CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars.
Five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches (7.6 cm) of rain possible through Monday night in areas that have been drenched off and on since around Christmas, said the National Weather Service office in Eureka. At least a foot (.3 meters) of snow was likely in the mountains.
To the south near the San Francisco Bay Area, waters were slowly receding after roadways from Sausalito to San Rafael were flooded during heavy rain that coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides.” Such tides occur when the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.
Some people kayaked along swamped streets, while others waded through water above their knees. Authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in water as high as 3 and 4 feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said Saturday.
“I’ve been around here for the King Tides and I’ve never seen it this high. Never,” Jeremy Hager of San Rafael told KTVU-TV.
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Flooding was reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties.
While the tides were waning, lingering thunderstorms on Sunday could cause additional problems throughout low-lying areas, forecasters said. “For anyone driving, slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination,” the Bay Area office of the weather service warned on social media.
Farther south in Santa Barbara County, a key highway was reopened Sunday after it was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta due to a series of mudslides. A man died after he was swept into a creek during the storm, the sheriff’s office said Saturday.
Parts of Santa Barbara County received more than four inches (10 cm) of rain over two days, the weather service said Sunday.
After a mostly dry autumn, California has been hit by a series of powerful winter storms that brought the wettest holiday season to the state in years.
