SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) — An extremely dangerous atmospheric river continues to move through the San Francisco Bay Area and has caused flooding on roadways and highways around the region, as well as significant storm damage.
Thursday’s storm is ranking a strong level 3 on the exclusive ABC7 Storm Impact Scale. This is compared to the level 5 storm on Wednesday, the first level 5 in the history of the scale.
The entire region remains under a Flood Watch, and winds will continue to be an issue until 10 a.m. Thursday.
Jan. 5, 2023
6 a.m.
Tree falls on Caltrain tracks in Burlingame
Caltrain says that a large tree fell and is blocking the northbound and southbound railroad tracks near the Burlingame Avenue station. The California Drive and North Lane railroad crossing are closed to traffic until further notice.
Caltrain says it should be cleared by 6:45 a.m.
5 a.m.
19-year-old killed in Fairfield crash Wednesday
ABC7 News is learning about a deadly accident that happened Wednesday morning. Police say that a 19-year-old woman was driving on Vanden Road at One Lake, which was partially flooded, when she hydroplaned and lost control. She then collided into a utility pole and did not survive the crash.
Police say she was likely going at speeds unsafe for the conditions.
The woman’s name is not being released by police.
4 a.m.
Tree falls on Oakland apartment building
A large eucalyptus tree fell on a three-story apartment building at 3293 Lynde St. in Oakland.
Jan. 4, 2023
10:46 p.m.
Evacuation warnings in Santa Clara County
Santa Clara County has issued evacuation warnings to community members residing in the watershed areas of the Uvas Reservoir and Pacheco Pass River Basin due to weather conditions and risks to the general public and property. For more details, visit the county website here.
10:35 p.m.
Toddler dies in Sonoma County home hit by falling tree
A Toddler has died after a tree fell onto a home in Occidental Wednesday night, fire officials said. The toddler aged 2.5 was home with their mom and dad when it happened.
Firefighters performed CPR while waiting for medics to arrive but the infant did not make it.
9:00 p.m.
Dam failure prompts Flash Flood Warning in San Benito Co.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Warning for a dam floodgate release in northwestern San Benito County.
Dam operators reported the spillway of the North Fork Dam being compromised just after 6 p.m. and predict that water will overtop the spillway by tomorrow morning. This will impact areas, including Lovers Lane, Pacheco Creek and Santa Ana Creek.
Flooding is already being reported along the Pacheco Pass Reservoir.
NWS says residents who are in low lying areas below the North Fork Dam are urged to move to higher ground immediately.
7:25 p.m.
Wind gusts knock over gas station canopy in Daly City
This video of wind gusts so strong they knocked over the canopy of a gas station came in just minutes ago. This happened a short time ago in Daly City. At this time, we’re not hearing of any reports of injuries, but you can see the gas pump was crushed by the fallen canopy.
7:10 p.m.
Shelter-in-place in order lifted in San Rafael
The earlier Shelter in Place from Canal to mid-block Novato St due to multiple blown transformers and downed live wires has been lifted, according to San Rafael officials. Roadways have re-opened, however the power line had to be cut by PG&E and power is now out in the area, possibly expected to be out until tomorrow.
6:04 p.m.
Shelter-in-place in order in San Rafael
Officials issued a shelter-in-place order from Canal to mid-block Novato Street in San Rafael due to multiple blown transformers and live high voltage wires down. No vehicle or pedestrian traffic is allowed. For more information, visit here.
5:56 p.m.
Lanes blocked on I-280 in San Bruno
The southbound lanes of I-280 just north of Skyline Blvd in San Bruno is blocked due to multiple downed trees, CHP said.
Only one of the far left lane is open. CHP are asking drivers to avoid the area.
5:40 p.m.
Evacuation warnings for Russian River area
Officials issued an evacuation warning for residents living near the Russian River and its surrounding areas from Healdsburg to Jenner amid flooding threat. For the full list of evacuation warning zones, visit here.
Oakland, Milpitas declare State of Emergencies
The cities of Oakland and Milpitas declared local state of emergencies amid the powerful Level 5 storm. The declaration of the emergencies will enable cities to utilize all resources necessary to prepare and respond to the storm.
5:15 p.m.
San Francisco officials urge residents to stay off roads, limit 911 calls
Mayor London Breed joined city leaders to urge residents to stay off the roads as the storm intensifies Wednesday night. Officials are asking residents to limit 911 calls except for in emergency situations, as all crews are on hands-on-deck responding to weather-related incidents. For all non-emergency calls, you can dial 311.
4:30 p.m.
Mandatory evacuations ordered for multiple areas in Santa Cruz County
Evacuation orders for multiple areas of Santa Cruz County were issued Wednesday afternoon as more rainfall hit the county, bringing higher flood risks.
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office issued evacuation orders for unincorporated areas including the Paradise Park area in zone CRZ-E081 and the Felton Grove neighborhood in zones FEL-E008 and FEL-E012.
The following evacuation zones are also under an immediate evacuation order: CTL-E010, CTL-E014, CTL-E015, CTL-E018, and CTL-E019 zones in the Soquel area north of state Highway 1, the CTL-E050, CTL-E051 zones in the La Selva Beach area, PAJ-E015, PAJ-E024, PAJ-E026, PAJ-E027, PAJ-E028, PAJ-E029 zones near Pajaro, and WTS-E017, WTS-E018, WTS-E019 zones in Watsonville.
Evacuation zone CRZ-E001-C near Whitehouse Canyon Road has also been ordered to evacuate.
Evacuation orders in those areas are mandatory and the areas are closed to public access.
In addition, areas around Capitola Village and Felton are under evacuation warnings, as are areas of Boulder Creek, the area around Last Chance Trail and the Lompico and Zayante areas. Those who require additional time to evacuate and people who have pets and livestock should evacuate now, per the Capitola Police Department and Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
For a complete list of evacuation zones, visit https://aware.zonehaven.com/search.
3:30 p.m.
Evacuations urged for parts of Alameda County
Residents of Kilkare, Palomares and Niles Canyon roads in Alameda County are urged to evacuate because of the storm, saturated soils and runoff, county officials said on Twitter at 2:31 p.m. Wednesday.
Rain is expected to become heavy Wednesday afternoon and stretch into Thursday. A wind warning is in effect until 10 a.m. Thursday.
3 p.m.
NOAA sending hurricane hunters into storm
ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says NOAA is sending their hurricane hunters into our atmospheric river right now to gather data on the storm’s strength.
2:30 p.m.
Departure, Arrival flights grounded at SFO
Departures and arrivals at San Francisco International Airport are grounded due to wind until at least 3 p.m., according to a representative.
2:15 p.m.
Several Bay Area counties under State of Emergency due to storm
Sonoma, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties have all declared an emergency. In Contra Costa County, the city of Danville is under a state of emergency. The city of Watsonville in Santa Cruz County has also declared a state of emergency.
11:15 a.m.
Newsom declares State of Emergency to support storm response, recovery efforts
Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a State of Emergency for California to help with the response and recovery efforts to the large winter storm moving through the state. This will allow California to respond quickly to support local governments, authorities in their ongoing response.
11:10 a.m.
CHP issues high wind advisory for Golden Gate Bridge
The California Highway Patrol has issued a High Wind Advisory for the Golden Gate Bridge.
10:55 a.m.
CA officials give update on Level 5 storm
State officials will provide update on the state’s response to the impacts to California communities following a strong winter storm. Officials will also discuss the continued efforts the state is making to keep Californians safe.
10 a.m.
Several Bay Area schools announce closures for Wednesday, Thursday
Several schools across the Bay Area have announced they will be closed either Wednesday or Thursday due to the severe storm moving through the area. Here’s a look at the closures so far:
- Horicon School in Annapolis in Sonoma county – closed today Wednesday 1/4
- The South San Francisco Unified School District – closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)
- San Mateo Foster City School District – closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, January 6)
- Pacifica School District closed Thursday 1/5 (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)
- Portola Valley School District – all schools will be closed Thursday 1/5 – (Classes will resume on Friday, Jan. 6)
9:45 a.m.
Crow Canyon Road in San Ramon closed, open to residents only, police say
San Ramon police say Crow Canyon Road is closed to traffic in both directions between San Ramon and Castro Valley. There is limited access for residents only.
9:30 a.m.
CHP issues High wind advisories for Bay Bridge, San Mateo Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge
The California Highway Patrol has issued high wind advisories issued for three Bay Area bridges: Bay Bridge, San Mateo Bridge and Dumbarton Bridge.
8:50 a.m.
BART warns up to 20-minute systemwide delay due to wet weather
BART is warning riders there may be up to 20-minute delays systemwide due to wet weather conditions.
8:30 a.m.
East Bay Regional Parks District closed through Thursday
The largest regional park system in the country is closing down because of the strong storm hitting the Bay Area. East Bay Regional Parks District has closed down all parks from today through tomorrow. Residents are advised by the park district to not enter the parks.
Parks are expected to reopen on Friday after officials asses the weather conditions. For reopenings and more information on east bay regional parks you can head to their website.
8 a.m.
SF out of sandbags, hope to have more later Wednesday
The San Francisco Department of Public Works said Wednesday morning that no more sandbags are currently available for residents and businesses seeking them to prevent flooding from an atmospheric river hitting the city this week.
Public Works officials said more sandbags are expected to be available at the operations yard later Wednesday, but the exact time was to be determined.
7 a.m.
Marin County activates emergency shelter for unhoused residents
Marin County activated its severe weather emergency shelter starting Wednesday for people experiencing homelessness in anticipation of more heavy rain hitting the Bay Area this week.
The overnight warming shelter is located at the Marin County Health and Wellness campus located at 3240 Kerner Blvd., in San Rafael. It will be open from 5 p.m. Wednesday to 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Individuals are encouraged to sign in by 8 p.m. Wednesday.
The nearest public transportation to the campus, according to Google Maps, is the bus stop at Bellam Boulevard and Lisbon Street, which is served by Marin Transit’s 580 and 23 routes. It is also near the stop at Kerner Boulevard and Larkspur Street served by Marin’s 23, 29, 35, 36 and 645 routes.
VIDEO: Marin Co. announces emergency shelter for unhoused community
6:30 a.m.
Danville declares local emergency through Jan. 10
The Town of Danville has proclaimed a local emergency in response to the ugly storms expected to start Wednesday, while the city is still cleaning up after last weekend’s wet weather that included flooding and mudslides.
Acting as the city’s director of emergency services, Town Manager Joe Calabrigo signed the proclamation just before noon Tuesday, according to a statement from city officials. The proclamation will remain in effect until noon on Tuesday, Jan. 10.
The declaration allows Danville greater flexibility to contract for and obtain supplies for more expedient disaster response.
Residents can contact the police department for safety concerns at (925) 820-2144. To request non-urgent assistance for clean-up or other concerns, call Danville Maintenance Services at (925) 314-3450 or go to www.danville.ca.gov/danvilleconnect.
For assistance with county-maintained or privately-maintained creeks, call county public works at (925) 313-7000 or email admin@pw.ccounty.us. For power outage information, go to www.pge.com/outagealerts. Weather can be monitored at www.weather.gov/mtr.
Jan. 3, 2023
7:18 p.m.
Evacuation orders for unhoused living near creeks
San Jose has issued a mandatory evacuation order for unhoused people living in creek areas, police tweeted. SJPD says officers are responding to creek areas and making announcements to evacuate. Shelters will be provided.
7 p.m.
An area of Santa Cruz Co. being evacuated ahead of storm
An area near Whitehouse Canyon Road in Santa Cruz County is being evacuated due to concerns with a culvert, the sheriff’s office announced on Tuesday evening.
A culvert under Whitehouse Canyon Road became undermined during the last storm and that caused a part of the roadway to fail. The sheriff’s office anticipates that the upcoming rains pose a “significant concern” that the entire culvert could completely fail, making the roadway impassable for medical and law enforcement resources.
The zone being evacuated is CRZ-E001-C. To pinpoint its location, go to https://aware.zonehaven.com/search.
Road closures can be monitored at https://sccroadclosure.org.
6:50 p.m.
San Jose announces State of Emergency before historic storm
On Tuesday, the City of San Jose proclaimed a State of Emergency ahead of the atmospheric river weather event. The proclamation provides emergency powers to the city needed to respond to the storm events, and simultaneously issues an evacuation order to people living within or along waterways for their safety.
“We want to make sure all residents are informed and prepared to stay safe, and that city staff has the ability to move quickly to relocate encampments that are in harm’s way,” San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan said.
5:50 p.m.
Mandatory evacuation orders issued for parts of Watsonville in Santa Cruz Co. at high risk of flooding
The City of Watsonville issued mandatory evacuation orders Tuesday evening for neighborhoods with a high risk of flooding ahead of Wednesday’s storm.
The city tweeted a map highlighting the areas ordered to evacuate in Santa Cruz County.
“If your residence is located within this map’s blue-shaded area, you’re asked to evacuate NOW or as soon as possible to safely get ahead of the storm’s flooding,” the tweet wrote.
An overnight shelter opened at Cesar Chavez Middle School (440 Arthur Rd.). This site will serve as the central location to accommodate residents. Shelter space will be limited, so pets must be dropped off at the Animal Shelter (580 Airport Blvd.) before the storm or make arrangements with friends or family.
Ramsay Park (1301 Main St.) is also now open and serves as a place for residents to meet up with family members and get information on available services. There will be limited onsite services.
For those who need transportation services, Lift Line will be available to assist. Please call 831-688-9663.
5:10 p.m.
SF Bay Ferry suspending service for 2 routes affecting Alameda, Oakland on Wednesday, agency says
The San Francisco Bay Ferry will be suspending service to two routes affecting Alameda and Oakland on Wednesday due to the storm forecast, the agency said on Tuesday.
The Harbor Bay and South San Francisco routes will not be sailing in either direction.
“Big southerly winds have outsized impacts at Harbor Bay and SSF terminals,” said the agency on Twitter.
All other routes will operate as scheduled, the agency said.
RELATED: Here’s how Bay Area is preparing for dangerous Level 5 storm taking aim at region
5 p.m.
Flood Warning issued for the Russian River in the North Bay
A Flood Warning has been issued on the Russian River near Johnson’s Beach in Guerneville, according to Meteorologist Drew Tuma. River forecast to crest at 35.4 feet Thursday evening causing moderate flooding.
4 p.m.
Pleasant Hill announces several sandbag locations ahead of storm
Pleasant Hill officials said Tuesday that city sandbag locations have been refilled and asked residents to respect the city’s 10-bag limit per household ahead of Wednesday’s storm.
Sandbags are located at City Hall at 100 Gregory Lane, the community center at 320 Civic Drive, and on Hawthorne Drive near Pleasant Oaks Park.
Pleasant Hill experienced flooding during last weekend’s storm and is expected to have similar issues once the next storm hits Wednesday. City officials asked people to not drive through flooded areas and around roadway closure signs and barricades.
3 p.m.
Orinda residents can fill sandbags at 2 locations
The city of Orinda has sand and empty sandbags available Tuesday at Moraga-Orinda Fire District Fire Station No. 43 at 20 Via Las Cruces, and at Fire Station No. 44 at 295 Orchard Road ahead of Wednesday’s storm.
Residents should bring their own shovels.
2:30 p.m.
Sandbags available at 2 San Ramon locations for residents
San Ramon police said sandbags are available Tuesday at two locations in the city ahead of another large storm forecast in the area.
The sandbags are available at Central Park at 12501 Alcosta Blvd. and at Athan Downs Park at 2975 Montevideo Drive.
2 p.m.
Santa Clara Co. offering free sandbags are several locations
Santa Clara County residents can get free filled sandbags from sandbag sites operated by the Santa Clara Valley Water District ahead of more heavy rainfall expected this week.
At the five Valley Water sandbag sites scattered throughout the county, residents can pick up free filled sandbags or fill their own with bags and sand the district has provided.
There are also 20 city and county public works yards with bags and sand that residents can fill themselves. A shovel and someone to help lift the sandbags is recommended since they are heavy.
Some sites may require proof of residency. More information and site locations can be found at https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready/sandbags.
12:45 p.m.
SF leaders give update on how city is preparing for storm
San Francisco leaders provided an update on how the city is preparing for the incoming atmospheric river. This comes after the city saw more than 5 inches of rainfall on New Year’s Eve causing widespread flooding making it the second wettest day in recorded history in San Francisco. Mayor London Breed says Wednesday’s storm will be significant. She is urging people to limit travel if possible. She warns of localized flooding. The mayor also says to use 911 for life-threatening emergencies, and 311 for reports of flooding in one’s home or business.
SF Department of Emergency and Management Mary Ellen Carroll says the National Weather Service has upgraded the wind gusts for Wednesday to 60 to 70 mph. There will be a Flood Watch from Wednesday at 4 a.m. to Thursday at 4 p.m. This could mean power outages and falling trees.
Officials are also recommending people to stock up on batteries and flashlights.
12:30 p.m.
SF warns sandbags are running low
SF Public Works says it is running low on sandbags. Residents asked to only get them if you really need them, limit of five per address.
“We have a limited supply of sandbags available for San Francisco residents whose properties are prone to flooding. Limit 5 per address. Pick up at our Operations Yard, Marin and Kansas streets gate. We’ll stay open until 8 p.m. Please only get sandbags if you really need them.”
Sandbags are available for residents and business owners. More details are available through “SF72” here.
8:30 a.m.
Most of Bay Area under moderate risk of flooding
The National Weather Service has placed most of the Bay Area under a moderate risk of flooding tomorrow for excessive rainfall. ABC7 Meteorologist Drew Tuma says given our wet soil conditions produced by recent heavy rains, flooding is likely.
Jan. 2, 2023
3 p.m.
NWS says powerful storm could cause ‘loss of life’
The National Weather Service said Monday that this upcoming storm will likely be “the most impactful system on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long time.”
NWS officials say not only will this storm bring flooding, power outages and “disruption to commerce,” it will also most likely cause loss of human life. They say this system will be brutal and needs to be taken seriously.
Watch the latest AccuWeather forecast and take a look at recent weather stories and videos.
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