Severe flooding has struck California's Bay Area, with a combination of extreme king tides and relentless rainfall submerging roads, stranding vehicles, and prompting emergency rescues across several counties.
Record Tides and Relentless Rain
The region is grappling with the highest predicted tides of the year, known as king tides, coinciding with a sustained period of heavy precipitation. In San Francisco, waters rose to 2.56 feet on Saturday, marking the highest level seen since 1998, according to SFGate.
"This is near record for the San Francisco Bay Area," confirmed Rachel Kennedy, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service. The agency has issued a coastal flood advisory effective until 3pm on Monday, with up to 3 inches (7.6cm) of additional rain forecast for some northern areas through Monday night.
Scenes of Disruption and Rescue
The impact has been dramatic and widespread. In Marin County, floodwaters covered roads, with residents seen kayaking along a submerged bike trail between Sausalito and Mill Valley. Authorities reported rescuing people from cars stuck in water as deep as three to four feet.
"I've been around here for the King Tides and I've never seen it this high. Never," Jeremy Hager of San Rafael told KTVU-TV. The San Francisco Fire Department performed one rescue of an adult found clinging to a rope in the water.
Flooding has been reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties. Colin McCarthy, a storm chaser, shared footage of torrents rushing through San Carlos, while local resident Julia Pfahl described it as the worst she had ever witnessed.
Southern California Also Affected
The extreme weather has not been confined to the north. Southern California has also faced significant problems, with heavy rain causing flooding and mudslides. In San Diego, hundreds were forced to flee a homeless shelter due to inundation.
Further south in Santa Barbara County, a key highway was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta by a series of mudslides. Tragically, the sheriff's office confirmed one man died after being swept into a creek during the storm. The Santa Barbara airport cancelled all flights after several runways flooded.
With more rain forecast through Tuesday, millions in Southern California are experiencing one of the wettest starts to winter on record, underscoring the scale of this ongoing weather event.
