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How to prepare for floods in California

An atmospheric river drenched the San Francisco Bay Area on New Year's Eve, causing widespread flooding and road closures.

San Francisco recorded more than 5 inches of rain before the day was done, breaking the previous rainfall record for New Year's Eve. Oakland broke its previous record as well.

"There’s widespread flooding in urban areas with poor drainage and in creeks and small streams, including San Mateo Creek near Arroyo Court, San Francisquito Creek, Alameda Creek, and also down in Santa Cruz with a flooding warning for Corralitos Creek and the San Lorenzo River near Big Trees," said National Weather Service meteorologist Brooke Bingaman. "If you don’t have to drive today, don’t. That will allow emergency service people to get out and fix things, as there have been reports of downed trees, and it just means less work for them if you’re not dragging through a flooded road and need rescuing."[pullquote align="right" size="medium" citation="Ashley Keehn, public information officer, Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office"]'Our deputies are out there risking their lives to try to save other people so they don't have to risk their lives once those water levels get to that dangerous point.'[/pullquote]The California Highway Patrol closed both lanes of traffic on Highway 101 in South San Francisco midday due to major flooding. The CHP said it had no prediction of when the highway could be reopened as of Saturday evening.

Jonathan Baxter, a public information officer for the San Francisco Fire Department, said the department was responding to hundreds of emergencies, including flooding and landslides, and asked everyone to stay home if possible.

“We are asking the public to call 311 and not call 911 unless it’s a life-threatening emergency,” said Baxter. “Also, the New Year’s Eve light show will go on today but we are asking the public to not come into the city until after 7 p.m.”

The San Francisco Department of Public Works said they had responded to 10 downed trees, some of which hit parked cars, a small mudslide in Glen Park, and roadway flooding at Marina Boulevard, as well as at the intersection of 17th and Folsom Streets. SFDPW public information officer Rachel Gordon added the department had also given away hundreds of sandbags to residents and businesses and that they will continue giving away sandbags at their yard on Marin and Kansas Streets until 5 p.m. Saturday, with every resident and business able to pick up ten free bags.

Gordon says New Years Day will be a good time to prepare for the next storm expected later in the week, with the public able to pick up sandbags during normal giveaway hours from 8 a.m.–2 p.m. Monday to Saturday. Gordon also encourages people to clear leaves and any other debris that might have gathered in or around the storm drains near their homes to prevent additional flooding.

In the Santa Cruz Mountains, evacuation orders were issued for about 80 homes in the areas of Paradise Park and Felton. Ashley Keehn, a public information officer with the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office, said that the nearby San Lorenzo River had risen dangerously high.

“Our deputies are out there risking their lives to try to save other people so they don't have to risk their lives once those water levels get to that dangerous point," said Keehn. “Unless there is a reason to be on the road, please stay home, that's probably the safest place to be,"

Lieutenant Ray Kelly, a public information officer for the Alameda County Sheriff’s department, said that overflowing local creeks caused road closures in parts of Castro Valley and that water pooling on the 580 and 880 highways contributed to multiple car accidents. He also urged people to stay home.

Flooding was also reported in Marin City where residents have been demanding flood protections and an overhaul of their long-neglected water system, having experienced flooding regularly for decades.

"Sausalito has seven or eight ways for water to go out from there, and we only have one way — and that's into the wetland," said local resident and climate activist Terrie Harris Greene, who was out placing sandbags and surveying flooding in the neighborhood on New Year’s Eve. "Now, we have been advocating with the county of Marin that, on Donahue Street, we must have a drain system put in there."

The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services announced they were prepositioning flood fighting personnel, resources and materials to be available if needed. CalOES urged the public "to remain aware of their surrounding conditions ... to have an emergency plan in place, emergency preparedness kits at home and vehicles full of fuel ... [and to] sign-up for emergency alerts, listen to local authorities and warnings, and be prepared to evacuate if necessary."

The storm is forecast to pass by this evening, with dry conditions expected tomorrow, but Brooke Bingaman with the National Weather Service says another storm is expected by mid week.

"Today’s cold front should be a fairly quick-moving system, which is a plus," said Bingaman, "However, even though we’re expecting dry conditions [on Sunday], after that we’re going to start getting into a wet pattern. The concern is that our soils won’t get enough time to dry out, they’re very saturated at this point, so essentially the things we’re seeing today are likely going to be a repeat in the first week of January.”

The storm expected next week would be the third atmospheric river to hit the area since just after Christmas.

Resources for tracking Bay Area weather

There are plenty of online resources and apps available for tracking weather in real time, especially ahead of rain, storms and extreme conditions. Below is a list of sites KQED regularly uses in our reporting.

Websites to track basic weather information:

National Weather Service, San Francisco Bay Area
California Nevada River Forecast Center
Tahoe Daily Snow

Comprehensive scientific sites for weather watch:

Where to sign up for Bay Area emergency weather alerts

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'Please Stay Home': Bay Area Sees Widespread Flooding, Road Closures and Evacuations

The Other Killer