Another storm hits Bay Area: One killed by fallen tree in Walnut Creek

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KRON) — Tuesday’s storm is unleashing fierce winds and pounding rain across the San Francisco Bay Area. Evening commuters are facing a hazardous journey home with many roads slick, flooded, and blocked by toppled trees. One driver was killed in Portola Valley near Highway 280 when trees fell on Alpine Road.

Follow along for the latest Bay Area storm updates:

Tuesday, March 21

10:00 p.m. — Third Street Bridge reopens to public

The Third Street Bridge in San Francisco is back open to traffic after it was struck by a barge Tuesday afternoon, San Francisco Public Works said.

One westbound lane and two eastbound lanes are open. One westbound lane and a walkway remain closed.

Public Works engineers will return Wednesday morning for a more thorough assessment.

9:30 p.m. — Latest PG&E outage update

PG&E is working to restore power across the Bay Area after strong winds left more than 150,000 customers with outages. The East Bay remains the hardest-hit region, accounting for more than half of the Bay Area’s outages.

9:22 p.m. — Highway 101 to close Tuesday night

US-101 will be closed in both directions from Ralston Avenue to Hillsdale Boulevard Tuesday night as crews repair power lines. The closure begins at 11 p.m. and is expected to last 30-60 minutes.

9:11 p.m. — One killed by fallen tree in Walnut Creek

A fallen tree killed the passenger of a car in Walnut Creek, the Contra Costa County Fire Department said on Twitter.

The car was traveling on Stanley Dollar Drive in the Rossmoor neighborhood when the tree fell on it. Con Fire said the car’s driver sustained minor injuries, but the passenger was killed.

The roadway is closed and drivers are asked to avoid the area.

8:30 p.m. — 175k without power

PG&E’s latest outage numbers show that more than 175,000 customers in the Bay Area are without power.

8:23 p.m. — Couch flies through SF sky

Video shared with KRON4 shows a couch flying through the sky in San Francisco. The couch eventually landed near Main Street and Folsom Street.

7:24 p.m. — Palo Alto outage update

Palo Alto Utilities said that about 749 customers are still without power. Earlier on Tuesday, that number was close to 4,000. Crews are working to restore power for everyone.

6:52 p.m. — SF Bay Ferry resuming service on some routes

After it canceled service for part of the afternoon, the San Francisco Bay Ferry will be sending boats from Downtown San Francisco to Vallejo and Richmond.

Ferries to Vallejo will leave from San Francisco at 7 p.m., 7:50 p.m. and 8:25 p.m. A ferry will go to Richmond at 7 p.m.

6:46 p.m. — Oakland Zoo to remain closed Wednesday

The Oakland Zoo announced that it would remain closed on Wednesday as it cleans up from today’s storm. Reservations will be refunded automatically.

6:10 p.m. — Latest outage numbers

PG&E released another outage update at 6 p.m. More than 193,000 customers are without power across the Bay Area.

6:03 p.m. — US 101 southbound near Marin City cleared after tree fell on highway

Crews have cleared a tree that fell on U.S. 101 southbound on Tuesday afternoon near Marin City, the California Highway Patrol said at 5:16 p.m. The tree had blocked the third and fourth lanes. Drivers should still expect delays.

5:51 p.m. — AC Transit suspends Transbay lines

AC Transit said that eastbound Transbay lines have temporarily stopped running from the Salesforce Transit Center.

The decision was made after a big rig truck overturned on the Bay Bridge, blocking four of its five lanes at one point. Riders are encouraged to use BART for commutes to the East Bay.

Westbound Transbay bus lines will stop at the West Oakland BART station, where riders can take BART into the city.

5:43 p.m. — 3rd Street Bridge damaged by barge

The San Francisco Fire Department is asking people to avoid the area around the 3rd Street Bridge after it was struck by an industrial barge.

5:39 p.m. — Tree crushes car near Lake Merced

A tree crushed a car on Lake Merced and Brotherhood Way, causing the vehicle to catch fire. Police say the occupant of the vehicle was hospitalized.

5:34 p.m. — Final exams canceled at Stanford

Due to a power outage on Stanford’s campus, the university announced that it is canceling final exams for the remainder of the day. There is no current ETA for power to be restored.

“Because this outage presents a very unusual circumstance for both our students and faculty, all exams have been canceled for the remainder of the day,” Stanford said.

For additional information, click HERE.

5:25 p.m. — Outage number up to 184k

At 5:00 p.m., PG&E released its latest power outage update, showing that more than 184,000 customers across the Bay Area are without power.

The outages hit the East Bay hard, as its 82,932 outages are the most of any of the Bay Area’s five regions. San Francisco has also seen a large uptick in outages.

5:08 p.m. — Majority of City of San Pablo without power

A power outage is currently affecting the majority of the City of San Pablo. There is no ETA for it to be restored.

The city advised that non-functional traffic lights should be treated like a stop sign.

4:50 p.m. — 3 people critically injured by fallen trees in SF

The San Francisco Fire Department confirmed to KRON4 that three people were critically injured by two fallen trees.

A tree falling on Post Street and Polk Street seriously injured two people, and one person was critically injured by a fallen tree on 23rd Avenue and Lincoln Way. Both scenes are active.

4:46 p.m. — Golden Gate Ferry service suspended due to weather

After the SF Bay Ferry announced that it was suspending service due to the weather, the Golden Gate Ferry did the same. Afternoon service will be operated by Golden Gate Bus, but the following trips are canceled.

6:40 SF to TIB
7:10 SF to SAUS
7:30 Larkspur to SF
8:15 SF to Larkspur

4:40 p.m. — Sonoma County opens emergency shelter

Sonoma County opened an emergency shelter site at the County Government Center campus. It is intended to provide temporary housing for unsheltered people.

The site is equipped with 87 tents and support services. About 70-100 people are expected to move in by the end of the week.

4:34 p.m. — Big Rig overturns on Bay Bridge

A big rig truck overturned on the Bay Bridge just before Treasure Island, California Highway Patrol said.

The four left eastbound lanes are blocked by the incident. CHP advises using other methods to cross the Bay if possible.

4:29 p.m. — Trees down across San Francisco

Trees have come down all across San Francisco. At about 4:00 p.m., the Powell Hyde Cable Car Line was blocked at Hyde and Jackson due to a fallen tree.

Video from KRON4’s Rob Nesbitt shows one tree down on Jackson Street.

4:19 p.m. — 2 rescued after tree falls on pick-up truck

The Alameda County Fire Department rescued two people after a large eucalyptus tree fell on their pick-up truck. One victim was hospitalized with minor injuries.

4:13 p.m. — More than 100,000 PG&E customers without power

PG&E’s latest update shows that more than 100,000 customers across the region are without power.

March 21 – 4 PM	Affected Customers
San Francisco	9,709
Peninsula	46,694
North Bay	1,768
East Bay	19,936
South Bay	21,986
Total	100,093

The region being hit hardest by the outages is San Mateo County. Nearly half of the Bay Area’s customers without power are on the Peninsula.

3:51 p.m. — SF Bay Ferry suspends all service

After canceling several ferries earlier, San Francisco Bay Ferry announced at 3:46 p.m. that it is suspending all ferry service. It hopes that service will resume Tuesday evening.

“The storm came in with much stronger winds than anticipated. We are so sorry for the inconvenience, but safety comes first,” a tweet read.

3:44 p.m. — Highway 1 closed in both directions

Highway 1 in San Mateo County is closed in both directions at DeHoff Canyon Road, according to Cal Fire. The closure is due to a tree blocking the highway.

The location of the closure is south of Half Moon Bay. Firefighters are working to remove the tree.

3:41 p.m. — Amtrak train derails in Port Costa

The Crockett-Carquinez Fire Department reported that an Amtrak train derailed a half-mile east of Port Costa. Initial reports indicate no injuries.

Several trains have been stopped due to rail congestion.

3:27 p.m. — Limo crushed by tree limb in Foster City

A huge tree snapped in half and fell onto a parked limousine in Foster City Tuesday afternoon. A photo showed the limo under the tree with the road blocked off.

3:24 p.m. — Live wires down, road closed in San Mateo County

There is a road closure on Glenwood Avenue between Canada Road and Hillside Road due to live wires down, according to the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area to the extent that is possible. Alpine Road is closed just west of Highway 280 to La Cuesta Drive due to a fallen tree that killed a driver.

3:15 p.m. — SF Bay Ferry announces cancellations

The San Francisco Bay Ferry confirmed to KRON4 that it has six cancellations due to the weather. The 3:15 p.m. ferry going from the San Francisco Ferry Building to Oakland and Alameda has been canceled. In addition, departures at 3:50 p.m. from Oakland and 4:05 p.m. from Alameda to San Francisco were canceled.

“The Bay is especially rough right now and our captains are prioritizing safety for passengers and crews,” Thomas Hall with the SF Bay Ferry said.

There could be additional cancellations as weather pummels the region.

3:07 p.m. — CHP gives update on driver killed by falling tree

CHP tells KRON4 that the driver that was killed by a fallen tree in San Mateo County was going eastbound on Alpine Road, approaching I-280 when he was struck. CHP Officer David LaRock joined KRON4 with more information.

2:58 p.m. — More than 88,000 without power across Bay Area

PG&E’s latest power update shows that 88,208 customers were without power as of 2:30 p.m. The East Bay, South Bay and Peninsula are all being hit hardest by the outages.

March 21, 2023 – 2:30 PM	Customers Impacted
San Francisco (SF Division)	67
Peninsula (Pen Division)	21,324
North Bay (NB and Sonoma Divisions)	2,952
East Bay (Mission, Diablo, EB Divisions)	32,137
South Bay (De Anza and San Jose Divisions)	31,728
Bay Area Total (Includes Total for all Bay Area divs)	88,208

One location in the East Bay that is affected by the outage is the Emeryville Target, located at 1555 40th Street. Video taken Tuesday afternoon shows the store with its lights out.

2:45 p.m. — Driver killed when tree falls on car in San Mateo County

A tree fell on a vehicle that was driving on Alpine Road in San Mateo County near the 280 and the driver was killed, KRON4 has confirmed.

2:26 p.m. — Flood waters, high winds on Highway 1 in Mill Valley

2:24 p.m. — Highway 17 reopened in both directions

Highway 17 in Scotts Valley has reopened in both directions, according to the CHP. Earlier, it was closed due to an injury accident and an overturned vehicle.

2:05 p.m. — Highway 17 southbound reopens

Highway 17 has reopened in the southbound direction after being closed in both directions due to an overturned vehicle earlier, according to the CHP. The northbound lanes currently remain closed.

1:55 p.m. — Power outage impacting 2,666 customers in Santa Clara

There is a large power outage in the northern part of Santa Clara affecting 2,666 customers, according to a tweet from Silicon Valley Power. “A troubleshooter is responding,” the tweet read. “We do not have any information on the expected time of restoration yet.”

1:45 p.m. — SR-17 shut down in both directions due to overturned vehicle

Highway 17 in Santa Cruz County is shut down in both directions at Mt. Hermon Road due to a traffic collision with injuries and overturned vehicle, according to the CHP. All lanes are blocked. Drivers are being advised to avoid the area and use alternate routes.

12:45 p.m. — PG&E restores power to about 4K

PG&E’s latest power outage report showed that less than 1,000 customers were without power Tuesday afternoon after more than 5,000 were without power Tuesday morning, mainly in San Mateo County.

But the fight is not over.

“The wind and rain continue to impact trees, limbs and other debris that are striking powerlines, damaging equipment, and interrupting electric service,” a PG&E spokesperson told KRON4. “We are also seeing significant soil instability on hillsides bringing mudslides, downed trees and damages to electric equipment.”

March 21, 2023 – 12 PM	Customers Impacted
San Francisco	59
Peninsula	343
North Bay	210
East Bay	239
South Bay	73
Bay Area Total	924

12:16 p.m. — Over 200 flights delayed at SFO

There have been 205 flight delays at San Francisco International Airport on Tuesday, according to FlightAware. Twenty-seven flights have also been canceled as San Francisco and the rest of the Bay Area grapple with another round of wet winter weather.

“About 20% of flights at SFO are experiencing delays, with delays averaging about 70 minutes. We’ve also seen 27 flight cancellations, mostly on short-haul flights along the West Coast,” an SFO spokesperson told KRON4. “Our advice for passengers is to download your airline’s mobile app and sign up for flight alerts to get notified immediately of any delays or cancelations.”

10:40 a.m. — About 5K without power

PG&E’s latest power outage report showed 5,373 customers were without power Tuesday morning, with the majority being in the Peninsula.

Current – 3/21/23 (10:30 am)	Customers Impacted
San Francisco	5
Peninsula	4,839
North Bay	38
East Bay	367
South Bay	124
Bay Area Total	5,373

Due to the recent storms, much of PG&E’s equipment was damaged due to fallen trees and branches and high winds, with crews working to restore power to affected areas a quickly as possible.

PG&E officials said downed trees, branches or snow could be hiding a power line. If you see a downed power line, assume all wires are energized and extremely dangerous. Don’t touch or try to move the power line, keep children and animals away. Report downed lines to 911 and PG&E at 1-800-743-5002

8:45 a.m. — Accident on San Mateo Bridge snarls commute traffic

Expect delays on the San Mateo Bridge due to an accident and consider taking the Dumbarton Bridge instead. Wet conditions and high wind gusts are also creating traffic on many of the Bay Area’s major highways.

BART is also running on a 20-minute delay due to the wet conditions.

8 a.m. — Several roads closed due to wet weather

The California Highway Patrol reported several road closures resulting from wet weather conditions throughout the Bay Area.

RIGHT NOW: Downpours in the South Bay posing a major risk for your morning commute along routes such as 85, 101, 17 and 280. Watch for standing water on roads with Flood Advisories in effect. @kron4news pic.twitter.com/oHTt0gWmJO

— John Shrable (@JohnShrable) March 21, 2023

• CA-82 (El Camino Real), between Trousdale Drive to Peninsula Avenue in Burlingame. Various locations are closed in both directions due to downed trees and wires.
• CA-82 southbound at Howard Avenue in Belmont. Right lane closed, due to emergency roadwork.
• CA-84 westbound between Portola Road to Fox Hill Road. All lanes are blocked, due to an emergency road closure.

7 a.m. — Flood Advisory issued for Bay Area

The National Weather Service issued a Flood Advisory for parts of the Bay Area and Central Coast. Highways, streets and underpass, as well as small stream flooding is expected due to the rain. The Flood Advisory is in effect until 9 a.m. Tuesday.

5:30 a.m. — Expect delays on eastbound 580 in Livermore

Two right lanes of 580 just past north Flynn Road are closed due to cracks that appeared in the lanes from the weather. Crews are on scene working to fix the road. Expect delays and plan for the closure during your evening commute.

Crews noticed the cracks Monday afternoon. Officials believe the cracks appeared because of the heavy rain and mudslides caused by the recent storms. There is no estimated time the repairs will be finished.

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Monday, March 20

7:00 p.m. — Arborists in Burlingame inspect trees ahead of next storm

Arborists were inspecting eucalyptus trees along El Camino Real in Burlingame on Monday morning. During last Tuesday’s storm, three of these trees came down, damaging homes and vehicles.

KRON4’s Dan Kerman was in Burlingame with more.

3:40 p.m. CalFire warns of falling trees

CalFire for San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties is warning of the hazard of trees becoming uprooted as the next atmospheric river storm approaches.

“If you see a tree that become uprooted and is leaning, do not walk or park underneath it,” CalFire tweeted. “Call a tree removal service. The ground is saturated, and root balls can become unstable. Be aware of your surroundings, and don’t linger under canopies.”

2 p.m. — Oakland Zoo to close Tuesday

The Oakland Zoo announced it will be closed on Tuesday, March 21 due to weather. “What’s going on here?” the zoo tweeted. “Oh, just another rain closure announcement. Unfortunately, the Zoo will be CLOSED tomorrow.”

Reservations will be refunded automatically, the zoo said. No action will be required from reservation-holders, although refunds can take three to four weeks to process.

1:45 p.m. — Rain and strong wind could bring downed trees, power outages

More rain and strong, gusty winds are heading to the Bay Area Tuesday morning, according to a tweet from the National Weather Service. High wind warnings are already in effect for the mountains of Monterey and San Benito counties. “Prepare now for the potential of downed trees and power outages,” the NWS said.

Bay City News contributed to this report.