On Sunday, Feb. 4, the atmospheric river blowing through California hit Marin County. According to PowerOutage.us, 32,000 Marin homes lost power for over 24 hours due to heavy rainfall and winds that surpassed 70 miles per hour. Many Fairfax residents were powerless by 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, and San Anselmo followed close behind, with many residents losing power by 5:30 p.m.
Over 200,000 Bay Area homes lost power, due to the extremely strong winds and rainfall taking out power lines. Officials recorded over two inches of rain in Marin during Sunday’s storm.
Parts of Fairfax still don’t have power, and many downed trees have been recorded around the Marin area. A few fallen trees hit power lines, leaving power grids without power over 24 hours later. Redhill Shopping Center lost power along with San Anselmo from Feb. 4 to Feb 5., but was restored by the morning of Feb. 6.
Multiple power lines have faced damage in Marin County, and the Central Marin Fire Department has received numerous reports of lines snapping in half due to the extreme winds, some of which sparked small fires that officials quickly put out.
San Domenico School, Tamalpais High School, and White Hill Middle School all canceled classes for Monday, Feb. 5, citing continuing weather and safety concerns for school commuters. Archie Williams High School sent an email at 6:44 a.m. Monday, declaring school open after the school got power back around 11 p.m. the night before.
According to CNN, the same storm has now ventured its way to Southern California. It has already caused hazardous mudslides in Los Angeles County and surrounding areas, leading the city of Los Angeles to declare a state of emergency. The Santa Monica Mountains above Malibu experienced 10.5 inches of rain, which led to an evacuation order by the LA County Sheriff’s Department on Feb. 4.
PG&E has encouraged Marin County individuals to travel with caution, stay safe to the best of their abilities, and report any downed trees or power lines to 911.
