UPDATE: 10 a.m., Wednesday, Nov. 20 

^{Image courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration} 

A powerful storm containing a strong atmospheric river has already begun to impact the northern part of PG&E’s service area. Customers should prepare for adverse weather from this storm through Friday.

Wind gusts of 90 mph were identified at Point Mendocino along the northern Humboldt coast. Strong winds will be present throughout the duration of this storm.

PG&E is prepared with a robust winter storm emergency response. This includes the use of storm outage prediction models that help determine the potential timing, location and number of power outages.

The adverse weather can result in trees, limbs and other debris falling into powerlines, and can cause other damage to electric equipment that may lead to outages. 

PG&E has mobilized crews and resources to respond safely and quickly to storm-related outages. PG&E opened its Emergency Operations Center in Vacaville as well as local and regional emergency centers to support restoration efforts.

PG&E customers can find real-time updates via the online outage center. PG&E’s storm safety tips can be found at:  Safety and Preparedness, Storm Safety and Safety Action Center. 

Tuesday, Nov. 19

Ahead of the first significant storm of the season, PG&E has mobilized crews and resources in key regions to respond to potential storm-related damage and power outages and is opening its Emergency Operations Center in Vacaville to assist in the coordination of storm response and restoration efforts.

According to PG&E Meteorologist Scott Strenfel, an atmospheric river event will arrive today and unfold over the next several days delivering prolonged heavy rain and winds to the North Bay, Sacramento Valley, Sierra, and Bay Area regions. The adverse weather will also impact the southern part of the service area and last through the latter part of Friday. PG&E’s meteorologists are utilizing machine learning outage models to forecast areas of concentrated outages so crews can be pre-positioned to restore power.

“We expect the first strong storm of the season to bring some much-needed relief after months of drought and wildfire conditions. If a power outage occurs, we are ready to safely restore power as quickly as possible to our hometowns and customers,” said Peter Kenny, PG&E senior vice president, Electric Operations. 

The company is using its storm outage prediction models that help determine the potential timing, location, and number of power outages to pre-position storm response resources including, electric crews, troublemen, distribution line technicians, system inspectors who serve as the utility's first responders, along with personnel who will monitor electric incidents for public safety.

PG&E is also prestaging power poles, powerlines, transformers, and other electric equipment at yards throughout its service area to restore power to affected areas safely and as quickly as possible.

Keeping customers informed

If an outage does occur, PG&E customers can find real-time updates via the online outage center, including status updates the assessments, repair and estimated time of restoration.

Renters and others without a PG&E account may also use this portal to sign up for outage notifications by text, email, or phone.

Storm safety tips

As PG&E follows its plan to prepare for the storm, customers are urged to prepare their families as well.

• Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals  away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
• Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on powerlines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
• Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights and not candles, due to the risk of fire. And keep extra batteries on hand. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
• Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running.
• Have fresh drinking water and ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer to prevent food spoilage.
• Secure your outside furniture: Strong winds can blow lawn chairs and other outdoor items into powerlines.
• Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns.
• Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 8-1-1 or visit www.usanorth811.org at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.

Other tips can be found at: Safety and Preparedness, Storm Safety, and Safety Action Center.