Bay Area Dries Out after Big Storms

The Bay Area is recovering after heavy storms crippled services and closed roads last weekend. All major highways have been reopened, and electrical outages have been restored. Extensive damage has been reported in at least seven counties around the Bay Area. A lull in the storms has given crews and residents a chance to regroup after the New Year's Eve storm, but more rain is expected.

Highway 101 was reopened after closures at the Marin-Sonoma county line, and the Russian River has receded from flood stages. The highway was closed in a total of seven places between San Francisco and the California-Oregon border at one point during the flooding last weekend. Interstate 80 heading towards Truckee, California was also reopened New Year's Day after storm closures.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has declared a state of emergency for Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino, Napa, Sacramento, Sonoma, Trinity, and several other counties. The declaration will assist residents and local officials by providing funding for emergency cleanup after the storm.

After the peak of the storm, the Russian River crested at 35 feet at Guerneville, forcing residents to evacuate. The Napa River crested at 30 feet, exceeding the riverbanks, and flooding parts of the town of Napa. According to a National Weather Service report issued on Jan. 2, all rivers had begun to recede, and further increases in water levels were not expected for the next week.