The National Weather Service predicts hazardous weather conditions in Oakland beginning on Wednesday 1/31. The City of Oakland is closely monitoring the forecast and preparing for potential impacts from the heavy rains and high winds, including the possibility of flooding, shallow landslides, downed trees and powerlines, debris on roadways, and power outages.
In anticipation of this severe weather, the City is activating two emergency locations for anyone needing shelter from the storm.
- Jack London Square Aquatic Center - 115 Embarcadero
- East Oakland Sports Center - 9161 Edes Ave
Both locations will open at noon on Wednesday, 1/31 and close at 10am on Thursday, 2/1.
These locations will provide food, drinking water, shelter space, and warmth. Families may stay together while sheltering. Pets can be accommodated off-site by Oakland Animal Services for the duration of the shelter hours. Visitors are welcome to bring a bag of critical personal items, and additional belongings may be accommodated only as space allows.
If you are looking for housing or services, please call 2-1-1.
# # #
All Oakland residents are encouraged to take the precautions below:
• Travel with care. NEVER drive into standing water.
• Report infrastructure emergencies (downed trees, flooding, traffic light outages) by dialing 3-1-1 or (510) 615-5566 (available 24/7)
• Report non-emergency issues online at http://oaklandca.gov/services/oak311 or through the OAK311 app.
• For downed power lines, call 9-1-1 and then PGE at 1-800-743-5000
• Rake leaves and debris away from storm drains and sidewalk gutters (check our website to learn how to Adopt-A-Drain)
• Place sandbags in areas likely to flood. Oakland residents can get up to ten free sandbags and plastic sheeting at 7101 Edgewater Drive from 8am-4pm seven days a week, or at 5921 Shepherd Canyon Road from 7am-3:30pm on weekdays only.
• Sign-up for AC alert to receive emergency text messages and/or emails at www.acalert.org.
More information about the resources above, and general winter readiness information is available here: https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/winter-storms
Winder Storm Tips
Every year, Oakland prepares for winter storms. Oakland Public Works (OPW) and the City of Oakland Department of Transportation (OakDOT) crews have been making advance preparations to help mitigate weather impacts and enable crews to respond as effectively as possible to any requests for services. City crews are in the process of:
- Cleaning storm drains, inlets, culverts and drainage structures
- Laying down plastic tarp and sandbags in areas that have seen previous mudslides or flooding
- Coordinating planning efforts with other agencies in the region
Volunteer with Adopt-a-Drain to Help Minimize Flooding
Residents and businesses can help minimize flooding in their neighborhood by volunteering with the City’s Adopt-A-Drain program to keep a storm drain near their home or business free of debris. About 1,665 storm drains are currently adopted by Oaklanders, but many thousands more are waiting to be adopted. By signing up, you will receive storm notification emails before large storm events, and the City can lend volunteers rakes, brooms, dust pans, bags and other supplies. Remember: “Clear the drain before the rain.” To sign up, visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/services/sign-up-for-adopt-a-drain or call (510) 238-7630.
Additional Preparedness Tips for Residents and Businesses
Simple preparation steps taken now can go a long way toward lessening the impact of weather-related and other emergencies. Members of the public should review their emergency plans and prepare their families, homes, and vehicles. Here are some suggested actions:
- Clear your gutters and downspouts; ensure downspouts are working and pointing away from your house
- Keep your curbs and sidewalk gutters clear of leaves and debris (and please dispose of them in your green bins – do not sweep them into the gutter)
- Check that backflow prevention devices on sewer laterals/cleanouts are functioning properly – or consult a plumber to have one installed.
- Trim trees on your property to help them handle wind and rain; call a certified arborist to inspect your trees if you observe unusual leaning or dead branches
- Check your local hardware store for flood prevention tools and techniques such as using sandbags to divert water away from your property or prevent it from coming in through doors and basement windows
- Review your property insurance; if you don’t have flood insurance, consider getting it now – it takes 30 days to take effect
- Review emergency procedures and evacuation plans at your children’s schools
- Make sure you have emergency supplies to last for at least three days, including enough water, food, medicine and other supplies for family members and pets
In the event of flood conditions, please be careful and safe by avoiding walking, riding or driving across standing water.
Emergency Sandbags and Plastic Sheeting
When heavy rains are forecast, Public Works will provide emergency sandbags (up to 10) and plastic sheeting (up to 20 feet) to Oakland residents and business owners while supplies last, to help divert runoff away from buildings and to help prevent flooding and mudslides. Bring your ID to prove residency. Be prepared to fill your own if needed. Locations and hours are provided below:
Municipal Service Center, 7101 Edgewater Drive
Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Saturday & Sunday, 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Drainage Services Facility, 5921 Shepherd Canyon Road
Monday – Friday, 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
How to Report Flood-Related or Storm-Related Problems
Please keep these numbers handy for emergencies, and share them with neighbors:
For storm-related emergency issues on public property and in the public right-of-way (such as flooding, mudslides, landslides, and manholes overflowing onto streets and sidewalks), contact OAK 311. Dial 311 from any phone within Oakland or call 510-615-5566.
For non-emergencies, OAK 311 can also be contacted in other ways:
Email: OAK311@oaklandca.gov
Online: http://311.oaklandca.gov/
Mobile App: https://seeclickfix.com/us-ca-oakland or OAK 311 or OAK 311, available in the App Store for Apple devices and Google Play for Androids
For downed power lines or if you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately and then call 9-1-1 or PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
For power outage alerts go online to pge.com/outage alerts.
For water service emergencies (e.g., no water service, broken hydrants, broken water main pipes), contact EBMUD at 1-866-403-2683.
For life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1 from a land line or (510) 777-3211 from a cell phone.
For non-emergency community resource referrals, call 211 anytime or text 898211 Monday through Friday between 9am and 4pm for assistance.
Stay up to Date on Emergencies and Public Safety
The public is encouraged to subscribe to AC Alert to receive emails and text messages. The system allows subscribers to provide up to five locations, such as a school, home, work and an elder dependent’s address. That way, subscribers will receive updates when an emergency alert impacts one of their self-identified locations.
AC Alert is a unified emergency notification system for Alameda County residents, businesses and visitors. Subscription is free, and all residents and business owners are strongly encouraged to sign up. For more information about this system and to find out how to participate, please visit www.acalert.org.
For more information on winter storm preparedness, visit https://www.oaklandca.gov/topics/winter-storms