SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — A plume of atmospheric river sub-tropical moisture stalled over the San Francisco Bay Area early Monday, triggering steady downpours, gusts of 40 mph or higher, minor rockslides and localized flooding in the East Bay.
The National Weather Service tweeted at 5 a.m. that “the atmospheric river is currently pointed from around SF southward through the Santa Cruz mountains with reports of minor flooding and rockslides. Rain rates around 0.50 of an inch per hour.”
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The deluge triggered a flood advisory of Monday morning for a portions of Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.
A wind advisory was also in effect with gusts as high as 50 mph.
“Doppler radar and automated rain gauges indicate heavy rain,” weather service forecasters posted. “Overflowing poor drainage areas have already caused minor flooding on Interstate 880 and Highway 101. Between 0.5 and 1 inch of rain has fallen.”
Berkeley police warned motorists that “westbound Ashby Avenue west of 7th Street will be closed for the next several days due to flooding. Please avoid the area.”
There were also several reports of between 6 inches to a foot of rain pooled on streets in Piedmont. In Santa Clara, a fallen tree had toppled across a roadway in Santa Clara and another tree crashed into a bedroom of a home in Felton in the rain-soaked Santa Cruz Mountains.
The storm’s most potent punch had been delivered in the North Bay starting Sunday afternoon.
“24 hour rain totals as of 4 a.m. include: 7.77 inches Mt Tamalpais, 4.78 Ben Lomond and 1.32 for downtown San Francisco,” the weather service posted on social media.
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On Sunday, rains and winds toppled a massive redwood that crushed a home in Forestville.
The tree crashed into the two-story home on Woodside Dr. in Forestville just after 3 p.m., crushing the second floor. The home was red-tagged.
The homeowner was working outside of the house when it came down. She was not hurt, but she couldn’t find her pet cat.
Authorities were also forced to shut down Highway 101 in both directions just south of the Seminary Drive exit in Mill Valley due to downed power lines Sunday afternoon. Northbound 101 traffic was diverted off at Seminary Drive and southbound 101 traffic is diverted off at E. Blithedale Avenue.
PG&E crews responded quickly, clearing the lines from the freeway and restoring power to around 2,500 customers who lost electricity.
Overall, most people said the storm had caused fewer problems than the much more potent atmospheric river back in October.
“Going for a walk even though it’s raining. You could put on rain boots and just get some fresh air,” said San Francisco resident Tracy Hepler.
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“We needed the rain. We needed the weather,” said Sausalito resident Michelle Warner.
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.