San Francisco Bay Area weather: Monterey Co. sees evacuation warning, storm flooding possible
A storm delivering heavy rain and strong winds to the Bay Area could cause flooding and knock down trees, forecasters warn.
The atmospheric river is expected to bring rainfall on Sunday afternoon that will continue with some periods of respite until Wednesday. 2 to 5 inches are expected to fall in the Bay Area's low-lying cities while the Santa Cruz mountains and North Bay hills along the coast may get six to seven inches of rain.
In the high peaks near Lake Tahoe, up to two feet of snow is possible.
An evacuation warning has gone out for the River Fire Burn Scar area of Monterey County on Sunday evening, the county said.
The Monterey County Sheriff's Office has issued an evacuation warning for the areas downslope of the River Fire Burn Scar on River Road as of 5:30 p.m.
These streets include Berry Drive, Pine Canyon Road, the 800 block of River Road, Limekiln Road and Parker Road.
A flash-flood watch has been in effect for the area that will also run through Wednesday morning.
Stay updated about the storm this weekend by watching KTVU's digital live stream, featuring weather updates from meteorologists, storm radar and cameras with views of the conditions around the Bay Area.
Some roads have been closed in places such as Mill Valley because of the risk of flooding and mudslides.
Waves in Pacifica and other beaches have been huge, reaching 30 feet in some cases. The National Weather Service has issued a high surf advisory.
The saturated ground raises the risk that trees will fall. Although winds were light on Saturday, a tree fell onto two cars at a Santa Rosa restaurant.
A flood watch is in effect from 10 a.m. Sunday until 10 a.m. Wednesday in the Bay Area. There is also a wind advisory from 10 a.m. Sunday until 4 a.m. on Tuesday for the region. Click here to see details about the weather alerts.
Coastal and low-lying areas should expect nuisance flooding and residents living near rivers, creeks and streams should be aware of rising water levels. There will also be a possibility of rock and mudslides in foothill areas.
The NWS says people should never drive across flooded roads and have an evacuation plan and an emergency kit.
Gov. Newsom's Office of Emergency Services is sending fire personnel and equipment this weekend to Napa and Sonoma counties to help confront problems caused by the storm.
Wire copies contributed to this report.