Wet weather causes delays at Bay Area airports

BySergio Quintana KGO logo
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Wet weather causes delays, cancellations at Bay Area airports
Weather caused a few flight delays at the San Jose International Airport Friday, but at the San Francisco International Airport the weather racked up 110 canceled flights for the day.

SAN FRANCISCO INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT (KGO) -- Weather caused a few flight delays at the San Jose International Airport Friday, but at the San Francisco International Airport the weather racked up 110 canceled flights for the day.

The combination of low clouds, winds and spotty rain meant flights from Boston to Los Angeles -- and plenty of cities in between were scrubbed or delayed.

Anton Volnykh said he was flying to Los Angeles, but his flight was canceled.

Eric Sedlar was also trying to get to Los Angeles.

"Well, pretty much a three hour delay for all the flights I've seen," he said. "Three to four hour delays."

He even double booked flights to try and get back home for an important date.

"I booked a second flight and canceled my first one, it's a business flight so I don't care, I just need to get home," he said. "I had an event to get to, but I guess that's not going to happen."

The weather triggered a ground stop at SFO for a while, it's the second day in a row air traffic was temporarily halted.

Showers fell on and off Friday in the North Bay. The rain slowed an already sluggish rush hour commute on northbound Highway 101.

At Blackies Pasture Park in Tiburon, the intermittent rain didn't stop people from enjoying their daily walks.

The Winter family says things look a lot different compared to just a week ago.

"It is much more beautiful than it was before because it's greener. Yeah, it's fun to enjoy how the landscape changes," Anika Winter, a Tiburon resident said.

VIDEO: Bay Area braces for more wet weather

In San Rafael, raindrops started appearing just before 1 p.m. By mid-afternoon, the rain picked up in spots. Motorists on the frontage road along 580 experienced moderate rainfall.

No one is complaining about the weather.

"Bring on more," Lynn Ryder, a Mill Valley resident said. "We need it. We want to end this drought."

A lot of people in San Francisco were racing Friday to prepare for the next wave of storms.

In the Mission District, people living and working at Folsom and 17th streets are still cleaning up from the last storm. It was a sad sight for many businesses in that area, furniture and other goods were damaged by heavy flooding. Sandbags weren't enough to stop the waters from entering homes and stores. The area is known for having a poor drainage system.

The recent storms knocked out phone service to many customers. A Christmas tree lot on 14th and Mission streets hasn't had a working phone line since Tuesday. Without a line, Joe Hege can't process any credit cards. His business has been affected.

PHOTOS: Strong rain, wind hits Bay Area

"I've just been taking down credit card information and letting people know that I will be processing it as soon as I have a phone working," Hege said.

The Safeway Union Square holiday ice rink has enjoyed good weather in past years. The rain tends to keep people away.

"We're telling people to come on down anyway," said Valerie Abraham, ice rink manager. "We don't close in the rain. Lots of people have lots of fun skating in the rain. Nothing has changed. We're open as usual."

Crews were also working to repair a giant sinkhole that opened up on Sixth and Lake Streets in San Francisco. A sewer pipe burst on Wednesday causing damage to a water pipe and opening up the massive sinkhole. Repairs likely won't be completed until Tuesday.