Rain on the way as S.F. residents prepare for El Niño
Updated 3:36 pm, Saturday, November 14, 2015
Scott
Branch, left, and Willie Scott help to load sand bags in the back of a
car at the San Francisco Fire Fighters Training Facility in San
Francisco on Saturday, November 14, 2015. Residents are preparing ... more
Rain is expected to fall first in the North Bay late Saturday before reaching San Francisco early Sunday around 3 a.m., said Bob Benjamin, a forecaster with the National Weather Service.
The precipitation is expected to last through the morning, with lighter rain showers continuing in the afternoon and evening.
In all, anywhere from a quarter- to a half-inch of rainfall is expected in San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area.
“It will come and go. It will be a one-day event. Basically in and out,” he said.
The weather could bring thunderstorms Sunday afternoon before giving way to dry weather for the rest of the week.
Throughout San Francisco, residents were preparing for the potentially wet winter ahead. City residents hauled away sandbags as part of an event held by the Department of Public Works and the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission called “Sandbag Saturdays.” San Francisco residents were allowed to take 10 sandbags each at five separate locations in the city.
“We are expecting pretty severe storms if the El Niño weather forecasts hold up and we know people need sandbags in certain areas of town,” said Rachel Gordon, a spokeswoman for the department, who was at the San Francisco Fire Department training facility at 19th and Folsom streets.
Gordon said city officials decided to hold the event “to make it easier so people can protect their homes during storms.” It’s been several years since the last time the department held such an event, although sandbags were available at their operations yard in years past and continue to be.
Sandbags will be available again next Saturday at spots across the city.
Many who decided to make the trip to pick up sandbags said they’d decided to be proactive this winter.
“My home was flooded a few years ago when there was really bad weather,” said Stephen Yu, a 50-year-old resident of the Diamond Heights neighborhood who stopped by to pick up the sandbags.
“We’ve had a little bit of leaks in the past but with El Niño coming ... we’d better have some sandbags,” said Janet Moomaw, a 54-year-old San Francisco resident. “It’s just silly not to, just in case.”
John Clifford, a 68-year-old retired firefighter, said that while his home hadn’t had any flooding issues in the past, he still grabbed some sandbags.
“I’m thinking if we do have a heavy winter,” he said, “I have some downstairs areas in my house that I want to make sure I protect from the incoming rain in the event there is a deluge.”
Meanwhile, in the Sierra more snow was forecast to be on the way. About 4 to 9 inches were expected to hit the northern Sierra early Sunday morning and into Sunday evening at areas above 7,000 feet of elevation, said Karl Swanberg, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in Sacramento.
Hamed Aleaziz is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: haleaziz@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @haleaziz
Sandbags available
Sandbags will be available to San Francisco residents from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, at the following locations:
San Francisco Fire Department training facility, Folsom Street at 19th Street.
Marina Green parking lot, Marina Boulevard at Marina Green Drive.
The Great Highway at Balboa Street.
Lake Merced — Sunset Circle parking lot, Sunset Boulevard at Lake Merced Boulevard.
Recology Golden Gate, 900 Seventh St. at Berry Street.
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Rain on the way as S.F. residents prepare for El Niño
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