San Rafael flood forecast
Clear today
Next flood window Fri 9:20–11:20 AM
Now
Today 10:54 PM
Tide
4.7 ft
In short
In San Rafael, roads start to flood when the tide at NOAA's Sausalito station passes about 6.0 ft (MLLW). Next flood: Fri, Oct 23, 9:20–11:20 AM PDT (severe flooding likely), with Bahia Way forecast to flood at the peak.
Next 7 days
Flood windows
Fri
Oct 23
9:20–11:20 AMSeverePeak 6.3 ft · Bahia Way
Sat
Oct 24
9:20 AM–12:25 PMSevereKing tidePeak 6.5 ft · Bahia Way
Sun
Oct 25
9:30 AM–1:40 PMSevereKing tidePeak 6.8 ft · Sonoma St, Dolores St, Du Bois St +39 more
Mon
Oct 26
9:45 AM–2:45 PMSevereKing tidePeak 7.1 ft · Sonoma St, Dolores St, Du Bois St +40 more
Tue
Oct 27
10:10 AM–3:45 PMSevereKing tidePeak 7.2 ft · Sonoma St, Dolores St, Du Bois St +42 more
Wed, Oct
Oct 28
10:40 AM–4:25 PMSevereKing tidePeak 7.2 ft · Sonoma St, Dolores St, Du Bois St +42 more
Tap a day for the street-by-street forecast and a share card. Times are America/Los Angeles time.
Since 1996
San Rafael flood history
Days with roads at risk
1,972
since 1996
Record high water
8.38 ft
Feb 6, 1998
Days a year, then vs now
52 → 80
1996–05 vs 2016–25
Estimates only. Never drive through flood water — six inches can float a car. Follow local authorities.
How this forecast works
FloodRoute combines NOAA tide predictions for the Sausalito station with the elevation of every road segment in San Rafael. When the predicted water level rises above a road's lowest point, it's marked — amber for possible, orange for likely, red for severe. The NOAA San Francisco gauge shows how far the water is actually running above or below the tide tables; that difference is carried into the forecast and fades over the following days. Recent rain raises the next 24 hours. After each high tide, streets stay marked a little longer, because water drains off the road more slowly than the tide falls.
Tide source: NOAA station 9414806 (Sausalito). Updated 10:55 PM.
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FAQ
San Rafael flooding: questions, answered
Which roads flood in San Rafael?
The worst flood forecast in the next 30 days is Wed, Oct 28, 10:40 AM–4:25 PM PDT (severe flooding likely). At its peak, 45 streets are forecast to flood: Sonoma St, Dolores St, Du Bois St, Irwin St, Marian Ct, Novato St, Harbor St, Canal St, Bahia Way, Fairfax St and 35 more streets. The live map shows every street, hour by hour.
When is the next flood in San Rafael?
Fri, Oct 23, 9:20–11:20 AM PDT: severe flooding likely, peaking around 10:24 AM. FloodRoute forecasts 19 more flood windows in the next 30 days. See the street-by-street forecast for that day.
How high does the tide have to be to flood roads in San Rafael?
Roads start to flood when the tide at NOAA's Sausalito station passes about 6.0 ft (MLLW). Higher tides flood more streets, for longer. FloodRoute marks flooding as possible when the water is less than 0.5 ft above a road's low point, likely up to 1.5 ft, and severe at 1.5 ft or more.
When is the next king tide in San Rafael?
Sat, Oct 24 at 10:49 AM PDT: a 5.7 ft high tide predicted at NOAA's Sausalito station. FloodRoute calls a high tide a king tide when it is more than 0.7 ft above the station's mean higher high water (MHHW).
How can I get flood alerts for San Rafael?
The free FloodRoute iPhone app gives you a heads-up before flood windows in your home town; FloodRoute Pro adds street-level alerts for your saved places and your commute. Without the app, subscribe to the San Rafael flood calendar and flood days appear on your calendar automatically.
How accurate is the San Rafael flood forecast?
It's an estimate built from NOAA tide predictions for the Sausalito station, corrected with live readings from the NOAA San Francisco gauge, and the measured elevation of every road segment in San Rafael. Wind, storm surge and blocked drains can change what actually floods. Never drive through flood water.
Marin County