Storm Brings Heavy Rain to Central California
On Wednesday, a powerful winter storm delivered intense rainfall across Central California, leading to street flooding in several Clovis neighborhoods during the holiday period.
"We don't get snow but I guess we're just going to get a lot of rain," said Clovis resident Craig.
City Preparation Efforts
According to Clovis Utilities Manager Rob Rush, municipal crews had been preparing for the heavy rainfall in advance.
"We've been running our maximum number of street sweepers, trying to clear leaves. We are in the heavy leaf drop season," Rush explained.
By Wednesday morning, the city had already received approximately 100 service calls related to the storm conditions.
"We had 20 crews out responding for service, plugged drain inlets," Rush added.
Residents React to Flooding
One of the most affected areas was Richmond Avenue near De Wolf in the Harlan Ranch neighborhood, where residents Tye and Craig expressed surprise at the extent of flooding.
"We woke up, we were going to Starbucks and we got a flood warning and we thought, that's crazy, and this is the first time we come down this street and it looks like this," they shared.
The couple placed warning cones in the street to alert other drivers while awaiting assistance from city crews.
Additional Affected Areas
Other neighborhoods, including areas near Freedom Elementary, also experienced street flooding. Rush advised drivers to exercise caution during the storm.
"It's a good rain event. People need to slow down, be careful and try to avoid those deep water streets," he emphasized.
The city has made sandbags available to residents throughout the week to help mitigate flooding issues.
Rush indicated that city crews expect to remain busy through the evening and into the weekend as the storm continues.
Clovis residents encountering flooded roads are encouraged to contact the city's main service line for assistance.
