Record Rainfall Wreaks Havoc On Pleasanton Roadway

PLEASANTON, CA — With a another storm on the way later this week, record rainfall totals from a storm that hit the area New Year's Eve caused numerous roads to close due to mudslides and flooding, officials said.

In Pleasanton, where nearly 2 inches of rain was recorded in 24 hours, Foothill Road between West Las Positas Boulevard and Bernal Avenue in Pleasanton was closed indefinitely due to flooding, according to an alert issued by police on Monday.

The department asked that residents use an alternate route due to traffic delays. Another alert will be issued once the advisory is lifted.

Recovery efforts to make the street passable could be hampered by the upcoming pineapple express-fueled storm expected to hit the Bay Area Wednesday and Thursday.

Upcoming storm likely to bring additional flooding, mudslides

While only light rain is forecast for Tuesday, the later storm is likely to be as powerful or more so than the New Year’s Eve Storm, the National Weather Service said, adding that it expects similar impacts on the area. Soils already saturated by last weekend's downpours will only intensify the new storm's impacts, forecasters said.

“Flood Watches have been posted across the Bay Area and much of NorCal Wednesday into Thursday with the next atmospheric river,” NWS Bay Area said.

Downpours will be heaviest late Wednesday into early Thursday and will be accompanied by strong winds. Scattered showers are expected to linger Thursday into early Friday.

NWS Bay Area said totals starting Tuesday night are expected to bring 4.5 to 6.5 inches in the Santa Lucia mountains and the Big Sur coast.

Coastal mountains in the North Bay are forecast for 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 is expected to get 2.75 to 5 inches. San Francisco, along with the East Bay and South Bay areas, are forecast for 1.5 to 3 inches.

A high wind warning has also been issued from 4 a.m. Wednesday through 10 a.m. Thursday. Strong wings with gusts of 35 to 55 miles per hour are expected, with stronger gusts in the mountains that could lead to downed trees and power lines. Rain is expected to continue throughout the weekend.

Loss of human life 'likely' forecaster says

One meteorologist even went so far as to say the storm could "likely result in the loss of human life.”

According to the article “Forecasters say mild weather Tuesday only the calm before major storm Wednesday” by Austin Turner of the East Bay Times, officials warned Bay Area residents to use Tuesday as a preparation day for a brutal 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,” a National Weather Service report said Monday evening. “The impacts will include widespread flooding, roads washing out, hillsides collapsing, trees down, 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.”

NWS meteorologists told the East Bay Times Tuesday morning that while the upcoming storm could perhaps yield a little less rain than the New Year’s Eve weather event, vicious winds could create havoc throughout the region.

“If you were impacted by the New Year’s Eve storm, meaning if your property was flooded, there’s a good likelihood that the same creeks and streams that responded last time respond this time,” said NWS meteorologist Ryan Walbrun.

The NWS advised residents to make sure vehicles were gassed up in case of evacuation mandates, cell phones were charged, emergency alerts were activated and to prepare for potential power outages.

Sandbags still available

Pleasanton residents looking for sandbags can pick them up at the Operations Services Department, at 3333 Busch Road in Pleasanton.

Alameda County also has sites for residents in unincorporated areas to take up to four sandbags for free.

• 951 Turner Court in Hayward.
• 4825 Gleason Drive in Dublin.
• 1065 143rd Avenue in San Leandro.
• 33555 Central Avenue in Union City.
• 11345 Pleasanton Sunol Road in Sunol.

Castro Valley Fire Stations at 20336 San Miguel Avenue and 19780 Cull Canyon Road, also have sandbags, county officials said.

Since some locations are self service, those looking to get sandbags should bring a shovel and someone to help, if needed.

For more information about what to do before, during, and after a storm, check out the city of Pleasanton's Emergency Preparedness page here.

Read more at the East Bay Times.

Bay City News contributed to this story.

Submit your storm photos for publication to Kim Harris by clicking here.