More flooding expected this Wed. and Thursday in Contra Costa County
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Jan. 3, 2023) — Crews around the Bay Area continue to clear roads and clean up debris after this weekend’s record rainfall. Another atmospheric river storm will hit starting early tomorrow morning.
According to the National Weather Service Bay Area, “A strong storm system and atmospheric river will bring widespread moderate to heavy rainfall and strong winds to the region from Wed-Thurs. This will increase the threat for widespread flooding and wind damage across the Bay Area and Central Coast.”
The NWS predicted the storm will likely be as powerful as the New Year’s Eve event. Soils already saturated by the previous downpours will only intensify the new storm’s impacts, bringing even more mudslides and sinkholes. For example, Oakland Zoo has closed and will not reopen until January 17, or possibly later, due to a major sinkhole caused by a collapsed culvert located under the vehicle entrance to the Zoo at Golf Links Road.
Flood Watches have been posted across the Bay Area and much of NorCal Wednesday into Thursday, according to NWS Bay Area.
Rain and wind
The heaviest downpours will occur late Wednesday into early Thursday. Strong winds will accompany the precipitation. Scattered showers will linger into early Friday.
NWS Bay Area said totals starting Tuesday night will bring 4.5 to 6.5 inches in the Santa Lucia mountains and the Big Sur coast.
Coastal mountains in the North Bay might see 4.5 to 6.5 inches, and the Santa Cruz Mountains and northern Monterey Bay will see 3.5 to 6 inches.
The interior North Bay should expect 2.75 to 5 inches. Forecasts for San Francisco, along with the East Bay and South Bay areas, show 1.5 to 3 inches.
Officials have also issued a high wind warning from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday. Expect strong winds with gusts of 35 to 55 miles per hour. Higher gusts in the mountains could lead to downed power lines and trees. Some rain will continue through the weekend to a lesser extent.
A NWS Bay Area report on Monday said “This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously.”