Emergency, public works and school officials haven’t reported any significant problems related to Thursday’s persistent and, at times, heavy rainfall, but weather people are forecasting precipitation to continue non-stop late into the night.
“It’s been pretty mild so far,” Morgan Hill Police Sgt. Carson Thomas said of emergency call volumes about 4 p.m. Dec. 11. Rain has been falling non-stop in Morgan Hill since about 10 a.m.
Slightly more than 1.35 inches of rain has fallen on Morgan Hill since that time, according to local weather enthusiast Chris Henry, whose rain gauge is located at his southwest Morgan Hill home.
Police had not received any calls for downed power lines or any other significant storm damage, traffic accidents or other incidents.
Some streets along Little Llagas Creek that tend to become submerged during heavy rains—such as LaCrosse Drive and Watsonville Road near Monterey Road—have seen light flooding, but not enough to hinder travel or cause safety concerns, Thomas said.
Public works crews have been seen occasionally throughout town cleaning storm gutters or placing sandbags in areas that are prone to flooding.
While the rate of rainfall has slowed considerably and is expected to remain light to moderate throughout the evening, there are still flood warnings in effect in parts of the Bay Area until 7 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Flash flood warnings are in place until after midnight.
Motorists are still urged to drive with caution during the evening commute, police added.
The City of Morgan Hill and Santa Clara Valley Water District offer three sandbag stations throughout town for residents and business owners concerned about flooding and damage. These locations are the City Corp Yard, 100 Edes Court; El Toro Fire Station, 18300 Old Monterey Road; and Depot Street near Fourth Street, in the parking lot adjacent to the railroad tracks in downtown Morgan Hill.
Morgan Hill Unified School District staff said they had to reroute buses going to Ann Sobrato High School this afternoon. The buses entered and exited the school via Peebles Avenue instead of Burnett Avenue.
Other minor issues reported at MHUSD facilities include standing water in the parking lot of the Loritta Bonfante Johnson Education Center on Tilton Avenue, and a large puddle on a sidewalk near Nordstrom Elementary School on East Dunne Avenue.
SCVWD staff added that they have been monitoring creek levels throughout the county—including Little Llagas Creek in Morgan Hill—all day, but none have reached capacity or crested over the banks.
