Presidents Day storm headed our way

Up to 6 inches of rain expected to fall in Sonoma County, with wind gusting to 60 mph.|

The National Weather Service promised the North Bay a Presidents Day storm, and boy will it get one.

Up to 3 inches of rain are expected to fall in Santa Rosa from Monday into early Tuesday morning, with a flood watch in effect for that time period, too. The North Bay can blame the return of wet weather on an atmospheric river that moved almost gently into the North Bay Saturday, with nothing more than a moody drizzle to show for itself through Sunday.

Still the damage of a series of soil-dampening storms was done. In Sonoma, wind and rain caused a large oak tree to come down in Valley Cemetery early Saturday morning, damaging a water main as it fell, said Public Works director Dan Takasugi. It came a day after a catalpa in the Plaza had to be taken down before it fell.

But early Monday that same narrow corridor of concentrated moisture was expected to cause a number of major problems, as the region prepares for the storm to barrel through and continue into Tuesday.

The latest weather models show the coastal hills of Sonoma County getting as much as 6 inches of rain by then, with about 3 inches falling in Santa Rosa, said Bob Benjamin, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Monterey.

Sonoma County is also under a high wind warning and wind advisory, which will last from 1 p.m. Monday to 3 a.m. Tuesday, with 25- to 35-mph winds gusting up to 60 mph this afternoon.

The first heavy rainfall in Sonoma County is expected to begin early Monday morning, with a second punch coming Monday afternoon, which could cause widespread urban and small-stream flooding, dangerous driving conditions, downed trees and mudslides.

“I'd just advise people to stay home if they don't need to go out anywhere,” said California Highway Patrol Sgt. Andrew Henkens. “Watch your speed and give yourself plenty of time getting where you need to go.”

In Guerneville, the Russian River is projected to crest at 34.2 feet Tuesday afternoon. Flood stage there is 32 feet.

“Those places that have had problems are going to have problems again,” Benjamin said.

The rain Sunday made for slick roads and may have played a role in a minivan flipping and crashing on Fountaingrove Parkway in Santa Rosa.

In Cloverdale, which is hosting its 125th annual Citrus Fair that runs through Monday, just .85 inches of rain fell, not nearly enough to keep people away. Attendance was significantly less than it was Saturday, however, when crowds packed the fair taking in the last bit of sunshine the North Bay could see until Wednesday or Thursday.

The CHP only handled about five weather-related crashes Sunday, said Henkens, none of them resulting in injuries, he said.

You can reach Staff Writer Christi Warren at 707-521-5205 or christi.warren@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @SeaWarren.

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