Weather Update: An atmospheric river is heading our way. Rain and wind will start this afternoon and peak winds of 60+ mph in the coastal areas are projected to occur between 7-9 PM, according to the National Weather Service.
The heaviest rain is expected this evening and will continue until after midnight. The City of Sonoma’s Public Works crews will be on call to address any localized flooding due to blocked storm drains as needed.
Road Safety, Turn Around Don’t Drown: Some roads in Sonoma County may flood – DO NOT attempt to cross flooded roadways. Stay out of moving water — it doesn’t take much for a vehicle to float. Six inches of water is enough to hit the bottom of most passenger cars, flooding the exhaust and leaving it immobile.
Businesses with tents, canopies, parklets and sidewalk extensions: Please secure items such as tents, canopies, string lights, free-standing potted trees and shrubs, free-standing heaters and other items that may blow over in high winds; remove sidewalls of tents and; make sure that the street storm gutter in front of your business is clear and unobstructed.
Alerts & Advisories: Be advised that Sonoma County will issue a SoCo Advisory today for the areas near the Walbridge Fire, LNU complex fire, and Glass Fire burn scars. While the City is not expected to be impacted by any potential debris flow, you may receive this warning.
If you haven’t yet signed up for the county’s SoCo Alerts, we recommend you do so: https://socoemergency.org/get-ready/sign-up/
In addition, the National Weather Service will issue Wireless Emergency Alerts for the Bay Area, including the North Bay, starting at around 9 PM.
Sandbags: If your property has a history of flooding, Free sandbags are now available to City residents by appointment. Bag pick-up may be scheduled at City Hall Monday through Thursday between the hours of 8:00 AM to Noon and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. Call (707) 938-3681 for an appointment, limit 10 bags per resident while supplies last. Additional bags are available at Friedman’s Home Improvement Center (1360 Broadway).
Free sand is available to City residents in the parking lot at Depot Park (270 1st ST W). The sandbag filling station at Depot Park is self-serve; please bring your own shovel. Remember your COVID protections, so bring your mask and stay distanced from others.
Those who reside outside of Sonoma city limits can find sandbags and a self-serve sand filling station (bring a shovel!) at Friedman’s Home Improvement this afternoon.
Downed Powerlines and Potential Power Outages: Charge all your devices and have a flashlight readily available with fresh batteries in case of a power outage. If you see a downed powerline assume it’s live, keep yourself and others away and call 911 and PG&E immediately at 1-800-743-5002. If you need updates on outages go to pge.com or call 1-800-743-5000
For emergencies, dial 911. The non-emergency number for public safety dispatch is (707) 996-3601. Visit our Emergency Preparedness page for more information including an Emergency Supplies Checklist and visit Ready.gov/floods to learn more about how you can protect yourself, your family, and your community in the event of flooding.