Heavy rains aren't expected to hammer the Bay Area until Thursday, but crews on Wednesday were forced to deal with dangerous flooding in the North Bay.
The water quickly pooled and formed an extensive lake, spurring drivers to carefully maneuver around the hazard.
The King Tides reached their peak by 10:53 a.m. Wednesday, spilling water onto roadways near Shoreline Highway in Corte Madera. The wet weather also created problem spots along U.S. Highway 101 in Sausalito and by the Manzanita Park and Ride in Mill Valley.
Andrew Barclay, an officer with the California Highway Patrol, advises drivers to take it slow and keep an eye out for standing water.
"Our big message to people is if the roadway is wet, please slow down," he said. "Please give yourself that extra time to get to where you're going. Give yourself a space cushion when you're driving. Just be very cautious when you're driving."
Larkspur resident Robin McKee suggested that people keep their house gutters clean.
"Other than that we just wait for the rain and be happy if it keeps coming and coming," he said.
Heavy and widespread rain on tap for Thursday, coupled with high tides expected to spike at 11:41 a.m., could make driving conditions even worse moving forward.
More than one inch of rain is expected across the Bay Area with some portions of the Santa Cruz Mountains and North Bay receiving more than two inches of precipitation by the time the storm exits.
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A flash food watch has been issued for the Santa Cruz Mountains and wind watches have been implemented along the coast and higher Bay Area terrain.
PG&E is already bracing for power outages, especially in the North Bay The public utilities company is urging residents to stock up on flashlights and radios with fresh batteries, keep cell phones charged and have a portable charger handy. They also suggested freezing plastic containers filled with water to place in your fridge so food doesn’t spoil.
The inclement weather is expected to be clear by Friday.
