Atmospheric river: Brief reprieve expected before more rain
OAKLAND, Calif. - Commuters faced white-knuckle driving conditions, gusting winds, and flooding on Bay Area roads and highways Tuesday as rain pelted the region. However, a reprieve is on the way.
What to expect
What's next:
Meteorologists project that the heavy rain event on Tuesday will taper off and eventually diminish in the evening.
Wednesday's forecast shows partly sunny skies, though there is a slight chance of stray showers. Another system is expected to pass through and increase the chances of rain on Thursday.
Rain totals from the National Weather Service forecast from Monday through Friday range from 1 to 2 inches on the Central Coast, 2 to 4 inches in most of the Bay Area, and 3 to 6 inches in the North Bay.
Higher elevations could see up to 8 inches of rain.
Tuesday's traffic conditions
What we know:
Crashes occurred on the Richmond Bridge, along Interstate 580, and on Highway 24 in Orinda. Flooding slowed traffic at the Interstate 880/980 interchange in Oakland.
The National Weather Service said Tuesday would see the strongest weather elements.
"Tuesday's going to be our biggest impact day," said NWS meteorologist Dalton Behringer said.
He warned commuters on the roads to brace for "a pretty nasty time."
What they're saying:
Cesar Castillo, a semi-truck driver, cautioned other motorists to drive with more awareness on the dicey roads.
"People are getting too close," he said. "They just cut me off. It's a danger."
Adolfo Terriquez of Los Angeles said he saw someone get on the freeway and smash into the divider.
"It was bad," he said. "Because they were driving too fast."
Jayden Lucatero of Fremont said his best advice was not to panic or hit the brakes.
The storm, part of an atmospheric river, first arrived with rain over the weekend which dumped several inches in the North Bay and about an inch in the East Bay.
Atmospheric rivers are wide, long, bands of heavy moisture that usually begin in the tropics and blow with the wind or air direction. They can be as long as a thousand miles and move large volumes of water in the atmosphere like a river.
Downed trees
Why you should care:
The wind and rain packed a one-two punch in San Francisco's McLaren Park where a tree fell onto a person, who survived the blow. The wounded person was taken to a local hospital and is in stable condition.
That was one of more than a dozen reports of fallen trees, and wires during Tuesday's storm.