Publication Date February 9, 2017 | The Mercury News

Bay Area storm: “Pineapple Express” brings heavy rain, strong winds

United States
Mud and rocks hit the rear of a home on Van Tassel Lane in Orinda, Calif., resulting in the county red-tagging the home, deeming it unsafe to be in the home on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017. Photo: Laura A. Oda, Bay Area News Group
Mud and rocks hit the rear of a home on Van Tassel Lane in Orinda, Calif., resulting in the county red-tagging the home, deeming it unsafe to be in the home on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2017. Photo: Laura A. Oda, Bay Area News Group

Continuing this winter’s wet rampage as one of the wettest so far in California history, another wave of storms soaked the Bay Area on Thursday, sending trees crashing, cancelling flights and airports and snarling traffic.

A construction worker who was helping clear a mudslide on Highway 17 near Scotts Valley was killed when he was hit by a dump truck, and another worker was injured and taken to the hospital, the California Highway Patrol said.

The “Pineapple Express” storm hit locations in the North Bay first. By 2 pm, Mount Tamalpais in Marin County had received 3 inches of rain, while Mill Valley, where a tree crashed through a house on Morning Sun Avenue, received 1 inch.  Half of Marin County’s public schools were closed Thursday.