The intersection of 101 and Highway 1 in Mill Valley shows what happens when high tide meets rain runoff -- the roads get flooded. Residents and business here were prepared for the usual troubles associated with a storm.
Tim Cochrane is the general manager of the Balboa Cafe on Miller Avenue, "The precaution is usually to pull the cushions off the patio furniture and sandbag the front door because water really does come in a couple of inches deep into the restaurant. Ordinarily we have to push the rain out but thankfully last night we didn't have to."
Cochrane showed ABC7 News the sand bags they put out every night rain is expected, like Saturday night. Sand bags are also ready for people to pick up all over the Bay Area.
In Redwood City a steady rainfall reminded residents of the possible need to stock up on sandbags in case of flooding from the next weather system. Bags are ready to go on Chestnut Street.
While in Belmont at the City Corporation Yard, sand and bags have been left out if the need arises.
And in Daly City the residents of Lausanne Avenue are still recovering from a huge mudslide created when a water main burst last Tuesday. The area is now barricaded off from homes by dozens of hay bales. But resident Jensen Comas is nervous the next rain will bring with it more mud and damage, "Still scary because we still don't know what's gonna happen."
Mill Valley Fire Battalion Chief Michael St. John adds, "It's that combination of a very high tide with a little bit of a storm surge and lots of runoff. That's when we start to get concerned."
St. John is talking about how susceptible Mill Valley is to flooding in a major storm. He says this last weather front put the county on alert, "Of course this is a wakeup call for days that could come. So here in the valley and other cities as well as Mill Valley we are prepared. We met last week with law enforcement and the public works department."
If you need them, your local fire department or public works department can tell you where to find sandbags.
