LOS ANGELES, Feb 1, (AP): The first of two back-to-back atmospheric rivers drenched Northern California on Thursday, flooding roads while triggering statewide storm preparations and calls for people to get ready for powerful downpours, heavy snow and damaging winds.
Heavy rain and gusty winds that began hitting the San Francisco Bay Area on Wednesday evening were expected to continue powering down the coast, according to the National Weather Service.
The weather service issued a flood watch into Friday morning for the Bay Area and the Central Coast because of possible flooding of rivers, streams, some roads and areas scarred by previous wildfires.
Forecasters also said the Central Coast could see waves up to 18 feet (5.4 meters) high on Thursday and Friday.
Service on San Francisco’s iconic cable cars were halted as a safety precaution, and Pacifica, a coastal city in San Mateo County, saw more than an inch (2.5 centimeters) of rain in a single hour.
Widespread coastal flooding was reported Wednesday in Humboldt County, where up to 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain was expected before the storm headed south, said the National Weather Service office in Eureka. Scattered power outages were reported.
In the far south, all of San Diego County was under a flood watch Thursday. Forecasters said some areas could see 2 inches (5 centimeters) of rain, with up to 3 inches (nearly 8 centimeters) in the mountains and winds gusty to 40 mph (64 kph) or more.
The storm came a week after heavy rain caused flooding that inundated homes and overturned cars in the county.
The "Pineapple Express” - called that because its long plume of moisture stretched back across the Pacific to near Hawaii - will be followed by an even more powerful storm on Sunday, forecasters said.
The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services activated its operations center and positioned personnel and equipment in areas most at risk from the weather.
Brian Ferguson, Cal OES deputy director of crisis communications, characterized the situation as "a significant threat to the safety of Californians” with concerns for impact over 10 to 14 days from the Oregon line to San Diego and from the coast up into the mountains.