Winds, rain wreak havoc - ferries, Golden Gate Transit buses halted [View All]

[Sequoia]

Golden Gate Transit suspended bus and ferry service, traffic on the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge was halted and power was knocked out to hundreds of thousands of people today as a dangerous storm blew into the Bay Area.

The Golden Gate Highway, Bridge and Transportation District suspended all bus service just after 9 a.m. because of flooding in central San Rafael and on Highway 101, where many of the lines operate. An hour later the district also suspended ferry service because of winds on the bay gusting as high as 70 mph, and other ferry lines said their boats would remain in port as well.

The gales blew over scaffolding outside a four-story apartment building in San Francisco. Numerous flights were delayed or canceled at San Francisco International Airport, and the power was out at Serramonte Shopping Center in Daly City.

The California Highway Patrol closed the eastbound Richmond-San Rafael Bridge after a gust of wind blew over an 18-wheel truck around 8:30 a.m. A short time later, the CHP also closed the bridge to westbound traffic.

(70 miles gust winds on Golden Gate, Richmond Bridge closed)

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/04/MN87U9ERT.DTL

Pretty bad over here with loads of flooding in the north bay, power out (our house as I was getting ready for work and still dark outside. Putting on make-up by flashlight and candle doesn't work so well.) Trees crashing on houses and more. I sure hope I can get home tonight since I live near the Russian River and loves to flood in the rain. All night the wind lashed and roared.)