STORM ADVISORY in effect for SF BAY AREA from WEDNESDAY 12/10 thru FRIDAY MORNING 12/12
Winter Storm Advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind and flash flood warning for Thursday. Heavy rainfall is expected throughout the Bay Area, especially in the North Bay. The volume of rainfall is expected to overwhelm waterways and roadway drainage systems, leading to flash flooding. High winds around 40 MPH are expected, with gusts up to 60 MPH.
Heavy rain and strong winds could uproot trees, down power lines, and cause flooding and mudslides. The Department of Public Works will be on hand for emergency operations starting at 3 a.m. Thursday morning. In addition, emergency contractors will be available to assist with incidents.
The storm will create very difficult driving conditions. Please consider your trips wisely. Sand and/or sand bags are available at all San Rafael Fire Stations and the Terra Linda Community Center parking lot (see below). Clearing storm drains of leaves and other debris will help keep the storm water flowing where it belongs.
Please take the following precautions:
In case of electrical outages, be sure that you have working flashlights available. Make sure you have extra batteries.
Charge your cell phones and other electronic devices.
Make sure you have plenty of food in your house.
If you can stay home on Thursday, please do. If you need to travel, please plan your trips prudently.
If you’ve experienced flooding on your property before, please plan sandbags ahead of time.
Get prepared for the storm with the help of our Office of Emergency Services’ Winter Weather Preparedness Worksheet (also available in Spanish).
Please register your phone numbers and e-mail addresses at www.nixle.com and www.alertmarin.org. This will allow you to receive public safety alerts by phone, text and e-mail.
Important Phone Numbers
Emergency 9-1-1
Emergency Information Hotline 485-5070
To report flooding in San Rafael 485-3375 or 485-3355
American Red Cross (Marin) 721-2365
CalTrans Highway Conditions 800-427-7623
Pacific Gas & Electric 800-743-5000
NWS 24-jour Weather Information Line 831-656-1725
Sandbags
The City of San Rafael provides sandbags to residents at the following City facilities:
Fire Station #1 (1039 C Street): bags only
Fire Station #2 (210 Third Street): sand & sandbags
Fire Station #3 (30 Joseph Court): bags only
Fire Station #4 (46 Castro Avenue): bags only
Fire Station #5 (955 Point San Pedro Road): sand & sandbags
Fire Station #6 (650 Del Ganado Road): bags only
Fire Station #7 (3530 Civic Center Drive): bags only
Terra Linda Community Center parking lot (670 Del Ganado Road): sand & sandbags
Residents are responsible for filling their own sandbags.
Drive Safely
It can be very dangerous driving in the wet weather. The CHP advises...
Please allow extra time for travel... a wet roadway is not the place to make up lost time. Drive with extra caution.
Freeways will often flood nearest to the roadway edges, especially on elevated roadways with walls on both sides. Avoid the outside lanes, especially at night.
Never drive through standing water. You never know how deep the water is, and what may be lurking beneath the surface.
The primary method of avoiding collisions during severe weather is to slow down. Slower speeds prevent hydroplaning, which often leads to crashes. Extra following distance will also help if someone crashes ahead.
Whenever your windshield wipers are on, your headlights should be as well. Often, vehicles are not visible without head and taillights.
Prepare your vehicle now. Replace windshield wipers if necessary; check your brakes and your fluids. The worst time to break down is during heavy weather. Towing services are usually overwhelmed with collisions, and response times are delayed.
If you experience an emergency on the freeway, call 9-1-1 from your mobile phone. Please be aware that CHP response times are often delayed due to the high volume of calls. If you experience a minor collision, please move out of the roadway as soon as possible to prevent secondary collisions and to keep our Bay Area roadways moving!
Leaves
Localized flooding problems are usually caused by blockage of the drainage system by leaves and other rubbish. In addition, when debris washes through the drainage system, it may cause environmental damage in our creeks and Bay.
Please:
Dispose of yard waste and leaves by composting or using your green cart. There is no extra service charge for using up to two additional carts or paper bags – 32 gallons or smaller. For a nominal monthly fee, you can also rent an additional 64-gallon green cart from Marin Sanitary Service. This allows customers to place even more yard waste at the curb and helps prevent injuries to drivers. For more information, visit www.marinsanitary.com.
Be observant during heavy rains for potential problems. Report problems to the City of San Rafael at 485-3355.
DO NOT place anything in the street – including raked leaves – it could be washed into the storm drain.
DO NOT place a pile of leaves on the street and expect them to be picked up by the City of San Rafael street sweepers.
DO NOT pour chemicals, paints, or fuel in areas where it might flow into the storm drain. Click here for information about Household Hazardous Waste.
DO NOT construct or place anything in the way of a natural or City maintained drainage system.
Stay Warm
As many of you will be lighting up you fireplaces this winter, remember to check Spare the Air first. Here are some tips for saving money and conserving resources:
Install a programmable thermostat
Clean or change the furnace filter about once a month and have your furnace professionally cleaned and turned once a year
Winterize windows and doors by caulking and weather stripping
Address/Location
San Rafael Police Department
1375 Fifth Ave
San Rafael, CA 94901
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1