Flooding turns I-880 into 'Lake Fremont' as storm moves toward South Bay

FREMONT, Calif. - Rain and winds caused havoc on the roads during the weekend atmospheric storm. 

And in Fremont, the freeway early Monday looked something like a pool and a parking lot, with several cars stuck in three-feet of flood water. 

Standing water closed Interstate Highway 880 in both directions in Fremont between the off-ramps at Mowry and Thornton avenues for several hours during the busy morning commute.

Traffic reporter Sal Castaneda said it looked like "Lake Fremont" on the freeway. He added it was a really big mess, and compared it to shutting down the 405 in Los Angeles during rush hour. 

By 5 a.m., the northbound direction was open, but there was major standing water in the southbound direction, leaving cars unable to move. The California Highway Patrol later reopened the southbound direction of the freeway at around 8:40 a.m.

A driver named Ken was able to get out of his car, carrying his water-logged shoes with him as he exited his partially submerged car.

"My car got stuck here," Ken said. "I cannot move."

He said he was stuck in about three feet of water for about an hour. 

The traffic problems made for an intense morning for the California Highway Patrol. 

"It's historic rain," said CHP Officer Dustin Kennerly. "It came very quick and very fast. The roadways just can't handle it."

Caltrans crews worked hard to unclog nearby storm drains – like unplugging the drain in the bathtub. And the pool of water on the freeway dried up. 

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Further south, the weather was also causing traffic trouble early Monday morning.

Traffic was slow-going near the San Jose airport; cars were stalled and there were several roads closed in the area. 

In Millbrae, the Millbrae Avenue off-ramp on southbound U.S. Highway 101 was closed due to flooding as of 5 a.m. and Caltrans officials estimate that it will reopen by noon Monday.   

In Walnut Creek, the on-ramp at Olympic Boulevard to southbound Interstate Highway 680 was closed and is estimated to reopen by noon Monday.   

Sunday was also a dangerous day for freeway driving. 

Miranda Kay Holland took video of high winds pushing two trucks over on their sides while driving across the San Rafael Richmond Bridge. 

"It was a very windy day and I had noticed going into the bridge that a police officer was already not allowing trucks onto the bridge. Took us about 30 minutes inching along the bridge before we actually saw the truck," Holland told Storyful.

An atmospheric river brought gusty winds along with flooding rains to the Bay Area on Sunday into Monday.

The National Weather Service said the storm had pushed the month into being the second-wettest on record.

A driver named Ken exited his waterlogged van on I-880 in Fremont, carrying his shoes. Oct. 25, 2021