Community Corner

UPDATE: Third Wave of Storms Hits Bay Area: Rain May Return Tuesday

The last installment of the 'atmospheric river' coursing through Nor Cal arrived Sunday morning. A big rig overturned on the Richmond Bridge and 1,500 customers lost power in El Cerrito Sunday morning.

UPDATE 3:43 p.m. Sunday: PG&E reports 87 customers without power in pinole Sunday afternoon, having lost power at 7:19 a.m.

PG&E crews were out assessing and repairing the lines. There was not an estimated time for restoration.

There were no power outages in Hercules Sunday afternoon.

Find out what's happening in Albanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE 1:10 p.m. Sunday: The sun is shining on a soggy East Bay as the third storm to hit the area in five days moves east. The storm dumped fewer inches of rain than the National Weather Service had predicted, but storm-related power outages caused their share of hassles Sunday morning, including an hour mid-morning with no Bart service. 

While there's still a 20 percent chance of showers for the rest of the day, Monday will be mostly sunny with a 50 percent chance of rain returning on Tuesday. 

Find out what's happening in Albanywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

UPDATE 12:15 p.m. Sunday:

Pacific Gas and Electric is reporting numerous power outages throughout the East Bay.  El Cerrito is the hardest hit with 10 outages affecting 3,500 customers.

The West County Times is reporting on its Twitter feed that the outages are affecting traffic signals on San Pablo Avenue at Stockton, Richmond Street and Moeser.

Pinole and Hercules have a combined six power outages affecting 250 customers.

UPDATE 10:50 a.m. Sunday:

BART has confirmed that service has been restored.

The interruption was due to a a power outage at the BART operations control center, BART spokesperson Alicia Trost said. The outage lasted from 9:18 a.m. to 10:18 a.m. All trains are now back in service.

When the power was lost all trains went to the nearest station to unload passengers.

UPDATE 10:45 a.m. Sunday:
A BART spokeswoman has tweeted that service has been restored. We're trying to confirm.

The Contra Costa Times reported: "Around 9:18 a.m. power went out, possibly due to the nasty weather that dumped rain on the Bay Area and as a result trains can't move, said BART police Lt. Randy Gregson."

UPDATE 10:30 a.m. Sunday:

The California Highway Patrol has cleared a big rig that overturned on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge and disrupted traffic for more than five hours this morning.

Eastbound lanes were blocked for more than five hours, with traffic using the right shoulder to pass. Tow crews had to wait for winds to subside before attempting to salvage the fallen vehicle. The truck was uprighted and removed from the roadway by about 10 a.m.

There were no reports of injuries.

(Bay City News Service)

UPDATE 10:20 a.m. Sunday:

Some news organizations and Twitter users are reporting that BART service is either delayed or completely shut down due to a computer system failure.

We're checking and will update with details.

UPDATE 9:30 a.m., Sunday: PG&E is reporting that 6,500 customers lost power in Berkeley at 9:15 a.m. 

UPDATE 9 a.m., Sunday: Nearly 1,500 customers lost power in El Cerrito around 8:40 a.m., according to PG&E. 

Bay City News—Strong winds caused a big rig to overturn on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge this morning, blocking eastbound lanes, a California Highway Patrol officer said. The big rig overturned on its side near the midspan of the bridge at about 4:45 a.m. and remained in the roadway as of 8 a.m., CHP Officer James Evans said. There were no reports of any injuries. Both eastbound lanes remained blocked, though traffic was able to pass on the right shoulder, Evans said. The CHP was waiting for winds to die down before sending out a tow truck to remove the fallen vehicle, he said. A Sig-alert was issued at 4:54 a.m.

UPDATE 3 a.m., Sunday: By Charles Burress--

Following Friday's Bay Area soaking that cut power to thousands and clogged commutes with accidents and flooding, the rain is expected to continue this weekend, turning heavy Saturday night or early Sunday, the National Weather Service said.

The weather agency issued a "hazardous weather outlook" warning of "another strong Pacific weather system" that could bring heavy rain Sunday, in addition to expected showers on Monday.

"Excessive rainfall on already saturated soils could result in mudslides in areas of steep terrain," the weather service said.

Friday saw especially heavy rains in the North Bay, with 7-1/2 inches soaking the town of Venado in Sonoma County, the San Francisco Chroncile reported. The San Francisco airport had received 2 inches in 24-hour period ending at 8 p.m. Friday, the weather service said.

Monday should see the sky faucets turned off under partly sunny skies, the agency said. The extended forecast included a chance of rain Tuesday and Wednesday and "mostly sunny" weather on Thursday and Friday. 

Daytime high temperatures were forecast to range between 60 and 63 degrees over the next several days.

UPDATE 2 p.m., Friday: East Bay stormy weather is at bay until late Saturday night.

"We're kind of in a lull between storms," said Logan Johnson, Coordination Meteorologist for the National Weather Service.

Johnson said the East Bay will see scattered showers until Saturday night, when the third storm this week is expected to move in and stick around through Sunday morning.

UPDATE 11 a.m.: Bay City News Service -- Stormy weather this morning is affecting travel plans in and out of the Bay Area, according to airport officials. At San Francisco International Airport, 60 flights -- 30 arrivals and 30 departures -- have been canceled this morning, airport duty manager Joe Walsh said.

The cancellations, which started early this morning, will continue to affect flights until about noon, Walsh said. A delay program is in place at the airport until the end of the day, Walsh said. He advised passengers check with their airlines before arriving at the airport.

In the East Bay, there has been only one flight canceled this morning out of Oakland International Airport, an airport operations employee said. No flight delays have been reported there. Mineta San Jose International Airport has no cancellations or delays because of the weather, airport spokeswoman Rosemary Barnes said.

The weather also is to blame for a mud slide which shut down Highway 84, a popular commute route from between Silicon Valley and Fremont area and the Tri-Valley. 

UPDATE 5:31 a.m.: The long-anticipated storm arrived in the Bay Area Friday morning, bringing heavy winds and knocking down trees and leaving more than 15,000 PG&E customers without power. More than 4,500 PG&E customers in the Peninsula area, 3,700 in the South Bay area and 7,600 in the North Bay area are without power this morning, according to PG&E, which posts a map of outages showing location and details such as cause and when it might be restored.

A wind advisory is in effect until 11 a.m., with gusts of up to 45 mph expected, and a flash flood watch is in effect through Monday morning in the San Francisco Bay Area. A high surf advisory is in effect from 9 a.m. this morning until 4 a.m. Saturday.

Rain is likely to continue this evening, with lows in the upper 50s. Winds from the south are expected to reach up to 15 mph. Rain is expected Saturday. Highs are expected to be in the mid 60s, with winds from the south reaching up to 20 mph.

UPDATE 12:15 p.m. Thursday, Bay City News Service -- More rain is expected to arrive in the Bay Area this afternoon as a series of storms continues to pass through the region, a National Weather Service forecaster said.

"We're going to get hammered again tonight," forecaster Diana Henderson said.

The rain will start in the North Bay and move its way south through the Peninsula this afternoon and evening, she said.

Rain is expected to be heavy at times through Friday, with some strong winds, although the winds won't be as powerful as they were on Wednesday, when gusts of about 50 mph were recorded in the North Bay hills. Instead, it will be breezy with winds of up to 20 mph, Henderson said.

Three to 6 inches of rainfall is expected in the North Bay by the end of the day Friday, and 1 to 2 inches is forecast along the Peninsula.

On Wednesday, Bay Area residents were anticipating a daylong deluge of rain and wind, but the storm blew through by noon.

"The system moved faster than anticipated," Henderson said. "It didn't dump as much as we thought it might."

More showers and wind are expected Saturday and Sunday, with intermittent dry periods. There is a slight chance of thunderstorms as well, Henderson said.

Henderson advised using caution while driving on highways, where accumulated oil means slick roads in wet weather. "It just gets nasty out there," she said.
After the weekend, the area should dry out, according to Henderson.

UPDATE 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, "The first (storm) has moved through, but expect more serious hydrologic impacts coming soon," said a National Weather Service news release."The lighter than anticipated rain and now clearing skies...is deceptive and not a signal to lower your guard. Although only scattered showers are expected over the next 24 hours or so, a more ominous system is scheduled to arrive Thursday night. Rain will begin in the North Bay and move east and south slowly," according to the release.

UPDATE 3 p.m., Message from the Bay Area Rapid Transit District:

With a series of strong storms heading through the Bay Area, BART has geared up for wet weather and is reminding riders of safety tips. BART maintenance teams have all hands on deck in inclement weather. Some of the challenges can be falling branches from strong winds, which can knock out power or block a trackway, or heavy downpours that create puddling.

"Anytime you have moving parts exposed to the elements in bad weather, it can create problems, but we work hard to be prepared and call in extra staff if needed to deal with weather-related issues," BART Buildings Foreworker Charles Alexander said. "We do everything we can because our priority is on safety and reliability for the riders who count on us."

Riders can do their part by following tips such as:

•  Put umbrellas away in a bag to avoid drips;
•  Use extra caution when walking and be aware of surfaces that could be wet;
•  Pay attention to surroundings; don't be distracted by texting or reading on a mobile device;
•  Leave early and allow extra time to get to your destination; you don't want to have to run to make a train, and there may be weather-related delays; 
•  Choose footwear and outerwear appropriate for weather conditions;
•  Keep paper tickets dry or better yet, use a Clipper card;

If you spot a weather problem area on a train or in a station you can use the intercom to notify the train operator or let the station agent or other personnel know.

Inclement weather can have other impacts on riders, from parking lot visibility to personal security. BART Police has an increased presence inside our stations and parking lots during rainy weather to assist passengers and help keep things safe.  "Parking lots get slick during inclement weather, making it harder for cars to stop quickly," said Deputy Police Chief Benson Fairow.  "Drivers can't see as well in the rain and people often dart in front of cars while running towards shelter.  We advise everyone to slow down and be extra cautious during bad weather."

Fairow also noted that hooded outerwear and umbrellas can reduce a person's ability to see what is going on around them. It’s a good reminder at all times to be aware of your surroundings and keep your belongings such as purses, phones and packages close at hand, to avoid becoming a theft target.

BART appreciates your help in keeping the system running smoothly and safely during inclement weather.

UPDATE 1:55 p.m., Sandbags to guard against flooding are available for free in most East Bay cities. Here is a list of cities offering sandbags with links to more details about getting a hold of the bags:

  • Albany
  • Berkeley
  • Concord
  • Danville
  • Dublin
  • Pleasanton
  • San Ramon

UPDATE 1 p.m.: The weather caused 73 flight cancellations at San Francisco International Airport this morning, an airport duty manager said.
Most of the cancellations -- 36 arrivals and 37 departures -- were short-haul flights heading to and from airports in Orange County, Monterey, Santa Barbara and other West Coast destinations, duty manager Nancie Parker said.
Parker said that as of 11 a.m., other arriving and departing flights were averaging about an hour delay. Earlier this morning, arriving flights were delayed by as long as three and a half hours.

The Federal Aviation Administration has implemented its flow-control program for SFO because of the weather, slowing the rate of arrivals. The program was expected to be in effect throughout the day, Parker said.

Parker said the forecast calls for the stormy weather to continue for several days, but that today and Thursday are expected to have the heaviest rainfall.
The weather has not caused any notable delays at Mineta San Jose and Oakland international airports -- Bay City News Service

UPDATE 12:45 p.m., PG&E is reporting power outages affecting 170 customers in San Lorenzo and 158 customers in Union City.

UPDATE 2 a.m., The first of three storms this week is expected to hit early Wednesday morning, bringing with it threats of floods, power outages and massive traffic headaches.

Wednesday's storm should end by the evening. A second storm will move in Thursday evening and end Friday evening. The last storm will begin after 2 a.m. on Sunday and last until the evening, according to the National Weather Service.

Although the heaviest rainfall, and some possible thunder and lightning, will happen during the storms, rain is expected in-between. Slight chances of rain continue next week.

Coastal areas could get up to 20 inches of rain. "Small stream flooding and mudslides are possible with the heavy rain and strong winds could lead to power outages in some areas," according to the service.

Traffic is also expected to be impacted by the storms. See your local Patch's live traffic map and check back throughout the day for traffic condition updates.

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High temperatures in the East Bay will range between 62 and 64 degrees, and lows will range between 51 and 54 degrees through the weekend. Thunderstorms anticipated for Wednesday could produce winds up to 24 miles per hour.


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