Santa Clara County

Heavy Rain Prompts Flash Flood Warnings in Santa Cruz Mountains, South Bay

A third day of rain across the Bay Area Sunday prompted flash flood warnings in the Santa Cruz Mountains and portions of Santa Clara County.

Several inches of rain fell overnight in the South Bay mountains, which prompted the National Weather Service to alert residents living near the charred Loma Fire landscape that flash floods and mudslides would be a possibility until 6 p.m. Sunday.

Folks living in the southwestern portion of Santa Clara County as well as areas in southwestern Monterey County, which is where the Soberanes Fire recently burned more than 132,000 acres, were also advised to stay aware and be prepared to evacuate if necessary.

NWS officials said that excessive rain could cause rocks, mud, vegetation and other debris to come barreling down hillsides.

Amid the concern, officials are pleased to see that reservoirs are filling with much-needed water. Since the storm made landfall Friday, some locations in the Santa Cruz Mountains reportedly recorded over 10 inches of rainfall as of Sunday evening and that number could increase even more.

The same can not be said for communities in the Silicon Valley. Portions of San Jose had received less than a half an inch of rain by Sunday afternoon, but consistent showers throughout the day should improve those numbers.

During a 24-hour stretch between Saturday and Sunday, North Bay rainfall totals measured in around the one-inch mark while tri-valley totals hovered around two inches.

San Francisco picked up roughly a half an inch during that same time period and Oakland gathered just under one inch of precipitation.

A coastal flood advisory is in effect for the coast from Sonoma County to Monterey County until 3 p.m. Monday. NWS officials have encouraged the public to avoid beaches, coastal rocks and jetties.

Although wind proved to cause headaches for the Pacific Gas and Electric Company earlier in the weekend, blustery conditions calmed down slightly Sunday. PG&E reported that 1,990 customers in the Bay Area were without power as of Sunday afternoon. Most of those residents impacted live in the East Bay.

Shortly after that update was released, power was knocked out for nearly 9,000 customers in various San Francisco neighborhoods. Power was restored one hour later at 1:10 p.m.

By 4:30 p.m., less than 800 customers were without power.

Inclement weather also caused headaches for travelers heading out of the Bay Area Sunday. San Francisco International Airport reported 37 cancellations and 392 flight delays. Both Oakland International Airport and Mineta San Jose International Airports reported zero cancellations, but each had a number of delayed flights.

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