The winner of the 44th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off had the heaviest pumpkin recorded in the history of the San Francisco Bay Area competition.
Joel Holland throws his arms into the air after winning the 44th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Holland's pumpkin weighed in at 2363 pounds. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)
The Orange County Register reports (http://bit.ly/2yd5T5Q ) that a forklift hoisted the giant pumpkin onto a scale and a crowd watched as it was weighed Monday in downtown Half Moon Bay, south of San Francisco. It registered 2,363 pounds (1,070 kilograms) to make it the seventh win for grower Joel Holland.
The giant pumpkin earned the Sumner, Washington, man prize money of $7 per pound.
Joel and Mari Lou Holland, center, of Sumner, Wash., sit on the back of their truck as they wait for the start of the 44th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Holland went on to win the competition with his pumpkin weighing in at 2363 pounds. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)
Cindy Tobeck won the competition last year with a pumpkin weighing 1,910 pounds. Tobeck rode on top of her entry this year as it was brought to the scale, but its 2,002 pounds fell short of Holland's entry.
Cindy Tobek of Olympia, Wash., throws her arms into the air as she stands on her 2002 pound pumpkin at the 44th World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off in Half Moon Bay, Calif., on Monday, Oct. 9, 2017. Tobek finished in second place behind Joel Holland of Sumner, Wash. Holland's pumpkin weighed in at 2363 pounds. (Mark Rightmire/The Orange County Register via AP)
CORTE MADERA, Calif. (AP) — Crews cleared mud from key California highways as forecasters warned Sunday that more thunderstorms were on the way after downpours and high tides caused flooding, road closures and rescues of people trapped in cars.
Five northern counties remained under a flood watch, with up to three inches (7.6 cm) of rain possible through Monday night in areas that have been drenched off and on since around Christmas, said the National Weather Service office in Eureka. At least a foot (.3 meters) of snow was likely in the mountains.
To the south near the San Francisco Bay Area, waters were slowly receding after roadways from Sausalito to San Rafael were flooded during heavy rain that coincided with record-breaking “ King Tides.” Such tides occur when the moon is in its closest position to the Earth, creating a stronger gravitational pull.
Some people kayaked along swamped streets, while others waded through water above their knees. Authorities were called to assist when cars got stuck in water as high as 3 and 4 feet (1.1 and 1.2 meters), Marin County Sheriff’s Sgt. Michael Dobbins said Saturday.
“I’ve been around here for the King Tides and I’ve never seen it this high. Never,” Jeremy Hager of San Rafael told KTVU-TV.
Flooding was reported across Marin, Sonoma, Alameda, San Mateo and San Francisco counties.
While the tides were waning, lingering thunderstorms on Sunday could cause additional problems throughout low-lying areas, forecasters said. “For anyone driving, slow down and allow extra time to reach your destination,” the Bay Area office of the weather service warned on social media.
Farther south in Santa Barbara County, a key highway was reopened Sunday after it was blocked for most of the weekend near Goleta due to a series of mudslides. A man died after he was swept into a creek during the storm, the sheriff’s office said Saturday.
Parts of Santa Barbara County received more than four inches (10 cm) of rain over two days, the weather service said Sunday.
After a mostly dry autumn, California has been hit by a series of powerful winter storms that brought the wettest holiday season to the state in years.
Cars drive on highway 101 flooded by the "King Tides", occurring when the sun, moon and Earth align, causing a stronger gravitational pull Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
People shield themselves from the rain Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, in San Francisco. (Yalonda M. James/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
People paddle through a street flooded by the "King Tides", occurring when the sun, moon and Earth align, causing a stronger gravitational pull Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
Streets are flooded by the "King Tides", occurring when the sun, moon and Earth align, causing a stronger gravitational pull Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, near Corte Madera in Marin County, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)
From front, brothers Connor and Brett Cardinal, and friend Eli Ferrell kayak towards a flooded Mill Valley-Sausalito Path during king tide in Mill Valley, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Stephen Lam /San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
Vehicles drive on a flooded road during a king tide event in Corte Madera, Calif., Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026. (Stephan Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)
