Reservoirs on Mt. Tam in Marin County at 99 percent capacity

MARIN COUNTY, Calif. (KTVU) - Gusting winds and heavy rain knocked out power to thousands of PG&E customers in the North Bay Tuesday evening, and the conditions made for a messy commute.

"We've been driving since 10 am, " Marilyn Goehring told KTVU, as she and her husband John stopped for gas in San Rafael.

The couple was on their way home to Santa Rosa, after a holiday stay in Palm Springs with family.

"Our drive should be about eight hours, but it's going to be about more than ten this time," lamented Marilyn.

The next few days could be long ones for public works and utility crews.

Tree services, contracted by PG&E, were working throughout Marin, thinning trees before the brances break and yank power lines down.

But it was too late in several areas: Woodacre, Corte Madera, and Guerneville to the north, where more than 8,000 households total lost service.   

"People who live in those regions, they know it's a problem when it rains," ...Julian Kaelon of Marin County Public Works told KTVU.
"We have all the framework in place if something does start looking serious," he added.

People living in neighborhoods with creeks, or low-lying streets and properties, need to be aware of rising water levels.

"We've been here before and while we can't really predict what the rain will do, we can definitely prepare and plan for the worst" observed Kaelon.

For water districts, it's the best of times.

"Bon Tempe Lake was at capacity and now it's above capacity," exclaimed Marin Municipal Water District Ranger Matt Cerkel.

Most of Marin Couty depends on rainfall for water supply, and those reservoirs are already spilling over. 

"It's good that we're full this early in the season, just in case the weather patterns change, and we go into a dry period," Cerkel explained. 

With wet systems expected back to back, the Bay Area is not expected to get much of a break, even into next week.

But most people seem content, even thrilled, with the unruly weather.

And for the Goehrings, even a slow crawl home couldn't dim their holiday memories.

"We saw our kids and grandkids, excited to be with family," smiled John Goehring.

"So who cares! We're happy to be home, and we had a great time."