Record Rainfall Wreaks Havoc On Danville Roads

DANVILLE, 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 Danville where more than 5 and one-half inches of rain were recorded in a 24 hour period, Sycamore Valley Road, between Camino Ramon and Morninghome Road; El Capitan Drive, between Brookside Drive and Orange Blossom Way; Paraiso Drive at Brookside Drive; and Diablo Road, between Alameda Diablo and Avenida Nuevo were all closed but eventually reopened after the floodwaters receded.

Only two roads remain closed within the city, according to a Nixle alert from the city.

El Capitan between Mustang Drive and Brookside Drive and Blackhawk Road between Diablo Creek Place and Jillian Way both remain closed, according to Danville Public Information Officer Jen Starnes.

“On Dec. 31, the town experienced considerable flooding, the extent of which was unprecedented in the forty years since the Town incorporated in 1982,” Starnes said in a news release issued on the city’s website. “The efforts of our public safety and public works personnel were initially focused on responding to calls and assisting persons that were experiencing flooding affecting their homes and property.”

Starnes said the efforts of the Danville Police Department and Maintenance Services staff have been “as strong as the storm itself, as well as the efforts of the San Ramon Valley Fire Protection District which has been responding to calls throughout their service area, including Danville.”

Recovery efforts were focused on removing enough mud to make streets passable, Starnes said, adding that the city expected the work to “take days and most likely weeks,” something that 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

Danville residents looking for sandbags can still find them Starnes said.

“More than 5,000 sandbags have been provided, and the sandbag station is being replenished as often as supplies are available,” she said.

The Danville sandbag station is located at 1000 Sherburne Hills Road, off Camino Tassajara next to the Town of Danville Post Office. Residents are limited to 20 sandbags each.

“Bags and a shovel are available for use; simply take a bag from the container, fill it with sand and then tie it closed with the attached strings,” the city said.

Read more at the East Bay Times.

Bay City News contributed to this story.

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