During the busy holiday travel season, when AAA predicted heavy traffic between San Francisco and Napa, the California Highway Patrol CHP had to close a highway in Sonoma County due to flooding.
On Tuesday morning around 10 a.m., CHP announced that State Route 121, located between 8th Street East and State Route 116 in Sonoma County, was closed because of flooding. This area is near a major intersection connecting three northern Bay Area counties.
According to Caltrans spokesperson Jeff Weiss, the flooding occurred because runoff water is flowing into Sonoma Creek, causing it to swell. In addition, the area has experienced king tides, which slow the flow of water from the creek into the bay, making the flooding worse.
Flooding in this area is common, especially during heavy rain, like when it was closed last month due to an atmospheric river. Nearby Highway 37 is also prone to flooding in bad weather. Weiss said the road could reopen in 10 to 36 hours if the weather improves and the creek drains. However, with high tides and recent heavy rainfall, it’s unclear how long it will take for the water to go down.
The National Weather Service reported that the rain is starting to ease, and only light rain is expected later today. Meanwhile, CHP advised drivers in the North Bay to find alternate routes to avoid delays.