Plus: Neo-Nazis were spotted in San Francisco this weekend during… ummm… a pro-life demonstration.
Much like last year, 2024 is already off to a wet start. (In case you need a reminder, it was almost exactly this time in 2023 when record-breaking storms turned roadways into still-standing lakes, and people, like yours truly, began adopting San Francisco storm drains and maintained them through the downpours.) The San Francisco Bay Area has already seen two spats of unusually wet weather in January… with this most recent atmospheric river dumping inches of rain in parts of the region; Mount Tamapalis might see as much as 5” of precipitation before all is said and done.
Rain is solid tonight. Will the Nicasio Reservoir spillover two years in a row? pic.twitter.com/XrAor5YflI
— The West Marin Feed (@WestMarinFeed) January 22, 2024
We’ve received so much rain over these past few weeks that a familiar event once again occurred: The Nicasio Reservoir in Marin County reaching capacity… and overflowing.
“Last year it was Jan 5, this year it was Jan 22,” reads a post on X authored by [at]WestMarinFeed with an attached video of the reservoir overflowing into a nearby creek. “After a solid night of rain, we get two years in a row of overflow.”
Last year it was Jan 5, this year it was Jan 22. After a solid night of rain, we get two years in a row of overflow 🌧️🌧️🌧️ pic.twitter.com/dUrCl9KNsE
— The West Marin Feed (@WestMarinFeed) January 22, 2024
Before 2023 and 2024, it had been years — close to a decade — since the Marin County reservoirs, which collects more than 75% of its water from rainfall that occurs on the Mt. Tamalpais Watershed, had their levies opened up after it reached holding capacity. Collectively, Marin County’s seven reservoirs hold nearly 80,000 acre-feet of water and, as of publishing, nearly all are above 99% capacity; the historical average for this time of year is around 81%, for context.
After years punctuated by hellacious droughts and damning wildfires, having what will perhaps prove to be another welcoming wet year is quite all right in our book.
What else transpired over the weekend? Let’s take a look.
- A group of pro-lifers descended on SF City Hall Sunday… Neo-Nazis in tow. Thousands attend the 20th annual Walk for Life — an event that’s gained traction since Roe v. Wade was overturned in June of 2022 — in San Francisco, though the crowd that marched in solidarity with protecting unborn fetuses at the expense of bodily autonomy was joined by Neo-Nazis and members of the far-right conservative fringe groups; not a good look, if you ask us. More info.
- The 49ers beat the Packers in what was truly a pearl-clutching, nail-biting game. The thunderous winning chants and roars heard across SF sports bars after Saturday night’s 24-21 victory now means SF will host the Detroit Lions for the NFC Championship game next week. More info.
- Lol @ San Francisco cutting its hella expensive trash can pilot program. Citing a nearly $730 million budget shortfall, San Francisco has announced that many City programs will either receive far less fiscal support than expected or will outright be cut; SF’s lofty, laughable, mind-boggling trash can program that saw prototypes costing more than Honda Civics installed across the city will cease to exist. More info.
- A mountain lion was spotted cruising near downtown Santa Cruz. It was likely the first urban recording of one in the region this year — a rare sight, considering there are only about 50 or so of these big cats that call Santa Cruz County home. More info.
