East Bay Faces Possibility Of Flash Floods, High Winds

EAST 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.

The East Bay Hills will also be under a flash flood watch Tuesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon. The SCU Lightning Complex burn scar is covered by the watch.

Residents of affected areas are advised to have a "go" bag packed in case evacuation is necessary. Officials warn people in those areas that they should not try to drive through flooded roads, according to NWS. Mudslides and washouts are possible in areas with steep terrain, while flash flooding and debris flow are possible in recent burn areas.

Update: The Flash Flood Watch now covers the East Bay Hills, including the SCU Burn Scar. Be weather-ready the next few days. If you live on or near a burn scar, have a “go bag” ready in case you need to quickly evacuate. #CaWx #AtmosphericRiver https://t.co/d50hbf4xej pic.twitter.com/5BwzW3EpwE
— 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 the National Weather Service. 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.

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