And then came the rain

A storm last week brought much needed rain to drought-ravaged California, but also caused havoc across the region. Urban floodwaters cascaded down San Francisco’s sloping neighborhoods and pooled around city streets. Several sinkholes opened up around the city while commuters and travelers were brought to a sliding halt on wet Bay Area highways.

Wednesday’s system will be stronger.

From the online site of the San Francisco Chronicle

---

I’ve mentioned before that I live in a river. Not the pretty babbling-brook riparian picture that may first come to mind but one more suited to a dense city, where water running on the surface is typically in concrete gutters. This southern branch of Islais Creek starts nearly a mile away from my house. It was encased in a culvert 100 years ago and covered over to create the subdivision in which Mason-McDuffie and others would build the house that now cover the land.

The Wednesday storm system mentioned in the Chronicle slowed down. Even now, at 12:45 AM Thursday morning on the west coast of the U.S., it is gathering strength. The bedroom door shakes in its frame as it moves in response to the air pressure in the house, changed by the occasional wind outside.

This storm is long and strong, stretching well over 150 miles lengthwise to the coast. It is pushed by a jet stream extending far out over the Pacific, nearly halfway to Hawaii. The waters off Ocean Beach are unusually warm, which will add to the storm’s intensity.

At the deep end of Mission Terrace, homes were inundated with water. The City brought huge Dumpsters and a crew out to help people get rid of carpet, drywall and many appliances.

Four of these rhino lunch boxes were set upon the street. Neighbors said at least two replaced ones that had been filled and carted away.

The city set up the tents and assisted people with paperwork, as well as lending a hand in pulling soaked ruin from their homes.

The last line of defense before the door to the keep is breached.

 

All the above was written Wednesday and saved as a draft. My photos were on a different system and I had to import them to use them. Being tired and it being very late, I goofed it five times before finally just going to sleep, resolving to try again the next day.

And this morning was hectic, with wild weather delivered as promised. My delay in posting allowed time for the picture below to be shared to my neighborhood mailing list by the San Francisco Department of Public Works. It was probably sent to them by the neighbor living adjacent to this fine display.

 

This was the scene two blocks uphill from my house this morning. Notice the position of the sewer cover.