November 24th 2024.
As the weekend approaches, the Bay Area is still reeling from the aftermath of a powerful atmospheric river that swept through the region, bringing with it heavy rain and strong winds. Tragically, one man lost his life in the flooding in Sonoma County.
Thankfully, the storm has passed and a drier low-pressure system has moved in, according to National Weather Service meteorologist Crystal Oudit. While there is still a chance of some rain along the coast on Sunday and Monday, it is not expected to be as severe as Friday's storm.
On Saturday, the sky was a beautiful cerulean blue with fluffy clouds slowly drifting by and the occasional burst of sunshine. However, there were still some lingering effects from the storm, with a band of showers causing minor flooding in parts of the East Bay and North Bay.
The strong winds also caused some damage, knocking down trees and power lines in the Oakland hills and leaving about 1,000 customers without power. In Los Altos, a large tree fell on Foothill Expressway, causing it to be closed for a time while crews worked to clear it.
The atmospheric river, which was created by plumes of tropical moisture, brought record-breaking rainfall to parts of northwestern California, particularly in Sonoma and Marin counties. Santa Rosa received a staggering 12.45 inches of rain, the most in a three-day period in the town's recorded history. This has been classified as a 1-in-1,000-year event by the National Weather Service, with only a 0.1% chance of it occurring.
Unfortunately, the heavy rains also claimed a life when a driver became trapped in floodwaters in west Sonoma County. Despite efforts to rescue them, the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
But amidst the destruction, there are also signs of new life. The rains have brought much-needed water to Bay Area creeks, allowing Chinook salmon to return and spawn in Los Gatos Creek. The life cycle of these fish takes them from their birth in the Bay Area's rivers to the ocean, and then back to the creeks to spawn three years later.
According to Mike Tamaro of the South Bay Clean Creeks Coalition, the salmon have already made it to Campbell Avenue, near Los Gatos Creek Park, where they were seen jumping in the water.
The weekend also brought a beautiful sight to the storm-drenched sky - rainbows. Many people took to social media to share photos of the colorful arches, created by sunlight refracting through water droplets.
While some may be enjoying the rain and snow, it has also caused some problems. Skiers and snowboarders at Palisades Tahoe were greeted with a fresh layer of snow on Sunday morning, but strong winds caused a temporary hold on the resort's new gondola. And on I-80 at Donner Summit, the California Highway Patrol warned of changing road conditions and advised drivers to be cautious.
As we continue to navigate this unpredictable weather, let's remember to stay safe and enjoy the ride.
[This article has been trending online recently and has been generated with AI. Your feed is customized.]
[Generative AI is experimental.]
