Update: Cold front envelops Bay Area with rain, flooding, gusty winds
SAN FRANCISCO --The cold front rolled through Northern California Thursday, triggering intense downpours that flooded roadways, gusty winds that toppled trees and bone-chilling temperatures.
At the height of the storm, the National Weather Service issued flood advisories for communities along the eastern shore of the San Francisco Bay and also for the Monterey Peninsula.
According the weather service over a 24-hour period ending at 2 p.m., nearly 2 inches of rain had fallen in Ben Lomond in the Santa Cruz Mountains, nearly an inch in San Francisco, an inch in Santa Rosa, Oakland and Richmond and 1.22 inches at the Marin Civic Center.
As the front passes, temperatures will dip.
"Temperatures behind the front will fall rapidly overnight leading to some rather chilly to cold readings," weather service forecasters predicted. "Currently a Freeze Warning remains in effect for interior N Bay and Southern Monterey/San Benito. Given the potentially wet/damp conditions it will feel even colder."
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Shortly before 9 a.m., gusty conditions and soggy ground led to a tree falling in San Francisco's South of Market neighborhood.
As the tree fell to the ground, it knocked down overhead Muni lines and a light pole in the area of 11th and Mission streets. No one was injured by the fallen tree, according to public works officials who said their crews responded to clear the roadway.
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Not everyone stayed indoors Thursday to avoid the raindrops. Joe Zambataro took his son crabbing for the first time.
"It's good and bad. I'll take it to hang out with him. It's worth it," said Zambataro.
He and other recreational crabbers took advantage of some extra space at Pacifica Pier as the season is well underway before the commercial crabbers get the green light.
"Nobody's here because of the rain. Usually it is shoulder shoulder out here," said Steve Pryor of Berkeley.
"We came out here and it was pouring rain and I was like well, hopefully they're out there," said Scott O'Neil of Fremont.
Forecasters said another, potentially stronger storm, will roll through the Bay Area this week.
"Rain returns to the forecast by Friday night into Saturday morning," the weather service predicted. "This will occur as another mid/upper level trough begins to develop off of the British Columbia and Pacific Northwest coast...Widespread rain will again impact the region through the upcoming weekend. Confidence in the details remain low-to-moderate at this time with regards to timing and exactly how much rain will fall."
KPIX Reporter Kenny Choi contributed to the story
