1 Dead, Homes Damaged as Rains Pelt Northern California

Residents in Northern California hope that the last few days are not a sign of things to come in 2006.

Heavy rains, flooding and mudslides greeted the area, as a storm moved its way through the state over the weekend, leaving one man dead and numerous homes damaged..

In the Napa River area, hillside homeowners were told to be ready to evacuate at a moment’s notice. The majority of creeks in the Sonoma County area had gone over their banks, with a number of roads closed. Forecasters predicted that severe flooding was expected upstream along the Napa in Calistoga, St. Helena and Yountville.

Meteorologists said that parts of Sonoma, Sacramento, Shasta and Tehama counties were looking at their worst flooding in years. Flood warnings were set from Sonoma County over to the Nevada line.

Residents hoping to dry out from the first storm won’t get their wish, as another more powerful storm is slated to hit the area on Sunday and into Monday. The first storm already claimed one life. A Northern California man died Saturday as a storm-weakened eucalyptus tree fell on him.

The Russian River crested early Sunday close to the Sonoma County town of Guerneville at 42 feet – 10 feet above flood stage – flooding low-lying areas of the city.

Meantime, rain is a strong likelihood for Monday’s annual Rose Bowl Parade in Pasadena. Rain fell in the Los Angeles and San Diego areas New Year’s Eve, resulting in a number of traffic accidents.

Flash flood watches were in place for a number of areas burned by the 2005 wildfires in Santa Barbara, Ventura and Los Angeles counties.

Topics California Flood Homeowners