for the Russian and Napa rivers.
The National Weather Service reported that more than 4 ½ inches of rain had fallen on Thursday through early Friday morning in some parts of the North Bay.
Flood watches had been issued for counties located north and east of the Golden Gate Bridge.
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On Friday afternoon, the weather service canceled the flood warnings for the Russian River at Guerneville and the Napa River at St. Helena, saying the rivers will crest several feet below flood stage.
Earlier, authorities said the river was expected to crest at 34 feet – two feet over the flood stage – by 9 a.m. Saturday morning.
"I've packed up my office and moved it upstairs," Guerneville resident Jill Anderson told KPIX 5. "My house is elevated – up two stories. If the flood waters reach it, this whole town will be under water."
The flooding threat, continuing downpours and dangerous driving conditions forced four schools in Sonoma County to call off Friday classes. Harmony Elementary School, Salmon Creek Charter School, Guerneville School and Monte Rio Union Elementary School were all closed for the day.
The stormy weather created havoc with flights in and out of San Francisco International Airport. The duty manager said some flights had been delayed by more than two hours and advised travelers to check with their airlines before heading out to the airport.
While the communities north of the Golden Gate Bridge bore the brunt of the storm's wrath on Thursday, Friday's stormy weather was zeroing on the Santa Cruz Mountains and the areas south of the Golden Gate Bridge.
The National Weather Service sent out a warning to mariners to be on the alert for possible waterspouts off the San Mateo County coast.
The storm pulse was also packing strong gusts with a wind advisory in place until Saturday. Forecasters said sustained winds could range from 15 to 25 mph while gusts in the higher elevations could reach 50 mph.
Fallen trees and downed power lines were a definite possibility, authorities said.
The steady rain had also triggered hazardous driving conditions throughout the Bay Area with ponding and minor flooding on some roadways. The busy intersection of Highway 121 and Highway 12 in Wine County remained closed early Friday by minor flooding.
Highway 1 along the northern coast was also closed indefinitely after overnight slides that nearly toppled a Caltrans dump truck with an employee inside.
Caltrans public information officer Phil Frisbie, Jr. said crews were responding to an initial slide around 3 a.m. north of Westport in Mendocino County when a second slide came down, nearly pushing the dump truck over the edge of the highway.
The truck tilted to a 45 degree angle. He said the employee is not injured.
Elsewhere in Mendocino County, a two-lane portion of U.S. 101 was down to one lane Friday morning after an overnight rock slide closed the highway for several hours north of Leggett.
The wet weather was expected to remain in the Bay Area until early Monday morning.