South Bay Facing Flash Flood, High Wind Watches This Week

SOUTH BAY, CA — The entire Bay Area will be under a high wind watch this week as a series of storms producing heavy rains and snow approaches.

A sliver of Santa Clara County — the area stretching along the Santa Cruz and San Mateo county lines — will also be under a flash flood watch from Tuesday afternoon to Thursday afternoon. National Weather Service officials warn that debris flow and flash flooding is possible around recent burn areas, while mudslides and washouts are possible elsewhere in areas with steep terrain.

Flash Flood Watch is in effect ahead of the upcoming #AtmosphericRiver event and is valid from Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon for the North Bay, along with much of the San Mateo County Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains, and the Santa Lucia Mountains. #CaWx pic.twitter.com/IAk6j3v4nR
— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) January 25, 2021

The high wind watch will be in place from 7 p.m. Tuesday to 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to NWS. Winds of 15 to 30 mph are possible, with gusts up to 60 mph.

Keep an eye out for downed tree limbs, trees and power lines, according to NWS. Power outages are possible and high-profile cars or trailers may have difficulty on the road.

The storms headed toward the Bay Area this week are expected to bring more rain than the region has seen in more than a year. The storm from the Gulf of Alaska will see an atmospheric river, which is like a river in the sky, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

The heavy rainfall that's expected is concerning for regions that saw destructive wildfires last year, including the North Bay, Santa Cruz Mountains and across Monterey County. Officials warn people in those general areas that they should not try to drive through flooded roads, according to NWS.

Read more: Biggest Storm Of The Year Barrels Toward Bay Area