PG&E is warning of potential power outages in the Bay Area as a storm moves through the region Thursday through Sunday with persistent rain, heavy wind and even a rare blizzard warning further inland.
Winds are forecast to reach speeds of between 30-40 mph beginning Thursday while rain will intensify into Friday and continue throughout the weekend. Between 1.5-2 inches are forecast for San Francisco.
Dalton Behringer, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the rain will cause moderate soil saturation, but he did not anticipate as significant problems as past storms with tree uprooting.
PG&E is staging crews and equipment in advance of the storm to expedite any repair work that is needed, but the utility warned that residents in remote, elevated areas could face days without power.
Snow is forecast for elevations above 2,000 feet and a few inches are forecast for Mt. Diablo in Contra Costa County.
Road conditions in the Sierra foothills are expected to deteriorate rapidly on Friday as a blizzard warning is in effect from 4 a.m. Thursday to 10 a.m. Sunday. Driving conditions are forecast to be “nearly impossible,” according to the Weather Service. Drivers are urged not to travel in the area. Closures are anticipated on Interstate Highway 80 and U.S. Highway 50.
A high surf advisory from the Weather Service is also in effect for coastal areas from 10 a.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Saturday. Waves between 15-20 feet are forecast from the North Bay down to the Central Coast.
“The west-facing beaches are going to see the worst, so people need to be careful going out there,” said Behringer.
He reminded beachgoers to not turn their back to the water and to be aware that waves can gather and break faster than anticipated during high surf events.
PG&E has an updated outage map and reminded the public to never touch downed wires, use flashlights rather than candles if power goes out in the home, and to have a portable charging device for a cellphone.
Chain controls in effect
Caltrans officials said just before 9 a.m. Thursday that chain controls are in effect on eastbound Interstate Highway 80 from Kingvale to Truckee and westbound from Truckee to Rainbow.
According to Caltrans, eastbound traffic on Highway 80 is being turned away at Kingvale and Drum Forebay in Placer County because of an overturned truck. Trucks are being turned back at Applegate. Caltrans officials said there is no estimated time of reopening.
Forecasters said conditions will begin to deteriorate quickly in the mountains Thursday afternoon, with high winds and heavy snow causing white-out conditions at times.
The weather service said it’s already snowing heavily over the Sierra and isn’t expected to let up for the next three days. Forecasters expect 5 to 10 feet of snow above 5,000 feet and 1 to 4 feet above 3,000 feet.
Snowfall will be heaviest Thursday afternoon and evening and Friday afternoon. Wind gusts in the mountains are expected to reach up to 75 mph.
Forecasters asked drivers to stay off mountain roads, if possible, until the arriving storm is gone on Sunday. To check current road conditions, go to http://quickmap.dot.ca.gov.
Bay City News staff Thomas Hughes and Tony Hicks contributed to this report.