You can see the rain pouring down outside in a steady, heavy way, and if you were thinking it seemed especially heavy, you would be correct. And if you live in Bernal Heights, the water is flowing pretty much all over.
Our latest "Pineapple Express" river of rain has officially busted a 173-year-old rainfall record for December 31, with nearly five inches falling in San Francisco by 1 p.m., and no immediate sign of letup.
Up in Bernal Heights people are seeing an actual river coming down multiple streets, and Alert SF sent out a warning before noon to avoid Bernal Heights Park and its parking lot due to a mudslide.
Never seen anything like this in San Francisco. Bernal right now… pic.twitter.com/l0J1ZCslY4
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) December 31, 2022
Thanks to @MySFPUC for showing up with sandbags! pic.twitter.com/MkjlEuVL3v
— Zach Klein (@zachklein) December 31, 2022
Water pooling near the SF Design Center and someone who shouldn't be driving through it:
From drought to mini flood in San Francisco. We had 3.3"+ of rain in the last 24 hours. 🌧️ 🌧️ 🌧️ pic.twitter.com/DgQKKZ4jyQ
— Doug Lawrence (@dlawrence) December 31, 2022
With these clogged storm drains, streets are getting more flooded here in San Francisco pic.twitter.com/7mG8PGIiI6
— Doug Lawrence (@dlawrence) December 31, 2022
And the area near Marina Green:
Marina Green in SF, near Scott St. @RobMayeda / @NWSBayArea pic.twitter.com/vmjKAoymmf
— Robert Chavez (@rchav9) December 31, 2022
As the National Weather Service tells us, daily records for downtown San Francisco and downtown Oakland, 2.12 inches and 1.81 inches respectively, both set in 2005, have both been far surpassed for December 31, and the rain is still continuing so we won't know until midnight what the daily total actually is.
Also, as ABC 7 meteorologist Drew Tuma tweeted, SF is on track to see the second-highest one-day rainfall total — if not possibly the highest — since rainfall records have been kept in the city. The amount recorded as of 2 p.m. was 5.12 inches, and the current record highest rainfall day, set in 1994, was 5.54 inches on November 5, 1994.
We await final numbers for today, but Downtown Oakland (3.69" so far) & Downtown San Francisco (4.78" so far) have far surpassed their daily records & it's still raining... #cawx pic.twitter.com/awUKGwcAbo
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) December 31, 2022
San Francisco today is likely the 2nd wettest day EVER recorded in 170+ years (records began in 1849). Since midnight we have seen 4.78" of rain. In the last 24 hours we have seen 5.19". Will wait for @NWSBayArea to confirm. Wettest 24 hour period ever is 5.54" on 11/05/1994. pic.twitter.com/GUiygHZBfZ
— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) December 31, 2022
2 pm precip update. Downtown SF now at 5.12 since midnight. pic.twitter.com/9RtdE7EiLP
— NWS Bay Area 🌉 (@NWSBayArea) December 31, 2022
The 24-hour total for San Francisco as of 1 p.m. (which includes rain since 1 p.m. on Friday, because the daily-record totals go midnight to midnight) was 5.19 inches.
24 HOUR RAINFALL pic.twitter.com/oJHoavG3NE
— Drew Tuma (@DrewTumaABC7) December 31, 2022
Stay dry out there! And careful if you're trying to move around — or, worse, drive around.
The rain is expected to let up by 3 or 4 p.m, and things should be drier come 6 p.m. when people start heading out for their NYE celebrations.
Update: We're also hearing that the power has been out on Twin Peaks since 10 a.m., and Highway 101 was shut down in both directions in South San Francisco due to flooding.
Also, Walnut Creek, the creek itself, is very full, and pictures of Sycamore Creek in Danville are crazy too.
I’ve never seen Walnut Creek like this before 😰😰 @NWSBayArea #bayarea pic.twitter.com/TyqdVk8YLt
— Nik (@Truckeepix) December 31, 2022
Happy New Year's Eve FLOOD, DANVILLE!! #ktvu @SPaulsonKTVU pic.twitter.com/2ByhInipr0
— Daryl Barnett (@daryldarko) December 31, 2022
Top image via Zach Klein/Twitter