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The County of San Mateo is urging residents to prepare for heavy rains and strong winds forecast to hit the area by mid-day Thursday, potentially bringing flooding, mudslides, and falling trees and limbs through the weekend.
An emergency proclamation was issued in 21 counties on Wednesday by Gov. Gavin Newsom to provide disaster response and relief and includes San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties.
"The state is working around the clock with local partners to deploy life-saving equipment and first responders to communities across California," Newsom said Wednesday. "With more dangerous storms on the horizon, we'll continue to mobilize every available resource to protect Californians."
The SMC Department of Emergency Management has advised residents to sign up for emergency alerts, monitor weather forecasts, and avoid driving during heavy rains. The National Weather Service has warned that the soils are already saturated from the rains in January and February, which increases the risk of flooding and mudslides.
The storm is expected to bring winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts in higher elevations, possibly reaching 70 mph. San Mateo County is under a wind advisory and a flood watch from 1 p.m. Thursday through 4 p.m. Friday. More rain and the risk of flooding and slides are expected through the weekend and next week.
The County has activated its Emergency Operations Center to coordinate a local response to the storm.
Residents in San Mateo County can take advantage of several recommendations provided by the County to prepare for the upcoming weather conditions, which are expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds. The County is cautioning residents to sign up for emergency alerts, monitor weather forecasts, and avoid driving during heavy rains.
To stay updated on storm-related information and local resources, residents are encouraged to get connected by signing up for SMC Alert or by checking the social media accounts of the San Mateo County Sheriff, County of San Mateo, and National Weather Service Bay Area. They can also find out about road conditions, power outages, park closures, and more by checking Caltrans road information, Pacific Gas & Electric Outage Center, National Weather Service Bay Area, and San Mateo County Parks.
Residents are advised to stay off the roads if possible. If they must travel, they should not drive into flooded areas and keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in their vehicle in case of an emergency.
In an emergency, residents are reminded to call 9-1-1 only for serious medical problems, any type of fire, life-threatening situations, or to report crimes in progress. They are also encouraged to connect with their city's website for more localized information. Nine out of 10 San Mateo County residents live in an incorporated city or town, such as Daly City, San Mateo, or Redwood City.
For information on Redwood City's storm preparedness, go here.
Bay City News contributed to this report.
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