Winter storms could bring flash floods and damaging winds to the East Bay this week, on the heels of a system that soaked the region Monday morning.
Richmond has seen 2.5 inches of rain since Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. And, meteorologist Brian Garcia said, “This was just the teaser.”
As that storm moves out of the region, Garcia said, it’s dragging in another area of low pressure that sets the stage for a more dangerous system to arrive late Tuesday night.
A flood watch has been issued starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday through 10 p.m. Friday. A wind advisory is in effect from 4 p.m. today to 4 a.m. Wednesday. The city of Richmond’s flooding resources page offers stern advice to residents about flooding, stating:
“Flooding in our city is caused by heavy storms and can cover many blocks in up to five feet of water. Floodwaters are not as deep, but they still cover streets and yards and can flood cars, garages, basements, and lower floors.
“Floods in the area can come with little warning and are very dangerous. Even though they appear to move slowly (three feet per second), a flood two feet deep can knock a man off his feet and float a car.”
Richmond is forecast to see wind gusts that could top 50 mph and even heavier rain from that storm. At one point early Wednesday morning, an especially strong band is forecast to drop as much as 1.5 inches of rain in an hour as it rolls through the Bay Area.
Forecasts then call for another round of heavy rain 24 hours later. All told, the East Bay is expected to get about 2 inches of rain by Christmas morning, with higher amounts in the hills than the flatlands. (To see how much rain Richmond has received over various time periods, click the datasets tab in the Contra Costa County Flood Control map below.)
Gaps between the heaviest rainfall mean you’ll have opportunities to take care of holiday errands without getting soaked.
But there won’t be enough time between the back-to-back storms for the landscape to absorb all of the water falling this week. With soils saturated, Garcia said, the next rounds of rain could deluge creeks, storm drains and flood-prone areas.
“There’s not going to be any room at the inn, to use a Christmas pun,” he said. “It’s all going to be runoff.”
Richmond and unincorporated Contra Costa County storm help
- For Richmond flooding or sewer back-ups: Contact Veolia Water, 510-412-2001.
- For other Richmond public works issues, call 510-620-5509 (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.). After hours, call 911 or the Richmond police non-emergency line, 510-233-1214.
- Self-serve sandbag filling stations are set up at 10 Harbour Way, at the back gate to the city yard; at 5100 Hartnett Ave. in the Bayview library branch parking lot; and at the West County Detention Facility, 5555 Giant Highway. Seniors or people with disabilities can call Richmond Public Works at (510) 231-3011 for sandbag delivery requests. (The city offices are closed through Jan. 1 but some essential staff will be on duty.)
- To report a clogged catch basin or drainage inlet in unincorporated Contra Costa County, visit the Public Works’ Customer Portal or call 925-313-7000 during business hours. After hours, contact sheriff’s dispatch at 925-646-2441. You can also report service issues/storm damage and request services here.
The Weather Service has issued a flood watch covering the Bay Area and Central Coast from Tuesday evening through Friday, when the forecast shows the potential for another rainy day.
But the biggest danger could be from the winds — the NWS also posted a high wind watch from Tuesday evening through early Wednesday morning. The gusts, which will blow from south to north, could take down branches or entire trees, Garcia said.
The weekend will offer the Bay Area’s first chance to get a break from all the rain, he said. And that might mean it’s time to head out for that ski trip. The weather service expects heavy snow will develop over the Sierra Nevada Mountains through Thursday.
Richmondside Editor Kari Hulac contributed to this report.
