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Here we go again. A low-pressure system from the Gulf of Alaska is forecast to impact the San Francisco Bay Area from Monday through Wednesday, bringing more rain and wind to a region that was battered by a storm less than a week ago. This system is expected to reach peak intensity over the Pacific Ocean off the coast of the California-Oregon border before drifting south along the California coast and passing by the Bay Area. The storm is expected to bring less severe impacts to the region than the last area of low pressure that passed directly over San Francisco, said Rick Canepa, a forecaster with the National Weather Service. The National Weather Service expanded the Monday-Tuesday wind advisory to include the North Bay, East Bay and eastern Santa Clara hills in addition to the coastal areas. The advisory is in effect Monday night through Tuesday afternoon, with peak gusts expected to be up to 40 to 50 mph. Winds are expected to begin developing in the North Bay at … [Read more...] about Another storm is forecast to hit the Bay Area. Here’s what to expect.

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 2 The UC Botanical Garden is reeling from the devastating impacts of last week’s storm that brought hurricane-like winds that destroyed two of its oldest and most iconic trees. Last week’s extreme winds pushed one section of a large coast redwood tree to shear off while another part catapulted onto a bamboo grove and a legendary buckeye tree. Both the buckeye and the Sequoia predate the garden. The costs of clearing out the debris the storms left behind will likely run into the tens of thousands of dollars and may require the garden to get a large crane to a remote area, said Andrew Doran, the garden’s director of collections. “The scene at the moment looks like a tornado came through there,” said Doran. “It really is very bad … branches, debris, wood splinters absolutely everywhere.” Other trees in the garden were damaged in last week’s storm, including one of three large endangered … [Read more...] about UC Botanical Garden devastated after storms destroy multiple 150-year-old trees

The latest round of stormy weather set to slam into Northern California beginning Monday night is expected to bring thunderstorms near coastal regions – and the possibility of tornadoes Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon. Live storm map : See where snow and rain are hitting California and Bay Area San Francisco Chronicle Meteorologist Gerry Díaz said cities and towns along Highway 1 in San Mateo and Santa Cruz counties could see thunderstorms capable of producing small hail and gusts of 35 mph that could form into tornadoes of 100 yards in length, lasting a few minutes. “The areas with the highest risk of seeing brief tornadoes are cities right along Highway 1 in Monterey Bay, including Capitola, Santa Cruz, Aptos and Davenport. Other parts of the coast will also have a brief chance for tornadoes.” The thunderstorms will carry heavy rainfall , as much as an inch of additional rain in the areas where the tornadoes could make landfall. There will also be heavy winds. … [Read more...] about California storms: Tornadoes could hit these cities along Highway 1

California Gov. Gavin Newsom recently announced the state’s most infamous death row will be shuttered, transforming San Quentin State Prison into a “restorative justice facility” over the next few years. The $20 million plan will change the prison's name to the San Quentin Rehabilitation Center, and Newsom said by 2025, a panel of civilian experts, former inmates and crime victims will help advise on the facility's changes. "We want to be the preeminent restorative justice facility in the world — that's the goal," Newsom said March 17. As part of the shift, the more than 500 inmates who currently live on San Quentin’s death row will be moved to various prisons throughout the state. Newsom imposed an indefinite moratorium on the death penalty in 2019; prisoners sentenced to death are not eligible for parole. It’s not yet clear what the timeline is for their moves, but some of California’s most notorious killers will likely be relocated over the next few years: Cary Stayner … [Read more...] about San Quentin’s most infamous death row inmates are being moved

Three people died in separate shootings in Oakland over a three-hour span on Friday evening, police said, and a fourth died early Sunday. The string of deadly shootings -- which police said they believe are not connected -- began just after 7:45 p.m., when police responded to the 7200 block of International Boulevard. Officers found a gunshot victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene by paramedics. Officers found another gunshot victim in the 7000 block of International Boulevard shortly before 8:45 p.m. The victim was also pronounced dead at the scene, police said. Less than two hours after that, police responded to another gunshot victim on the 2400 block of 67th Avenue, just after 10:30 p.m. The Oakland Police Officers’ Association President Barry Donelan said in a statement that officers found the last victim inside a house on the block. Donelan said the victims were two men and a woman. At about 1:15 a.m. Sunday, officers responded to the 700 block of Webster Street … [Read more...] about Four dead in separate Oakland shootings over weekend

This is a carousel. Use Next and Previous buttons to navigate 4 A California appeals court ruled Friday that a $312 million plan to turn Berkeley’s historic People’s Park into housing for about 1,100 students and more than 100 of the homeless people who regularly camp on the 2.8-acre site fails to address environmental concerns surrounding the proposed construction projects. The unanimous ruling by the First District Appellate Court brings the project to a standstill until the University of California can conduct a new environmental study — a temporary victory for neighborhood groups that sought to preserve the park as an open space. Under the university’s proposed plan, more than half of the historic park would remain open to the public. The other half would host a 17-story building that UC Berkeley hopes will house more than 1,100 students. The university provides housing for just 23% of its students, by far the lowest rate in the state … [Read more...] about Court blocks housing for homeless and 1,100 UC Berkeley students at People’s Park

A 55-car train with no passengers derailed in Southern California 's Mojave Desert on Monday morning, officials said. Fire engines and a hazardous materials team responded to the scene, the San Bernardino County Fire Department said on Twitter at 10:21 a.m. An hour later, the agency said that hazmat teams were continuing their work. "No current threat to the area," the agency said. The train, which included two locomotives, was carrying iron ore, officials said. The derailment site was in the Mojave National Preserve near Kelso Depot, a historic railroad site about 160 miles northeast of Los Angeles. The incident is under investigation by Union Pacific. The Associated Press contributed to this story. BEST OF SFGATE Travel | I went to Yosemite National Park for firefall — and almost missed it | This San Francisco-made film helped launch the porn industry Local | What it's like to drive the zipper car on the Golden Gate Bridge | 'Get here … [Read more...] about 55-car train carrying no passengers derails in California

As the weather gets warmer across the U.S., those aquatic fantasies really start to set in. You know the ones. But instead of dreaming about a home near the water, why not consider one actually on the water? There's never been a better time to satisfy your inner seafarer, because we've found five fantastic floating homes on both coasts—ranging from the affordable $345,000 in Florida to an aspirational $2.5 million in swanky Sausalito, CA. Hot tubs, laundry rooms, home theaters, loft bedrooms: You won't believe the fancy features tucked into these upscale homes. Some even have yard-sized decks. And they're all tightly moored and docked in calm marinas, so seasickness is nothing to fear. Even the most committed landlubbers might find themselves attracted to these nautical niceties. It's all about what floats your boat. 2394 Mariner Square Dr Unit B11, Alameda, CA Price: $665,000 Alluring in Alameda: Right across the San Fransisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, you'll find … [Read more...] about Homes Ahoy! These 5 Fabulous Floating Houses Are Pure Magic

The Pacific Crest Trail draws thousands of people from all experience levels annually. Some are thru-hikers hoping to complete the 2,650-mile trek through California, Oregon and Washington (from the Mexican border to Canada), in one journey, while others are weekend backpackers and day hikers taking on smaller sections of the trail. The hikers regularly contend with challenges like hypothermia, heat exhaustion, poisonous plants, lightning, bears and rattlesnakes, along with wildfires and other impacts of climate change . But this year, experts warn, hikers face one of the greatest risks in the trail’s history: the record-setting Sierra Nevada snowpack . "These large snowpacks can be susceptible to fast melt if the weather conditions are right," Andrew Schwartz, lead scientist at the Central Sierra Snow Lab , told SFGATE. "Periods of above-average temperatures, particularly if they're prolonged, can cause significant rises in stream and river flows, which can be dangerous.” … [Read more...] about Why the Pacific Crest Trail will be more dangerous than ever this year

Suburban Republicans on last week continued their opposition to housing legislation, but were out-voted by majority Democrats in a key legislative committee. The GOP members of the legislative Planning and Development Committee first rejected Gov. Ned Lamont's proposed incentives to support affordable housing units Friday, then voted against the panel's legislation aimed at rewarding towns and cities that support transit-oriented development. But with a 13-8 Democratic majority on the panel, the bills head next to the Senate and House of Representatives, respectively. Opposition to the bills, during a three-hour-long meeting that ended the committee's bill-writing for the session, was led by Sen. Ryan Fazio of Greenwich and Rep. Joe Zullo of East Haven, the top Republicans on the panel, along with Sen. Tony Hwang of Fairfield. "We all agree that improving the stock of affordable housing in the state is an important goal," Fazio said of Lamont's proposal, aimed at increasing … [Read more...] about Affordable housing in CT has been a problem. This solution is being discussed.