SAN RAFAEL (KPIX 5) — As the powerful atmospheric river roared through the North Bay on Monday, filling up reservoirs and creeks, water officials noted more is needed to emerge from the severe drought.
For anyone who tried to get outside while the rain stopped in Marin, it was very easy to get caught in the next round.
“I mean, it was sunny earlier on,” said cyclist Matt Smith. “I didn’t expect it to turn quite like this.”
The wind and rain came roaring back over Mount Tam on Monday afternoon. The upper mountain was closed and traffic on the lower roads was forced to crawl when the more intense cells moved through. According to KPIX 5 chief meteorologist Paul Heggen, the mountain saw nearly 10 inches of rain.
“These days, it seems to come all at once,” said Authur Bosshardt.
In San Anselmo, the rain stopped long enough to allow the creek to fall back after rising through the morning.
“I remember the floods in ’82,” says Bosshardt. “Remember it big time. And in 2005.”
Nothing like that Monday. This storm was just about perfect.
“This is great,” Bosshardt says. “It’s what we need. Not much higher, but it’s really needed.”
The October storm was a boon for Marin’s water supply, many reservoirs were actually filled by those rains, but that was not the case for others, like Nicasio and & Soulajule.
“We are still about 11% lower than the typical average for this day,” says Adriane Mertens with Marin Water. “I think that speaks to the dry conditions that we’ve had for much of the year, and tells us we still have some more catching up to do.”
So this second atmospheric river is nothing but good news for Marin, and the rest of Northern California.
“If it’s up in the snow pack, that would be great,” Smith says. But I’m getting really rained on right now and it’s hard to share perspective at this precise moment.”
Source: sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com.