Wind Storm Expected, Power Outages Possible

PG&E has started to prepare for strong winds expected to hit the Bay Area over the next two days that could cause fallen trees, downed power lines and road closures.

The high-wind warning for the Bay Area will be in effect from 7 a.m. on Wednesday until 6 p.m. Thursday, as a dry weather system moves through the region, according to weather service forecaster Duane Dykema.

"It's not really what most people would consider a 'storm,'" Dykema said this morning. "It's going to be really blustery almost everywhere."

The forecast calls for blustery conditions, which means that, at higher elevations, residents can anticipate gusts of 60 to 70 miles per hour; and gusts of 40 to 45 miles per hour can be anticipated in lower-lying areas.

If the wind storm produces the 60-mile-per-hour gusts predicted by weather forecasts, residents can expect some power outages, warned PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian on Tuesday.

Sarkissian said PG&E spends more than $180 million annually to inspect more than 130,000 miles of power lines in its service area from Eureka to Bakersfield, to make sure they are safe.

Although the utility focuses in particular on trimming unhealthy tree limbs that overhang power lines, it also monitors healthy limbs that pose a threat, she said.

Of the power outages in PG&E's service area, 13 percent are caused by tree limbs that fall onto power lines. Of those, 90 percent are caused by healthy tree branches, she said.

CalFire engineer John Peery added that people should always assume the power lines are live, and therefore dangerous. The smart thing to do is call 911 and wait for an expert to check it out. If a power line falls on your car, stay inside and call 911. Wait for help, the firefighter advised.

Monitor power outages on this PG&E website, assuming you have web access during the blackout. Customers reporting power outages can call PG&E at 800-743-5002.

Additional reporting by Bay City News