On Tuesday evening, San Jose City Manager Jennifer Maguire declared a State of Emergency and Mayor Matt Mahan urged residents to prepare for the heavy rains. The proclamation provided emergency powers for the city’s anticipated response and issued an evacuation order to people living near waterways.
“San Jose is taking this extra precautionary step during this storm surge to protect our residents, particularly our most vulnerable unhoused neighbors,” Mahan said. “We want to make sure … city staff has the ability to move quickly to relocate encampments that are in harm’s way.”
The National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch for the Bay Area for this Wednesday and Thursday. Last weekend’s atmospheric river brought 1.74 inches of rain to San Jose.
“A potent Pineapple Express will move into the region Wednesday and continue into Thursday,” the Weather Service reported. “This will bring substantial rainfall to the Bay Area and Monterey Bay region on top of already saturated soils.”
Forecasters predicted rapid rises in area creeks, streams and rivers.
The Flood Watch will remain in effect from late tonight through Thursday afternoon.
Flooding could occur in Santa Clara Valley Including San Jose, Santa Cruz Mountains and other portions of central and northern California.
Valley Water reported it is closely monitoring the storm and potential flooding including the following:
- Uvas Creek, with potential flooding of Highway 101 south of 10th Street in Gilroy and the area of the Gilroy Sports Park
- San Francisquito Creek in Palo Alto
- Ross Creek at Cherry Avenue in San Jose
- Upper Penitencia Creek at Mabury and King roads in San Jose
- Guadalupe River at West Alma Avenue in San Jose
- Sunnyvale East Channel at Tasman Drive in Sunnyvale
- West Little Llagas Creek in Morgan Hill
Valley Water identified those locations as hot spots, but flooding risk is not limited to those areas.
To make matters worse, the National Weather Service also issued a High Wind Warning, in effect from 4pm Wednesday to 10am Thursday.
The damaging winds “will blow down trees and power lines. With widespread power outages expected.
