UPDATE: Historic flooding ravaged Marin County’s low-lying coastal regions on December 2, 2023, as powerful king tides combined with a winter storm surge. Major roadways, including Highway 101 near Lucky Drive, were completely submerged, causing hours of traffic paralysis and significant disruption.
As the tide peaked just before noon, authorities reported that eastbound Highway 37 was entirely closed due to extensive flooding. By 2:30 PM, waters receded slightly, allowing limited traffic on Highway 101 near Lucky Drive. However, businesses and neighborhoods in areas like Corte Madera and Larkspur faced severe impacts, with some residents experiencing flooding for the second consecutive day.
Laine Hendricks, a spokesperson for the county, confirmed, “We are seeing a significant amount of flooding throughout the county,” highlighting affected areas such as the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael and North San Pedro Road in Santa Venetia. The flooding crisis expanded to other regions, with beach communities like Inverness and Stinson Beach also reporting localized inundation.
By 4 PM, more troubling reports emerged. Belvedere Mayor Sally Wilkinson revealed that Beach Road, a crucial connection to downtown Tiburon, was on the brink of being breached, with bay waters just inches from the road’s surface. “The inbound lanes of Tiburon Boulevard were completely covered in water,” she stated, as the town faced its second day of flooding.
Flooding has left approximately 1,500 homes in Tiburon and Marin City without electricity for several hours. Councilmember Holli Thier noted that businesses along Main Street closed due to power outages related to PG&E equipment being submerged.
In San Rafael, emergency alerts were issued through the Nixle system about road closures on key routes like Doherty Drive and Fifer Avenue. Mayor Stephanie Andre described a chaotic scene as floodwaters extended west of the highway, impacting locations near a nearby Trader Joe’s and a mobile home park.
Sausalito’s Mayor Steven Woodside reported bay waters reaching Bridgeway, the city’s primary thoroughfare. He remarked on the fortunate absence of wave action that could have exacerbated the flooding.
Weather experts attribute the flooding to king tides exceeding seven feet above sea level, compounded by a storm surge from a recent atmospheric river. Brayben Murdoch, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, explained, “The high tide comes in, it overflows certain areas,” indicating that pockets of floodwaters would linger for days.
Looking ahead, Murdoch forecasts Sunday to bring a high tide of 6.92 feet, significantly less than the previous days. However, with the ground already saturated, Mill Valley Police Sgt. David Kollerer warned that road closures may still be necessary as conditions evolve.
Residents are urged to stay informed through local alerts and emergency updates as public works crews continue to respond to the flooding crisis. The situation remains fluid, with authorities working tirelessly to assess damage and restore normalcy.
Stay tuned for ongoing coverage and updates on this developing situation as Marin County grapples with the aftermath of this unprecedented flooding event.
