Mar 21, 2023

PG&E says it's 'prepared for this storm,' after last week's winds left more than 360,000 without power Share this: PUBLISHED: | UPDATED: March 21, 2023 at 6:44 a.m. Consistent downpours and swirling winds graced the National Weather Service forecast in the Bay Area yet again on Tuesday in a storm which could bring more wind damage and power outage issues to the region. After Sunday saw scattered showers and Monday was filled with pockets of blissful sunshine, Tuesday’s conditions could prove to be disruptive through Wednesday morning. “It’s a good idea to stay indoors if at all possible today and wait for the storm to finish before venturing outside,” NWS meteorologist Rick Canepa said. Problem is, the storm was expected to be an all day event, according to Canepa. The heaviest rains were predicted for the morning hours, NWS projections showed, with peak time coming between 7-10 a.m. The rainfall was expected to calm slightly in the late morning and continue at what Canepa called “stationary” levels all the way through to Wednesday morning. In all, San Jose and Oakland were forecast between one-quarter and one-half inch of rain. In San Francisco and Walnut Creek, totals could reach three-quarters of an inch. In the Santa Cruz Mountains, rainfall was expected to clear one-inch and near the two-inch mark. The bulk of those totals were expected before 11 a.m. “(The rain will) just kind of level off a little bit but it’ll still be so close to home here that we have all day rain in the forecast as well as winds,” Canepa said. As we continue to adjust the forecast, we are again expanding the High Wind Warning to include the San Mateo Coast, the Santa Cruz Mtns, and all of Santa Cruz Co. The NWS issued a wind advisory for most of the Bay Area, spanning anywhere south of the Golden Gate and Richmond bridges. Gusts were predicted to near 50 miles per hour in low-lying areas, creating a hazardous environment in which trees could easily collapse and disrupt power lines. “It’s not taking as much wind for trees to fall over since the ground is saturated,” Canepa said. On the coast, Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Cruz County, the advisory was changed into a high wind warning Tuesday morning. Sustained winds of more than 40 mph were expected with gusts nearing 60 mph. Related Articles