King Tides and Heavy Rain Flood California, Close Airport and Highways

Heavy rain and unusually high "king" tides struck much of California on Saturday, causing flooding and mudslides that disrupted travel in coastal areas and prompted warnings of more to come.

In Santa Barbara County, floodwaters covered the runways at the regional airport, forcing cancellation of all flights and a shutdown. Authorities also closed portions of Highway 1 and Highway 101 after mudslides and flooding blocked the routes.

John Feldhans, a spokesman for the Santa Barbara Airport, said the flooding was the worst the airport had seen during the recent round of storms and that the facility was not expected to reopen until Sunday. "As of right now, it’s pretty bad," he said.

In the San Francisco Bay Area, tidal flooding in low-lying Marin County left Highway 101 awash and inundated neighborhoods around Corte Madera Creek.

The National Weather Service warned of coastal flooding in the Bay Area and flash floods in Southern California, where nearly a month of heavy rainfall has increased the risk of landslides.

In San Francisco, king tides reached nearly two and a half feet above normal, among the highest recorded since 1998. Los Angeles had already received nearly 13 inches of rain since Oct. 1 — more than three times the typical amount for that period — and the latest storm was expected to add at least another inch.

The rain was expected to ease on Sunday, with drier weather forecast through the week.

Key Topics

World, Santa Barbara County, Santa Barbara Airport, National Weather Service, King Tides