The atmospheric river pummeling the Bay Area is causing widespread flooding and even mudslides throughout the region. Residents are being encouraged to limit travel and check road closures before heading out, if they must drive. The National Weather Service issued a flood advisory that is in effect until 11:45 a.m. Saturday. This a developing story and will be updated with road closures:
LATEST Dec. 31, 11:27 a.m. Highway 101 in South San Francisco is closed both ways due to “major flooding.” I-280 is recommended as an alternate route.
Dec. 31, 10:05 a.m. The Fremont Police Department reported that Niles Canyon is closed due to a mudslide. It could reopen by noon, but Caltrans is still evaluating the damage. Roadways in Belmont are experiencing flooding and motorists are encouraged to steer clear of Harbor Blvd. and parts of Ralston Ave.
Dec. 31, 9:42 a.m. I-580 is closed between Fairmont and 150th Ave. due to flooding. No reopening time is yet known.
Coastal flooding has closed the northbound lanes of SR-35 at Sharp Park Rd in Pacifica, the Pacifica Police Department reported.
Highway 9 is closed north of Big Creek, Santa Cruz County reported.
Dec. 31, 7:57 a.m. Sections of Highway 92 are flooded from Skyline Blvd to Main Street in Half Moon Bay, Cal Fire reported Saturday morning, and that section of the highway has been closed. No reopening time has been set.
Parts of Highway 1 have been closed at multiple points due to flooding. In Monterey County, it’s closed due to rockslides from Ragged Point to approximately two and one-half miles south of Big Sur, Caltrans reported. There is no estimated reopening time.
Route 84 was shut down in part of Alameda County between Old Canyon Road in Fremont and Main Street in Sunol due to a mudslide and rockslide Friday. The road reopened by 8 p.m. There was also a closure of Highway 9 between Waterman Gap and Upper Highway 236 in Santa Cruz County that has since reopened.
The National Weather Service expects the worst of the storm to hit late Friday and into Saturday morning. The storm brings with it the possibility of gusting winds, downed power lines, falling trees and landslides. Because so much moisture has already seeped into the soil this week, it’s possible that further saturation will cause widespread mudslides, especially in wildfire burn scars that have fewer sturdy tree roots keeping the soil in place.
Full Bay Area Storm Coverage
SFGATE managing editor Katie Dowd contributed to this report.