Powerful Gusts Prompt Power Shutoffs In SF: 1,213 Affected

San Francisco CA

19 January, 2021

2:00 PM

Description

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Howling, "damaging" winds swept through the San Francisco Bay Area Monday evening, pressing into Tuesday morning. The strong wind event prompted PG&E to initiate Public Safety Power Shutoffs for more than 1,213 customers in the city. Gusts of up to 54 mph were reported in San Francisco Tuesday morning, with the strongest gusts reaching 90 mph in the nearby Mayacamas Mountains. Winds rattled windows at homes across the Bay Area, with some residents reporting on social media it was some of the strongest winds they'd experienced in the area. "Warm, dry weather will continue through Monday, along with gusty offshore winds in the hills of the San Francisco Bay Area," the weather service said in a statement. "A strong, and much more widespread, offshore wind event is forecast from this evening through Tuesday morning." Temperatures across the region are expected to fall later in the week with slight chances of rain developing by Friday, according to the weather service. The rare winter wind event sparked some brush fires across the area, with one Milpitas fire prompting evacuations in the East Bay Monday night. The fire was reportedly contained to about two acres. Visit PG&E's Public Safety Power Shutoff map for current updates in San Francisco In Oakland and Half Moon Bay, firefighters were seen clearing toppled trees out of roadways. Oakland firefighters warned residents to use caution as they worked to clear multiple trees, utility lines and power lines that were down on Skyline Blvd between Grass Valley Road and Redwood Road. Meanwhile, in Santa Cruz County, around 1,200 were asked to evacuate due to several blazes that sparked because of the wind event, according to multiple reports. READ MORE: Power Outages Sweep NorCal Amid High Wind Warning WIND ADVISORY pic.twitter.com/mAkdBfqM9M— SAN FRANCISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT MEDIA (@SFFDPIO) January 19, 2021 Strong, damaging winds continue to affect portions of the region this morning. Wind gusts exceeded 90 mph in the Mayacamas Mountains in the past 3 hours with gusts of 54 mph currently reported in San Francisco. #CAwx #BayAreaWX #highwinds pic.twitter.com/UimVUrsgVz— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) January 19, 2021 One of the two new wildfire starts in Santa Cruz County this morning visible on the Mt. Bielawski webcam (SW). #CaWx #CaFire pic.twitter.com/DQ0dzeBh9X— NWS Bay Area (@NWSBayArea) January 19, 2021 Bay City News contributed to this report.