Winds, rain wreak havoc - ferries, Golden Gate Transit buses halted

[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.)

[puerco-bellies]

1. Still not a drop in my little corner of Sol Cal

Winds are low to moderate, here in the South Bay.

[villager]

2. I await the SoCal rains myself, though the first sprinkles just started. Sequoia, you must live

...in a very pretty spot if you're coming home to the Russian River!

[Sequoia]

10. Yes I do. Thank you.

Surrounded by vineyards that are beautiful in spring and fall. Korbell down the road...in the spring the apple, pear and other blossoms pop out everywhere. Right now though there's debri, flooding, and tree limbs everywhere and we still don't have power.

[Richard D]

3. It'll be there soon.

Just started to rain up in the Northern area of L.A.

[Howardx]

8. im in the south bay as well

still waiting for it to hit

[CreekDog]

16. Oh i wished for some low to moderate winds this morning up here

the winds ripped a chimney, in one piece, of a nearby roof, peeled shingles off roofs throughout the area, knocked down big trees all over the place.

This wasn't as bad as 1995, but it was pretty strong, though the worst of it only lasted a few hours.

[uppityperson]

4. Heading up whole coast. NW WA has gale warnings. Thanks for post

I was wondering how things were going.

[Sequoia]

11. Do you really have to go? It's not safe.

I hope you're not taking the coast highway...Oregon is spooky driving along cliffs.

[uppityperson]

14. I meant the storm, not me, sorry. Winds are here in NW WA

I hate winds. Thanks for the concern but I'm home, inside, hating the wind.

[CreekDog]

17. Barometer dropped to 29.35" this morning

Which is the lowest I ever remember here. Some 20 years ago, a big storm dropped it to 29.39".

And those are sea level equivalents.

It was quite a show. I was not here for the 12/12/95 storm which probably had a lower pressure.

[Hekate]

5. Steady drizzle here on the Central Coast, occasional gusts, increasing thunder. So far.

Stay safe, Sequoia!

Anyone hear from Pachamama? She got flooded pretty badly last time around.

Hekate

[Binka]

7. Santa Rosa Got Rocked Pretty Good This Morning

Peyton and I got dressed in the dark thank goodness her Winter Camp had power. I hope we have power when we get home! I have not heard anything from Pach but I am sure she has her hands full with the kids.

[Hekate]

9. The rain is here in earnest now. nt

[kineneb]

6. ahh, our glorious liquid sunshine! lots here, too.

Lake Co. - rains and some winds. As of 11 am the winds seem to died down, but it is still raining. Until the lake fills up, we shouldn't have a flooding problem. The lights flickered a bit, but are still on. My friend in Davis is sitting in the dark; her power went off around 10 am.

I'm just a bit concerned about the snow level, which is supposed to drop tomorrow. We are at 1328', and generally right below snow level.

Not to worry folks, we have had such storms before. It still is not as impressive as the hurricane that caught the edge of NorCal in the early 1960s- Grandma and I watched the big tree in the back yard really thrash about.

[malaise]

12. Stay safe DUers

:D

[Emit]

13. Been raining all day here in Reno.

At times very heavy with gusts. We've had some minor flooding. A friend of mine who works in a lower elevation in town had to leave work early because they had some rising waters in their lot. Haven't checked the news -- it may have gotten worse. Lots of debris scattered around from the winds yesterday and today.

I live in the foothills, and the rain is just now turning to snow.

Good luck, Sequoia. Hope your power gets restored, and that you make it home safely. :hi:

[kineneb]

15. update- some "excitement": lost a 10'x12' metal awning

A big gust of wind came through, and ripped the metal awning off our house. It flipped up over the roof and landed down the road in front of our neighbor's house. Some local kids came out to see what the noise was, and moved it off of the street for me. (I thanked them profusely and gave them both hugs.) The insurance co. has already been called and they will look at it Monday. I just hope it didn't damage any shingles on its way over the roof.