Late-winter storm batters San Francisco with hail, thunder, heavy rain, disrupting commutes

A late‑winter storm on Feb. 17–18 drenched the Bay Area with heavy rain, thunder and pockets of hail that produced scattered flooding and commuter disruptions, and a lightning strike in Santa Rosa knocked out power to an elementary school campus, the Sonoma County Office of Education said.

Multiple coastal and flood advisories were in effect as spring tides combined with storm surge, producing minor high‑tide flooding around San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay; CBS San Francisco reported a flood advisory in place until 1 p.m. Tuesday for most Bay Area counties and Santa Cruz County, while national CBS coverage listed the coastal flood advisory through 3 p.m. Tuesday and NWS Monterey described it as in effect until “Tuesday afternoon.” Wind gusts across the region were reported at 15–30 mph in lower elevations with stronger gusts of 40–60 mph over higher peaks, according to NWS San Francisco data cited by CBS San Francisco.

The system was the second in a series of Northern California storms moving through the region, and forecasters warned of continued impacts. NWS San Francisco forecast that conditions “will stay unsettled into the weekend, with another round of rain and wind likely, and the coldest nights expected late Thursday into Friday morning,” CBS San Francisco reported.

The storm was part of a statewide pattern that prompted more severe warnings elsewhere in California. Forecasters said the western slope of the Sierra Nevada, northern Shasta County, including portions of Interstate 5, and parts of the Coast Range could see “up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) of snow” before the system moved through late Wednesday, and the Associated Press noted chains were required on vehicles for drivers navigating the Sierra Nevada. The AP also reported flash‑flood warnings affecting millions in Los Angeles County and evacuation warnings for burn‑scarred areas at risk of mud and debris flows.

On roadways, the California Department of Transportation reported traffic on Interstate 80 near the Nevada state line was temporarily halted in both directions because of spinouts and crashes. The AP also reported a large tree toppled onto U.S.‑101 in Santa Barbara County, shutting southbound lanes. Locally, CBS San Francisco and other outlets described moderate to locally heavy rain causing minor flooding in low spots and along hillsides where small dirt and rock slides were possible.

The Sonoma County Office of Education said “a lightning strike in Santa Rosa closed an elementary school after it hit a power pole, knocking out power to the campus.” In Southern California, Realtor Kashawna McInerny in Wrightwood described ongoing fallout from recent storms: “she was still dealing with several tons of rock and debris on her property from Christmas and New Year's storms … got help trenching part of her side yard to direct stormwater down the street and placed a barrier of metal and wood by a door in hopes of keeping out mud and debris.”

National Weather Service meteorologist Jacob Spender “urged people to take precautions in the coming days, advising them to pack winter safety kits, especially if they plan to travel,” the AP reported. With travel conditions expected to remain hazardous in the mountains and another round of rain and wind forecast for the coming days, officials and transit agencies in the Bay Area and across the state said they would continue to monitor conditions and respond to outages, flooding and road closures.