Live Updates: Bay Area atmospheric river brings flooding, fallen trees

With umbrellas in hand, people lined up down the block at the Ritter Center in San Rafael for the nonprofit's annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway.

With umbrellas in hand, people lined up down the block at the Ritter Center in San Rafael.

On Thursday, the nonprofit held its annual Thanksgiving meal giveaway.

It's an event Ritter Center CEO Mark Shotwell says they were determined to have despite the series of storms sweeping across the North Bay.

"This is a great way to be able to connect with people in the community who need us. And for the ongoing clients we serve, it's essential to keep them going," Shotwell said.

The center provides everything people need to enjoy a full holiday meal.

But beyond just the food, Shotwell says giving out items to help people survive the elements is essential.

"It's not just about being cold. It's not just about being wet. But because of the serious health issues that a lot of people have, that kind of exposure can be a life-threatening situation," Shotwell said.

One of those receiving help Thursday was Paul Maska.

Maska tells us he's currently living on a small boat in the water.

He says the past few days have been difficult, and with more wet weather coming, he's grateful for the help.

"It's a security. It's a sense of wellness. It's a sense of 'I'm okay.' It's a sense of family. It's many things," Maska said.

Another person collecting supplies was Terrence Reynolds.

Originally from the East Bay, Reynolds says he's now unhoused and doesn't know how he'd survive without help from places like the Ritter Center.

"They're doing tents. I just got a blanket and a mat. This hat right here, the gloves," he said.

And with more intense storms forecasted over the coming days here in Marin County, Reynolds has just one message to all those who help.

"You guys are awesome. Thanks for being here. And the commitment, all the volunteers that come in and out with the consistency, yeah," he said.

A car stuck on a flooded road near Santa Rosa was found unoccupied and the driver, who officials say ignored warning signs, has not been found.

A car that got stuck driving through a flooded-out road just outside of Santa Rosa is one example of what not to do during a storm.

It is on Slusser Road near River Road.

Sonoma County Fire says the driver ignored the obvious flood gauge and flood warning signs. The car was found unoccupied and the driver has not been found.

It happened where the water was more than a foot deep when it was still dark out Thursday morning.

At the start of the storm, Santa Rosa fire crews gave warnings to stay home if you don't have to be out driving.

"You don't know how deep it is going to be, as well as you don't know the roadway conditions underneath," said Sonoma County Fire spokesperson Karen Hancock. "Has the roadway been compromised? Are there boulders? Are there big potholes? There's a lot of thing it could be, is it washed away?"

When no one was found in the car, crews continued searching in the water.

"They searched the surrounding areas and did not find anybody, they did go wading out into the water to check and that was in the dark, putting our guys at risk out in the dark," Hancock said.

Hancock says the county is juggling multiple hazardous conditions on the second day of the storm, including a tree that fell around 2:30 a.m., taking down power lines on Bohemian Highway, just north of Occidental, temporarily knocking out power to the area.

A tree also fell on a home and power lines in Forestville, sending one person to the hospital Wednesday night.

By morning, PG&E crews were on scene working to replace a downed power pole, but most of the damage was still there.

"There's more rain coming, right, we've got several more days of this so any major repairs, things like that, they're going to be prioritized, we're going to do what we can to make things safe but major cleanup will have to be after the storm passes."

Fire officials say their best advice which cannot be understated enough is to 'Turn around, don't drown.'

It's a message you will hear repeatedly from them because of drivers who continue to ignore the warnings.

A jackknifed big rig blocked all four left lanes of Eastbound I-80 in San Francisco early Thursday.

This was at 1st Street by the entrance to the Bay Bridge and caused traffic to backup.

All lanes have since been reopened.

We've seen dangerous waves and flooding impact the Capitola area in the past and residents say they'll be ready for when the rain comes.

While it's been windy but overall quiet in Capitola Village, we've seen dangerous waves and flooding impact the area in the past.

Residents tell ABC7 News they'll be ready for when the rain comes.

Marcie Karl lives a block up from the beach in Capitola.

"I was just walking the dogs up I could hear the ocean get more and more intense," Karl said.

She said recently king tides during the winter season have become normal.

"The last couple of years we've had some very big storms that have caused intense damage. I'm expecting that to happen again this year," Karl said.

Capitola officials say for the past three years they've experienced whiplash when it comes to high surf damage and coastal flooding.

The iconic wharf stands 20 feet above the water, but was destroyed by a battering of waves.

The wharf reopened just this past September after being closed since earl 2023.

A longtime resident Dennis Gillis goes to Capitola Village frequently during the week.

He said he's prepared for stormy weather.

"I have a large generator that I can probably power three homes with. Plenty of grab bags for the family," Gillis said.

For the bars and restaurants along the Esplanade, it was business as usual on Wednesday evening.

Last winter, many were hit with high waves and flooding. The Sandbar repaired their floors in early 2023, only to have them buckle again by December.

Zelda's installed hurricane doors in the back of their restaurant in preparation for the next big one. Capitola officials are prepared to be on high alert for storms until March.