Rain prompts flood warnings, evacuations

SAN JOSE (KTVU) -- The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch for Santa Clara County because of persistent rain Tuesday on an already soaked region.

The weather service said 1-2 inches of rain are possible at lower elevations and 3-6 inches of rain was possible across higher terrain of the North Bay and coastal areas. To see photos of the storm damage: Click here.

Marin County Sheriff's Department tweeted at 6:40 p.m. that flood sirens were sounded when water in the Corte Madera Creek went over capacity by a foot in Ross Valley. Ross Valley, San Anselmo, and Fairfax residents  were asked to evacuate and to seek higher ground. 

The flash flood watch was not set to expire until Jan. 11 at 4 a.m. and included many areas of the Bay Area, including North Bay mountains, the coast of the Peninsula, Santa Cruz mountains, San Jose. Areas in the North Bay were also covered, including Napa, Sonoma County, Sausalito, Santa Rosa and San Rafael. To see a full list of areas covered by the advisory, click here

There were scattered reports of flooding across roadways throughout the Bay Area and several reports of falling trees.

Several lanes of Interstate 880 were blocked during the afternoon commute after a falling tree snapped power lines, which fell onto the freeway. No injuries were reported.

Mudslides and downed trees have closed state Highway 128 between Chalk Hill Road in Sonoma County and the city of Calistoga in Napa County this afternoon, according to the California Highway Patrol.

The scene is currently unsafe to clear because of the continuously moving hillside. The road could be closed for two or three days, CHP officials said.

Thirty-two roads in unincorporated Sonoma County were closed or limited to one lane as of late this morning, according to the county's website.

Lodi Lane northwest of Saint Helena is closed between state Highway 29 and the Silverado Trail in Napa County, and Spring Mountain Road in unincorporated Napa County to Saint Helena is closed in various locations, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office.

Rohnert Park Expressway is closed between Stony Point Road and Rancho Verde Circle in Rohnert Park, according to the CHP.