Updated at 7:18 PM on Tuesday — The entire Bay Area, including Napa County, will be under flood watch from early Wednesday morning due to a severe storm system expected to equal or exceed Saturday’s deluge, with likely loss of life, he said. one official said. A dire forecast update from the National Weather Service. The region will also have a strong wind warning in effect Wednesday through Thursday morning.
On Tuesday night, the Napa County Department of Emergency Services released its countywide winter weather forecast, citing potential flooding and power outages as rainfall increases and wind speeds pick up. will take effect at 4:00 a.m. This is the same start time he previously declared for the Bay Area in nine counties by flood watchers and forecasters of gale warnings.
In a powerful and impressive bulletin posted Monday night, the National Weather Service listed potential impacts from a “brutal system” including floods, road washouts, landslides, fallen trees, power outages, and more. human life.”
The Weather Service did not back down on Tuesday and instead gave Bay Area locals tips for staying safe amid the sticky conditions expected Wednesday and Thursday. I was advised to make sure it was inflated (a common cold concern). In case of evacuation, the vehicle has a full tank of gas, the mobile phone is fully charged and is registered with emergency alerts that may provide notification of emergency situations. Movement status and public security bulletins.
“We’re trying to get people to really pay attention,” said Ryan Wolbran, a meteorologist with the Weather Service, adding, “To reduce the burden on first responders, we want people to be themselves.” I am trying to give you the power to care for
Napa County spokeswoman Linda Ong said Tuesday that the county is primarily focused on monitoring forecasts at this time. The county expects the impact of the upcoming storm to be slightly more severe than that of the weekend’s storm.
Regarding potential flooding, the County’s Flood Control and Water Conservation District plans to close the Oxbow Commons Flood Bypass Gate in downtown Napa around 5 p.m. Wednesday. Storm, said Ong. That would include closing nearby McKinstry Street to prevent vehicles from entering the flood waterway, she said. The closure will last until the storm has passed.
As with last week’s Bay Area storms, Napa County is generally urging people to drive cautiously, drive slowly and watch out for debris if they have to get onto the road, Ong added. rice field. Strong winds expected.
“We are far from predicting that there will appear to be more intense rainfall over a shorter period of time compared to the first storm event,” Ong said.
The update, released Monday afternoon, contains five key points, with the first noting the “threat to life during this storm.” Mudslides are expected due to saturated soils, and rapidly rising creeks and creeks pose an additional hazard.
Flood watch will be in place from 4:00 am Wednesday to 4:00 pm Thursday. At this time, the Napa County OES expects a total of 3 to 5 inches of rain in the valleys, 4 to 6 inches in the foothills, and 8 to 10 inches in the mountains.
More rain Friday through Sunday is expected to bring an additional inch to two in the valley floor and as much as 4.5 inches in the higher elevations, the county announced Tuesday after 6:45 p.m. said in the weather forecast.
Additionally, the Weather Service has upgraded the Bay Area Gale Warning to a Gale Warning that will be active from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday. Southerly winds are 20 to 30 mph, with 50 mph gusts expected in the valleys, while 30 to 40 mph winds and up to 60 mph gusts are possible in mountainous areas above 1,000 feet elevation.
Wednesday-Thursday mornings will see the worst storms, with heavy rains and strong winds with gusts of 35-55 mph in most areas, with stronger gusts at higher elevations.
Widespread power outages are expected as stronger winds increase the risk of fallen trees and power lines, the Japan Meteorological Agency said in its announcement of a storm warning. Especially high-profile vehicles such as trucks and vans are difficult to move.
A meteorologist shared the following observations in his predictions for upcoming storms: “Simply put, this is one of the most influential systems over a wide area this meteorologist has seen in a long time. Likely to be one, impacts include widespread flooding, swept roads, collapse of hillsides, fallen trees (potentially complete groves), widespread power outages, to commerce immediate disruption of, and in the worst case, possible loss of life.
This forecast includes an updated threat matrix classifying the expected conditions for Wednesday and Thursday as “extreme risk.” This includes increased gusts, flood monitoring, which now includes the entire Bay Area, and an additional forecast for approximately one day Friday through Sunday after a major storm. Two inches of rain in most areas.
Two areas of the coast south of San Francisco could see slightly less rain than originally forecast. The revised forecast calls for 2 to 3 inches of precipitation in Half Moon Bay (down from 3 to 4 inches) and 3 to 4 inches in Santa Cruz instead of the previous forecast of 4 to 6 inches.
Weather forecasters said little rain fell on Tuesday, a last chance to wipe out Saturday’s storm before the next one hits. During the last storm, San Francisco had her second wettest day, he recorded 5.46 inches of precipitation on December 31st. This is just short of his all-time precipitation record of 5.54 inches set on November 5, 1994. Thanks to Jan Null, Certified Meteorologist at Golden Gate Weather Services.
This brings San Francisco’s total December rainfall to 11.60 inches, making it the 15th wettest December in the city, which holds the rain record since 1849.
Trees sitting in saturated, flexible soil can be knocked over by the wind, falling onto homes and power lines, causing loss of power to homes throughout the area.
Aldo Gonzalez, division chief of Cal Fire, told the Bay Area Newsgroups that last weekend’s storms resulted in more than 500 calls from people whose homes were flooded and those in need of rescue and evacuation. He estimated that about 85% of these calls could be prevented by properly preparing for a storm of this magnitude.
“Most of it is common sense,” he said. “People have to use their heads and think a little bit backwards… look at the history of the last storm a few days ago and push what will or will happen in the next few days. If so, it’s better to be prepared, be prepared, and if you’re in a flood zone, stay out of the area.”
As a matter of common sense, Gonzalez said putting sandbags around the house, going to higher ground, and having a “go bag” and a place to stay are easy ways to prevent dangerous situations from developing during storms. “Go bag” refers to an emergency kit already packed for travel containing essential items a resident may need, such as medicines, food, water, and clothing.
“Don’t wait until the last minute,” he said. “We are better than that.”
About 3,000 workers at utilities, contractors and other utilities have been affected by the expected storms this week, Pacific Gas and Electric Co., which reported about 500,000 customers lost power in the New Year’s Eve storm. It said it was prepared to handle service disruptions during the period. The effort includes his 16 crew from Edison in Southern California and mutual aid from other West Coast utilities, he said in a statement Tuesday night, PG&E.
California Highway Patrol Officer Ross Lee advised drivers to take extra precautions because visibility can be poor in severe storms. Drivers are always advised not to drive through flooded intersections or other roads.
“I mostly advise people to remember to slow down,” Lee said. “Make sure your vehicle is in proper working and working condition. This includes tires, lights and windshield wipers.”
Lee said there are no specific highways that CHP expects to flood, but he said drivers should be prepared for all situations.
On Wednesday, the City of Napa will offer self-serve sandbags in its own yards from 7am to 5pm. The garden is located at 770 Jackson St. We provide sand, bags and shovels. Visitors are asked to bring their own gloves.
American Canyon City Hall, 4389 Broadway (US 29) has a seasonal self-serve punching bag station. Visitors should bring their own shovel and gloves.
The town of Yountville provides sandbags for the gravel parking lot south of Veterans Memorial Park on Washington Street.
Sandbags are available at two locations in St. Helena. Crane Park at the eastern end of Adams Street and between the elementary school and the tennis courts.
For the latest forecast, visit weather.gov/bayarea.
This article includes reports from Napa Valley Register reporter Edward Booth, city editor Howard Yune, Bay Area Newsgroup reporter Austin Turner, and the Bay City News Service.
