Strong storm blows through North Coast

A storm brought intense rain to the area Thursday, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a flash flood warning as creeks rose and rural roads went under.|

An atmospheric river dumped rain Thursday across the North Coast in the most significant storm of the season, flooding roadways, toppling trees and causing vehicle spin-outs and strandings.

The National Weather Service issued a flash flood warning for southeastern Sonoma County and northern Marin County as creek gauges rose above flood stage, particularly in Petaluma, Agua Caliente, Rohnert Park, Sebastopol and areas around the Laguna de Santa Rosa. Low-lying roadways also flooded.

The heavy rainfall and wind lasted much of the day before dissipating as fast-moving storm continued on its southward course.

The Highway Patrol said the storm flooded over 30 roads in Sonoma County and there were about 15 crashes in a five-hour period Thursday morning, but none with serious injuries.

Some motorists tried to navigate inundated country roads and got stuck, prompting rescues by emergency responders.

“The biggest issue is people trying to cross flooded roads,” said CHP Officer Jon Sloat, who said they end up mired in high waters with a fire department response.

“It’s really a waste of resources for something so preventable,” he said.

The Highway Patrol also stressed the need for drivers to slow down in the rain, citing speed as a factor for spin-outs and crashes on Highway 101.

While the rain caused some havoc on the roads and power outages, it was encouraging for the water picture and the prospect of ending a stubborn drought.

Despite the rosy picture the storm produced for water guardians, it was not without tribulations.

There were three main power outages, according to PG&E spokeswoman Deanna Contreras. The first, at Sea Ranch, affected 290 customers. In Rohnert Park, 327 customers lost power. And in Cazadero, 282 customers lost power when a downed tree hit electric lines.

Roads flooded across Sonoma County, from Dutcher Creek Road in Cloverdale to near Kelly Road, as well as the area of Hall and Willowside roads in west Santa Rosa and Mark West Station Road at Starr Road.

In Mendocino County, low-lying roads that tend to flood were closed, including Highway 1 at the Gualala River, Highway 128 near Highway 1, and Highway 175, east of Hopland,

Other roads were closed by downed power lines, including Redwood Drive between Guerneville and Monte Rio. Between Sebastopol and Occidental, a fallen tree shut down Freestone Flat Road.

Other roads affected by downed trees or power lines included Fort Ross Road, Cazadero Highway and Calistoga Road at Alpine Road.

But by Friday morning, things should be back to a semblance of normal, with perhaps some drizzle before things dry out.

The forecast for the coming week calls for mostly dry weather but freezing morning temperatures are expected over the weekend and into Monday in the North Bay.

The National Weather Service was predicting morning lows in Santa Rosa of 28 Saturday, dipping to 27 Sunday and rebounding only slightly to 31 Monday morning.

Santa Rosa registered 2.86 inches of rain over a 24-hour period ending at 4 p.m., bringing the season total to 17.6 inches, almost twice the normal average for the date.

“It certainly is good news,” said Brad Sherwood, spokesman for the Sonoma County Water Agency.

Both Lake Sonoma and Lake Mendocino - sources of water for more than 600,000 North Bay customers - were at around 90 percent of capacity before the storm hit.

Sherwood said the latest deluge builds on a strong start for the water year that started with the second wettest October on record.

While the storm overflowed small creeks, it was projected to bring the Russian River only to several feet below flood stage.

“It’s picture perfect the way these storms are rolling in,” he said. They produce a lot of rain without severe flooding, he said, followed by a dry spell that allows rivers and streams to subside.

“We were dreaming of a wet winter and it looks like that’s coming true,” Sherwood said.

You can reach Staff Writer Julie Johnson at 707-521-5220 or julie.johnson@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @jjpressdem. Staff Writer Clark Mason can be reached at 707-521-5214 or clark.mason@pressdemocrat.com

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