UPDATE: Historic flooding has devastated Marin County’s low-lying coastal areas following a combination of high king tides and a severe winter storm surge on October 28, 2023. As the tide peaked just before noon, major routes like Highway 101 near Lucky Drive were completely submerged, leaving commuters stranded for hours.
Authorities report that Highway 37 was also entirely flooded and closed, exacerbating traffic chaos. By 2:30 PM, receding waters allowed limited passage on Highway 101, but many businesses and homes in Corte Madera and Larkspur faced severe flooding for the second consecutive day. The situation remains critical as water levels continue to fluctuate.
Laine Hendricks, county spokeswoman, confirmed the widespread impact: “We are seeing a significant amount of flooding throughout the county,” highlighting affected areas including the Canal neighborhood in San Rafael and North San Pedro Road in Santa Venetia. The Gate 5 neighborhood in northern Sausalito and multiple roadways in Mill Valley have also been closed due to flooding.
As of 4 PM, the extent of the flooding was becoming clearer. Belvedere Mayor Sally Wilkinson reported that Beach Road was nearly breached by bay waters, while Tiburon Boulevard was “completely covered in water.” This is the second day of flooding for Tiburon, with local businesses experiencing power outages due to PG&E equipment being compromised.
In San Rafael, Hendricks noted damage to the levee near Vendola Drive, stating, “The breech is not catastrophic, but did have a high rate of seepage.” Meanwhile, Sarah Canson, a board member from the community services district, praised the county’s emergency alert system for keeping residents informed during the outages.
Residents have been advised to stay alert as police send out repeated alerts about road closures, particularly around Highway 101 and Lucky Drive. Larkspur Mayor Stephanie Andre stated, “The issue is simple — there is too much water,” as flooding extends from east to west of the highway.
Local meteorologist Brayben Murdoch attributed the flooding to king tides exceeding seven feet above sea level combined with a storm surge. “A lot of times there’s what we call ridge lines where it gets over a certain point, and then when the low tide comes through, the water doesn’t have an opportunity to go back to the bay,” Murdoch explained.
Looking ahead, the forecast indicates a high tide of 6.92 feet on Sunday, which should mitigate some flooding, but residual water may linger for days. Police officials warn that some roads may remain closed as the ground is saturated.
As conditions develop, residents and officials alike are bracing for the aftermath of this unprecedented flooding. With 1,500 homes in parts of Tiburon and Marin City left without electricity, the focus remains on recovery efforts and ensuring public safety in the affected areas.
Stay tuned for further updates as this situation evolves.
