Parts of California's Bay Area have been plunged into chaos following a severe combination of exceptionally high 'king tides' and relentless heavy rainfall, leading to widespread flooding, road closures, and dramatic rescues.
Record-Breaking Tides and Relentless Rain
The National Weather Service office in Eureka confirmed that five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with forecasts predicting up to 3 inches (7.6cm) of additional rain through Monday night. This deluge adds to the persistent wet weather the region has experienced since the Christmas period. In the mountains, at least a foot of snow was anticipated.
The situation was critically exacerbated by a king tide, the highest predicted tide of the year. On Saturday, floodwaters in San Francisco rose to 2.56 feet, marking the highest level recorded since 1998 according to SFGate. Meteorologist Rachel Kennedy from the National Weather Service stated this event was "near record for the San Francisco Bay Area." A coastal flood advisory remains active until 3pm on Monday.
Rescues and Disruption Across the Region
The extreme conditions led to significant disruption and danger. The San Francisco Fire Department performed a rescue of an adult found clinging to a rope in the water. In Marin County, authorities responded to numerous incidents of vehicles becoming trapped in floodwaters as deep as 3 to 4 feet.
Residents reported unprecedented water levels. "I've been around here for the King Tides and I've never seen it this high. Never," Jeremy Hager from San Rafael told KTVU-TV. The surreal scenes included locals kayaking along submerged streets and wading through knee-deep water on what were normally bike trails and roads between Sausalito and Mill Valley.
Flooding was officially reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties. Storm chaser Colin McCarthy shared footage of torrents of water rushing through San Carlos, located 25 miles south of San Francisco.
Southern California Also Reels from Storms
The severe weather was not confined to the north. Southern California has also faced consequential flooding and mudslides. In San Diego, hundreds were forced to evacuate a homeless shelter due to inundation.
In Santa Barbara County, a key highway was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta by a series of mudslides, only reopening on Sunday. Tragically, the sheriff's office confirmed one man died after being swept into a creek during the storm. The county received more than 4 inches of rain over two days, causing the Santa Barbara airport to cancel all flights after several runways flooded.
With more rain forecast through Tuesday for the southern part of the state, millions are enduring one of the wettest starts to winter on record, underscoring the extensive impact of this powerful and prolonged weather system across California.
