Flooding, damaging winds to accompany atmospheric river storm; Bay Area residents urged to prepare Tuesday
Bay Area residents were anticipating flooding and damaging winds from an atmospheric river-fueled storm expected to hit the region beginning on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service urged residents to use Tuesday's calm before the storm to prepare for "widespread and impactful rainfall" arriving Wednesday along with strong and gusty winds. A Flood Watch was in effect for the Bay Area and Central Coast beginning at 4 a.m. Wednesday through 4 a.m. Friday. Flooding is possible along roads, streams, creeks and rivers, while flash floods are possible in areas that have had wildfire burns and within complex terrain, the weather service said.
Cities and counties across the Bay Area are providing sandbag stations for residents and business owners looking to take precautions ahead of the storm's arrival.
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In addition, the weather service said a Wind Advisory was in effect for the Bay Area and Central Coast, and a High Wind Warning for the Santa Cruz and Santa Lucia Mountains. Wind gusts of 45 mph or greater were expected in most of the region and gusts of 70 mph or greater at elevations above 900 feet, which could result in downed trees and power outages.
The National Parks Service issued an alert Tuesday afternoon, announcing that Muir Woods would be closed on Wednesday and open later Thursday morning at 9:30 a.m. due to the storm. Additionally, Wednesday evening programming at Alcatraz Island has been canceled and the parking lot at Stinson Beach will be closed.
Most of the rainfall will be in the North Bay and coastal ranges, the weather service said. Some 3 to 5 inches of rain are expected for the Northern and Coastal North Bay as well as the Santa Cruz Mountains, with more than 5 inches expected at the highest peaks. San Francisco, Oakland, the East Bay hills, the Peninsula, the southern portions of the North Bay, the lower elevations of Santa Cruz County, and the Big Sur Coast were all expected to see 2 to 3 inches of rain, the weather service said.
The Santa Clara Valley, interior East Bay and interior Monterey County should get about 1 to 2 inches of rain.
Showers could linger into Friday and Saturday but do not appear to be impactful, the weather service said. Forecast models show another rain event arriving in the region by Sunday and into early next week.
Ahead of the storm, Tuesday looks to have unseasonably warm temperatures with highs ranging from the upper 50s and low 60s along the coast to the low 70s in the Santa Clara and Salinas Valleys. The weather service encouraged residents to use the opportunity to clear gutters, secure outdoor furniture and trash cans, and prepare for possible floods and power outages by stocking a go-to bag and checking batteries for radios and flashlights.
