Santa Cruz County Sheriff issues evacuation warning as storm arrives
The Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office placed several unincorporated low-lying areas under an evacuation warning Wednesday due to heavy rains and likely flooding from the arriving storm.
KPIX First Alert Weather: Current conditions, alerts, maps for your area
In a post to the sheriff's office Facebook page at 5 p.m. Wednesday evening, authorities said the excessive rainfall starting Wednesday night and the expected rise of the San Lorenzo River placed the below zones under an evacuation warning:
- FEL-E008 Felton Grove area
- FEL-E012 Beth Drive area
- CRZ-E081 Paradise Park area
Residents can find their zone at: https://protect.genasys.com/search?z=12.200611939029658...
The heavy rains and run-off were expected to start Wednesday night and continue through Friday morning, the sheriff's office said. Rain totals upwards of eight inches are possible in the Santa Cruz Mountains, according to the National Weather Service Bay Area office.
"The safety of the community is of the utmost importance to the Sheriff's Office, and we appreciate your cooperation during this potentially dangerous weather system," the post read.
Officials said area road closures can be monitored at: https://sccroadclosure.org/
The incoming storm triggered multiple warnings and advisories. There was some light overnight rain Tuesday evening, but the more potent system that arrived Wednesday night is expected to bring increased chances of flooding and damaging winds.
A flood watch goes into effect at 10 p.m. for Marin, Sonoma, San Francisco, San Mateo, Santa Cruz and Monterey counties from Wednesday evening through Saturday evening. The flood watch also includes most of the Central Coast and parts of the Central Valley until Friday evening. Lake and Mendocino counties were also included in the flood watch until Thursday afternoon.
There is also a flood warning for the Yolo Bypass area bordering Solano and Yolo counties until early Friday morning.
In addition, the Weather Service issued a high-wind watch from Wednesday evening through Friday morning for the interior mountains and valleys of the North Bay, the East Bay and San Francisco Bay shoreline, the Peninsula coast, the Santa Clara Valley and eastern hills, the Santa Cruz Mountains, Monterey Bay, Big Sur, and the Central Coast.
Damaging winds with gusts of up to 40-45 mph could down trees, snap power lines, and blow loose debris, and the Weather Service said widespread power outages are possible. There is also a slight risk for thunderstorms Thursday afternoon before the storm begins to clear up with showers lingering into Friday morning.
On the coast, the Weather Service also issued a high surf warning for dangerously large breaking waves of 20 to 30 feet and up to 45 feet for the highest waves on west-facing beaches. Beaches not facing west will still see 15- to 20-foot waves and up to 30-foot peak waves.
The warning was in effect from 3 p.m. Thursday to 3 a.m. Saturday along the entire coastline from Point Reyes National Seashore to the southern Monterey Bay and Big Sur coast. The Weather Service warned that breaking waves can sweep people off jetties and docks, and life-threatening swimming conditions and significant beach erosion are expected.
For the duration of the storm, while the North Bay will see rainfall totals in the 2-4 inch range, the greater Bay Area will see a range of 1.5 to 3 inches of rain, 4 to 6 inches and possibly up to 8 inches in the Santa Cruz Mtns, 2 to 3 inches across the Central Coast counties, and 3-6 inches along the Big Sur coast.
