Update: Felton Grove neighborhood evacuated; I-580 shut down by flood waters
SAN FRANCISCO -- A relentless onslaught of wind and rain, fueled by a potent atmospheric river, swelled waterways and flooded freeways early Friday, triggering evacuations in Felton Grove and toppling trees into homes across the Bay Area.
As dawn neared, the National Weather Service reported that over the last 24 hours Ben Lomond in the Santa Cruz Mountains had gotten just over 5 inches of rain, Kentfield in Marin County was inundated with 4.57 inches and Oakland and Napa had gotten over 2 inches.
And the rain was still falling and would for several more hours.
"The band of heaviest rain will move southward towards Santa Cruz and Monterey mid morning," the weather service predicted. "Once this band of convection reaches the Big Sur Coast and the Santa Lucia Mountains, chances for very efficient rainfall become high due to the orientation of the warm conveyor belt of moisture."
Major freeways were shutdown early Friday by slides or flooding.
In Oakland, I-580 was shut down for hours by flood waters from High Street and 35th Ave. The closure was announced early Friday at around 3:30 a.m. According to Caltrans, all eastbound lanes were re-opened at 9 a.m.
All lanes had reopened in both directions by 11:30 a.m., Caltrans said.
In the North Bay, Highway 12 under Stony Point Road and several other streets around Santa Rosa was closed for several hours overnight due to flooding. The freeway was at last partially open by 5:30 a.m.
In Sonoma County, Caltrans said Highway 1 was shutdown between Marin/ Sonoma County line to School St,, with all lanes blocked due to flooding.
In Santa Cruz County, SR-129 was closed between Murphy Crossing to 101 due to slides. SR-152 at Casserly Road was also closed due to slides.
"Please don't drive through slides, it's not safe," the CHP said.
There was also a major slide in Scotts Valley. Authorities said the slide has shutdown Green Hills Road from Falcon Ridge Road to 1500 Green Hills Road. Police and public works were on the scene working to clear the mudslide, but did not have an estimate of when the roadway will reopen.
And the flood waters were beginning to cover Highway 101 in Gilroy.
The runoff from the downpours was also swelling rivers and creeks. The weather service has issued a flood watch for the entire Bay Area until Sunday morning and a wind advisory until 4 p.m. Friday.
"Higher amounts in the North Bay, East Bay and Santa Cruz mountains have led to sharp rises in some of the main rivers and creek including San Lorenzo River, Napa River, Alameda Creek, and Russian River," the weather service said.
In Soquel, Main Street has been washed out as the Bates Creek rolled over its banks. A shelter in place alert has been issued for residents of Cherryvale, Glen Haven, Prescott and other neighborhoods north of Bates Creek.
Authorities in Santa Cruz County announced late Friday morning that some of the evacuation orders issued almost 12 hours earlier had been lifted.
Officials said orders remain in place in South County zones along Corralitos/Salsipeudes creeks. Authorities continue to monitor the Pajaro River. Residents can check zone at https://aware.zonehaven.com/search.
Late Thursday night, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office issued an evacuation order for residents in low-lying areas including parts of Felton Grove, Soquel Village and Paradise Park that were flooding.
An evacuation warning that had gone out Thursday afternoon to weather-weary residents in a Felton Grove neighborhood near the San Lorenzo River became an evacuation order by early Friday. Sheriff deputies went door to door in the neighborhood, telling residents to leave their homes.
Felton Grove resident Perry Dibenidetto was tarping and boarding vulnerable parts of his home Thursday afternoon, placing sandbags to guard against the waters that were likely to rise.
"You see this water line. That was the major flood. That's how high it got," said Dibenidetto. "We have everything raised. We trying to keep everything off the ground as much as we can,"
It was only weeks ago when neighbors were dealing with mounds of mud everywhere.
The river behind Dibenidetto's home overflowed its banks in January, right to their doorstep and into the house. It was yellow tagged for electrical damage.
"We've had numerous flood events, but nothing like what we saw last time," said Dibenidetto.
The Pajaro Valley Unified School District in Santa Cruz County announced Thursday evening the closure of several schools on Friday.
District spokesperson Alicia Jimenez said the schools will be closed because of current evacuation orders, evacuation warnings and accessibility issues due to major road closures related to the storm that is over the region.
The following schools will be closed Friday:
- Ann Soldo Elementary School
- Pajaro Middle School
- Watsonville High School
- Renaissance High School
- Watsonville Infant Center
Meanwhile, trees toppled by winds and saturated soil were an issue elsewhere. In San Anselmo, a massive tree crashed into a home on Thursday night.
On State Highway 35 in Portola a tree fell on a vehicle that was traveling by. Fortunately, the two people in the car were not hurt but the roadway was blocked for hours.
A tree also toppled onto the northbound lanes of I-280 in San Bruno early Thursday evening. A California Highway Patrol spokesperson said the tree blocked the two right lanes of northbound Interstate 280, south of the Crystal Springs Road on-ramp.
