Storm Preparations Underway In Martinez; Where To Get Sandbags

MARTINEZ, CA — The city of Martinez Public Works Department continues to monitor the impact of recent rains and respond to local hazards as needed. Public Works regularly prepares for such weather by clearing leaves and debris from street gutters and storm drains to prevent blockages.

The city provided these tips for residents during the next storm which is anticipated to arrive Wednesday.

• To report downed trees or large debris in the roadways or sidewalks, call the Martinez Police Department non-emergency line at (925) 372-3440. Public Works will come clear it.
• If you suspect the wind or rain has caused a hazardous situation due to trees or branches in close proximity to power lines or sagging power lines, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. They will send a technician out to investigate it.
• When driving, give yourself extra time and use caution as roadways may have areas of standing water.
• Here are steps FEMA recommends for preparing your home for a flood, and minimizing flood loss - www.floodsmart.gov

The City has sandbag stations at four locations:

• Church Street (located in the church parking lot)
• Rankin Aquatic Center (located in the upper parking lot)
• Ferry & Allen Street (located at the corner of Ferry & Allen Streets by the Kiwanis Club)
• F Street (located at the west end of F Street off of Alhambra Ave)

Please note residents must bring their own sandbags or pick up empty sandbags in front of City Hall at 525 Henrietta Ave., or at the City's Corporation Yard at 300 Alhambra Ave.

Atmospheric River May Result In Loss Of Human Life, Forecasters Say

The entire Bay Area will be under a flood watch beginning Wednesday morning due to a heavy storm system expected to be as bad or worse than Saturday's deluge and which will likely result in the loss of human life, according to a dire forecast update from the National Weather Service.

The update issued Monday afternoon included five key points, with the first one noting a "threat to life likely during this storm." Mudslides are anticipated due to saturated soil, and rapidly rising creeks and streams will pose additional dangers.

A meteorologist shared the following observations in the forecast about the coming storm: "To put it simply, this will likely be one of the most impactful systems on a widespread scale that this meteorologist has seen in a long while. The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillside collapsing, trees down (potentially full groves), widespread power outages, immediate disruption to commerce, and the worst of all, likely loss of human life. This is truly a brutal system that we are looking at and needs to be taken seriously."

The forecast includes an updated threat matrix it classifies as "extreme risk" for conditions expected Wednesday and Thursday, including increased wind gusts, a flood watch that now includes the entire Bay Area and an added forecast Friday through Sunday after the big storm for roughly 1-2 inches of rain in most areas.

Wednesday through Thursday morning will be the worst of the storm, with heavy rain and strong winds with gusts of 35-55 mph in most areas, with stronger gusts at higher elevations.

The flood watch will be in effect from Wednesday morning through Thursday afternoon, with rain amounts expected from 2-4 inches in the valleys, 3-6 inches in the foothills and 8-10 inches in the coastal mountains.

Tuesday was expected to have little to no rain for the region and represents the last opportunity to clean up from Saturday's storm before the next one hits, forecasters said.

For the latest forecast updates, visit Weather.gov/bayarea.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.