King tides flood parts of Embarcadero in San Francisco

SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- Storm preparations in San Francisco began overnight in some areas but still, along the Embarcadero, the King Tides made quite a splash. Around noon Thursday, they earned their name at Pier 14.

"The highest I've ever seen it," Gonzalo Ferrer told ABC7 News.

"My commute used to be on the Embarcadero here and I've never seen the water come up this high before, or even close," said Lizzie Thomas.

As water splashed up on the sidewalk, people could be seen scaling along the fencing, doing whatever they could to keep dry.

"I mean what are you going to do, get grumpy because it's raining and flooding and nasty?" Krissy Lowenthal' asked. Her English Labs "Alice" and "Emmett" were far from grumpy. "This is their favorite weather. They love this more than anything."

The rain was a bit less welcome at 17th and Folsom where it flooded badly two years ago. "We brought in these temporary water filled plastic flood barriers, and they're interlocking and they're water tight," explained Jean Walsh with the San Francisco Public Utilities.

After flooding a total of five times since 2008, the owner of the Stable Café has made several modifications to the building including at the entrance. "We'll reimburse up to $30,000 for these improvements on properties to keep that water out," Walsh said.

Back on the Embarcadero the water was out, up, and over. "Hopefully it's a sign of the end of the drought," one woman said.

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