City of San José

SOURCE:
City of San José
Emergency Operations Center

CONTACTS:
Carolina Camarena, City of San José
Email: EOC_PIO@sanjoseca.gov
Media Line: 408-535-7777

Date/Time of Update: January 8, 2023, 4:30 p.m.

Weather Update – Sunday, January 8 to Wednesday, January 11:
Rain is expected to begin late Sunday evening with the peak rainfall anticipated in the early morning hours on Monday and tapering off late Monday afternoon.

This next Atmospheric River event will bring heavier precipitation and increased impacts to much of California on Monday, January 9 and Tuesday, January 10, as the cumulative effects from all the recent rain come together. Potential flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and roadways will be at their highest during this period as between 3-4 inches of rain is forecasted to fall in San José between Monday and Tuesday.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a Flood Watch, which is in effect from 4:00 PM Saturday, January 7 through 4:00 PM Tuesday, January 10. NWS has also issued a Flood Warning from Monday morning January 9 until further notice, specific to the Guadalupe River above Almaden Expressway where minor to moderate flooding is forecasted. The NWS also issued a High Wind Warning from 8:00 PM Sunday, January 8 through 10:00 AM Monday, January 9. A break in the storms is still anticipated for mid-week, however, the results from this current storm continue to be a concern. For more information, visit https://bit.ly/3XccKEI (WWA Summary by Location for 37.32N 121.88W with CAZ513/CAC085/CAZ513 emphasis High Wind Warning).

Continuous Monitoring and Notification:
City staff members are continuing to engage unhoused residents in potentially impacted areas to ensure their safety. The City will continue coordinating with Valley Water (https://www.valleywater.org/) and the National Weather Service (https://www.weather.gov/) to actively monitor rain, wind, and potential flooding conditions.

Evacuation Announcements along San José Creeks and Waterways:
On Sunday, January 8, the City’s Office of Emergency Management will continue to deploy a long-range acoustic device (LRAD) to communicate evacuation orders to unhoused residents along Guadalupe River. Additionally, the San José Police Department will continue to conduct loudspeaker announcements along Coyote and Penitencia Creeks.

Neighborhood Outreach:
On Sunday, January 8, City outreach teams canvassed neighborhoods in flood hot spots to notify residents about potential flooding.

A targeted Wireless Emergency Alert (WEA) was sent to areas that may flood along Ross Creek, Guadalupe River and Penitencia Creek.

Potential Flood Hot Spots:
Valley Water and City Field Inspection Teams are monitoring the following locations in San José as potential areas of flooding:

• Ross Creek at Cherry Avenue
• Guadalupe River at West Alma Avenue
• Canoas Creek in the Nightingale neighborhood
• Canoas Creek at Santa Teresa Boulevard
• Upper Penitencia Creek at Mabury and King Roads
• Upper Penitencia at Berryessa Road
• Upper Penitencia neighborhood near Toyon Elementary

The potential areas of flooding are not limited to only these locations. To learn if your home or business is in a Special Flood Hazard Area, please visit http://www.valleywater.org/floodzone.

24-Hour Emergency Evacuation Center:
The City of San José and American Red Cross have opened a 24-hour emergency evacuation center at Seven Trees Community Center (3590 Cas Drive). The center will be open until Monday, January 16. Individuals, families, pets and service animals are welcome. No prior referral or reservation is needed. Hand washing stations, portable restrooms, showers, cots, and laundry stations are available onsite.

Warming Centers:
Warming Centers are available to anyone who needs to dry off, warm up, use a restroom, and charge devices during the storm. Amenities include heated rooms, seats, water, Wi-Fi, and power outlets to charge devices. Service animals only are allowed at warming center locations.

Seven library branches and two community centers have set aside space to be used as daytime warming centers during regular business hours. These locations are:

• Alum Rock Branch Library – 3090 Alum Rock Avenue
• East San José Carnegie Branch Library – 1102 East Santa Clara Street
• Educational Park Branch Library – 1772 Educational Park Drive
• Hillview Branch Library – 1600 Hopkins Drive
• Joyce Ellington Branch Library – 491 East Empire Street
• Pearl Avenue Branch Library – 4270 Pearl Avenue
• Rose Garden Library – 1580 Naglee Avenue
• Camden Community Center – 3369 Union Avenue
• Southside Community Center – 5585 Cottle Road

In addition, all libraries and community centers are warm spaces open to the public during regular hours. Visit https://www.sjpl.org/locations-table for library hours and http://bit.ly/sjcommunitycenters for community center hours.

Overnight Warming Locations (OWLs) are available at Roosevelt Community Center (901 East Santa Clara Street) and West Valley Branch Library (1243 San Tomas Aquino Road). OWLs are open nightly from 8:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Spots are by referral only and the public can call 408-539-2105 or email owlreferrals@homefirstscc.org.

The County offers additional shelters. Unhoused individuals seeking shelter can call the County’s Here4You Call Center at 408-385-2400 to find placement within the County.

Free Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) Rides:
Residents needing transportation to any of the City’s daytime warming locations or overnight warming locations may take VTA buses to those locations at no cost. Service animals are welcome.

Road, Pedestrian Bridge, and Park Closures:

• Yerba Buena Creek Upper Pedestrian Bridge has closed due to unstable soil conditions.
• Sierra Road is now open between Skyview Drive and Felter Road.
• Road closure information will continue to be updated at http://bit.ly/SJStormPrep.
• For information about City of San José park and park facility closures, visit https://bit.ly/SJParkClosures.

Road Safety During Floods:

• When driving, turn your car around if you encounter water on the road that looks to be 6 inches or deeper—or if you can't tell how deep it is. Be especially cautious at night or in low-visibility conditions.
• Stay away from creeks, rivers, and other areas subject to sudden flooding.
• Move your vehicle to higher ground if you are parked in a potential flood hot spot.

Sandbag Locations:
There is high demand at Valley Water’s sandbag locations throughout the County. The City of San José is replenishing sandbag supplies as they become available. Please bring a shovel and, if possible, someone to help fill bags and carry them to your vehicle as some sites do not have pre-filled sandbags. Valley Water offers a helpful video on how to fill sandbags: https://youtu.be/jvEYE7yi_Vw

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo (748 Story Road) - Bring shovel and help to fill loose sand into bag, if possible.
Directions to location: Enter first parking lot entry off Senter Road, south of Story Road. The sand and bags are located in the southwest corner of the parking lot, nearest Senter Road.

Additional sandbag locations: https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready/sandbags.

Power Outages:
For information on power outages in your area visit the PG&E Outage Center Map (https://pgealerts.alerts.pge.com/outagecenter/).

Proclamation of Local Emergency and Evacuation Order:
On Tuesday, January 3, the City of San José issued a Proclamation of Local Emergency and Evacuation Order (https://www.sanjoseca.gov/home/showdocument?id=93284) for the duration of the current atmospheric river weather event.

Stay Informed and Be Prepared:

• Monitor the news and follow the City of San José on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/CityofSanJose/), Twitter (https://twitter.com/CityofSanJose) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/cityofsanjose/) for regular updates.
• Be flood ready if your home is in an area prone to flooding (https://www.valleywater.org/flooding-safety/flood-ready).
• Move vehicles to higher ground if you are parked in a potential flood hot spot.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Saturated soil and high winds create risk for downed trees.
• Place valuable items in the safest and highest place in your home.
• Be ready to leave with any medications and personal items on a moment’s notice.
• Pack a bag with important documents, medicines, and spare clothes.
• Charge devices and locate flashlights and batteries.
• Report blocked storm drains, downed trees, and other storm-related issues by calling 311 or 408-794-1900.
• For more storm preparedness resources and tips, visit http://bit.ly/SJStormPrep.

Sign up for Text & Email Alerts:
Residents are advised to opt in to AlertSCC, the Santa Clara County emergency alert system. Sign-up at http://bit.ly/2BzQxt0. AlertSCC is a free, easy, and confidential way for anyone who lives or works in Santa Clara County to get emergency warnings sent directly to their cell phone, email, or landline.