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Residents throughout Redwood City and the Bay Area awoke to a soggy last day of the year Saturday, as an atmospheric river wreaked havoc across roadways, causing some to flood and others to close.
San Mateo County officials advised residents on Saturday that because of the flooding to avoid beaches for at least three days due to sewage impacting the ocean and bay waters.
By mid-afternoon, Redwood City resident Gilbert, who lived between Fifth Avenue and Second Avenue, shared photos and video of water creeping into his home, some of which had begun to damage his furniture and other belongings.
Gilbert, who did not share his last name, said his "entire house is flooded."
"We're thinking of leaving because the water keeps rising," Gilbert said, adding that he would likely go to a hotel in the area.
The city of Redwood City tweeted that sandbags were available for pickup at its public works department office at 1400 Broadway.
Redwood City Pulse residents have shared photos with this publication of high water at Redwood Creek nearly reaching the train tracks at Maple Street. In another photo, work crews can be seen cutting branches from atop a van with a smashed windshield.
In a video shared with the Pulse by Redwood City resident Rita Faye, the waters within Arroyo Ojo de Agua, a stream near Red Morton, can be seen rushing through.
Highway 92 is closed between Lower Lakes and Main Street in Half Moon Bay due to flooding and mudslides, according to San Mate County officials.
In South San Francisco, southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 101 are closed due to major flooding, California Highway Patrol announced Saturday morning. Northbound lanes have since opened.
The Pope-Chaucer bridge, which spans the San Francisquito Creek between Palo Alto and Menlo Park, was on the verge of flooding while nearby, some areas of the creek were breached by the high, rapidly flowing water.
Roiling, muddy water overtopped portions of the creek, sending water cascading down streets, topping some curbs and, in some isolated cases threatening to flood homes.
According to Palo Alto’s creek monitor, the water levels at the creek were exceeding 21 feet at about 10:40 a.m., nearing the bridge’s 24-foot capacity. City officials issued a warning shortly after 10 a.m. that flooding at the bridge was likely within 30 minutes. They also noted that minor flooding was occurring at Seneca and Hale Streets near the creek.
Intersections throughout the Midpeninsula were flooded on Saturday morning.
Middlefield Road between Ravenswood and Oak Grove avenues, by the Menlo-Atherton High School campus on the border of Atherton and Menlo Park, was closed to traffic. Middlefield Road at Linfield Drive in Menlo Park had a growing area of standing water just before noon, as did intersections along Waverly Street in the Linfield Oaks neighborhood.
At Burgess Park, the duck pond had spilled over its banks and flooded areas of the surrounding lawn. The fountain outside of Menlo Park City Hall was surrounded by a growing pond of water before 11 a.m.
In Atherton, around 10:30 a.m., swiftly flowing muddy water rushed through the Atherton Channel at the intersection of Middlefield and Marsh roads but hadn't risen to the level of the roadway.
Historic Flooding
Saturday's atmospheric river has brought record-breaking rainfall to Redwood City, according to experts from the National Weather Service.
Nearly 4.5 inches of rain have pummeled the city since midnight on Saturday, Dec. 31, the most rain ever on this day and the third most on any day in Redwood City’s recorded history. The top two wettest days in Redwood City were January 21, 1967 and October 13, 1962, which received 4.8 and 4.88 inches of rain, respectively.
Though precipitation has slowed, Saturday’s rainfall could still rank as the all-time wettest day in Redwood City, according to meteorologist Brooke Bingaman.
“We’re not going to know for sure until midnight tonight when we have the final numbers,” she said. “But the fact that this is ranking in the top three (of all time) is very impressive.”
Record-breaking rainfall also means dangerous driving conditions, especially on New Year’s Eve. Bingaman encouraged party-goers to check road closures before venturing out.
“We’re starting to see reports of people needing to be rescued from cars and that’s not the way to start the new year,” she said.
Travelers can refer to the California Highway Patrol Incident Page and San Mateo County Sheriff's Office Twitter page for the most up-to-date information on road closures.
Bingaman discouraged residents from driving through flooded roadways, warning that true water depth can be deceptive and can hide road damage. She added that moving water as shallow as six inches could cause vehicles to float away.
“Even if the rain stops, because the soils are so saturated there can still be movement,” she said.
Though meteorologists predict a dry Sunday, the respite will be short-lived. Rainy conditions are expected to return on Jan. 2 and 3, with another atmospheric river anticipated to hit in the coming days. Bingaman said residents should continue to monitor the weather forecast and prepare for a rainy start to the new year.
“One day of dry weather tomorrow isn’t going to be enough to let the soil dry out,” she said. “Those effects we saw today, we could get a repeat of them.”
Palo Alto Weekly reporters Gennady Sheyner and Sue Dremann contributed to this report. Bay City News contributed to this report.
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