San Jose

Rain, Runoff Ramp Up Flood Threats Along Bay Area Rivers

An atmospheric river has inundated the Bay Area with multiple inches of rain, causing several rivers and streams to rise rapidly

As rain continued to soak the waterlogged Bay Area Thursday, eyes remain glued on swelling rivers and streams that have already or are predicted to surge above flood stage.

Much of the region remains under some sort of flood warning, watch or advisory as an atmospheric river continues to batter the region with heavy rain and damaging winds.

In San Jose's Willow Glen neighborhood, evacuations were ordered early Thursday morning as a portion of the Guadalupe River crested above flood stage. Water levels eventually receded, allowing officials to lift the evacuation orders.

In the North Bay, rainfall continues to soak already saturated soil, causing runoff to flow over numerous roadways, rivers to rise rapidly and a mudslide to dislodge a Sausalito home from its foundation.

The California Highway Patrol reported that a levee breached in the Novato area, sending a torrent of water toward a field near State Route 37. The flooding forced the closure of westbound State Route 37 between Highway 101 and Atherton Avenue.

A closed-off southbound lane at Sugarloaf Road on Highway 17 in the Santa Cruz Mountains were reopened Thursday afternoon.

An areal flood warning remains in effect until 2:45 p.m. Thursday for southeastern Marin County, according to the weather service. San Rafael, Novato and Mill Valley are just some of the areas that could face flooding.

"Do not attempt to cross flooded roadways!" the weather service warned.

In neighboring Napa County, a flood warning has been declared until 6:26 p.m. Thursday for areas along the Napa River near St. Helena, the weather service reported. Downstream near Napa, a flood warning will kick in around 11 a.m. Thursday.

Officials in the North Bay are also be keeping an eye on the Russian River, which hit flood stage Thursday afternoon and was expected to continue to rise into the evening hours, according to the weather service. 

The Sonoma County Sheriff late Thursday issued an advisory evacuation notice to all residents living on the Russian River.

A flood warning was also in effect along the river at Johnsons Beach near Guerneville.

Continuing this winter's soggy trend, the midweek storm inundated the Bay Area with multiple inches of rain between Tuesday morning and Thursday morning, according to the weather service. Venado in Sonoma County picked up a whopping 12.44 inches of rain during that 48-hour period. Mt. Umunhum in the South Bay collected 6.65 inches. Cazadero in western Sonoma County received 6.28 inches.

Among the Bay Area's larger cities, Santa Rosa accumulated 4.77 inches of rainfall during the two-day period, according to the weather service. San Francisco tallied 3.13 inches. Concord grabbed 2.01 inches.

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