THIRD HEAVY RAIN EVENT ARRIVES JANUARY 4-5, 2023
What is happening?
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued the following hazard alert for San Francisco:
NWS predicts heavy rains and wind for our area throughout the rest of the week to Sunday 1/8. This includes both a Flood Watch beginning 4:00am Wednesday 1/4 through 4:00pm Thursday 1/5, and a High Wind Watch beginning 4:00am Wednesday 1/4 through 10:00am Thursday 1/5. As San Francisco continues to clean up and recover after the New Year's Eve 2022 storm, please be aware this upcoming third atmospheric river event looks to be similar if not a little stronger than the December 31st storm.
Key Takeaways:
- Threat to life likely during this storm, particularly to unhoused individuals
- Expect similar impacts or worse compared to the Dec 31 storm
- Soils will remain saturated to near saturated which means higher risk of flooding and shallow mud slides
- Expect rapid rises in creeks/streams as well as rises in main stem rivers that may approach or reach flood stage
- Strong winds with gusts 35-55 mph (potentially higher in the mountains) could lead to downed trees/power outages
Street Flooding: For flooding caused by storm drains, catch basins, etc., please call 311 or the 24/7 SFPW radio room at 415 695-2134, and PUC or SFPW crew will be dispatched to your location to clear storm drains. If you are aware of regular flooding at the certain storm drains, it is recommended to call ahead if possible, as crews may be busier than usual during this time.
Downed Power Line: Safety Tips
- Never touch a downed power line or go near one. Power lines are not insulated like power cords. Always assume the power line is live.
- Don't touch a downed power line or other equipment.
- Don't touch anything or anyone in contact with a downed power line.
- Keep children and pets away from a downed power line.
- Don't drive over a downed power line.
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Leave the area immediately and then call 9-1-1 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 (PG&E Downed Power Line Resource Page)
Outreach & Shelter Information:
Please see the following link from The Department of Homelessness and Supportive Housing (HSH) for the most current information on how to access the temporary shelter system:
Additional Storm and Safety Information:
If there is a concern about an individual, family or group at a specific location, please notify and provide details to 311 regarding a general outreach need or 911 if an emergency/critical response is indicated.
For more safety tips, please visit www.sf72.org or call 311.
