Extreme Weather Triggers Bay Area Power Shutdowns Amid Fire, Flood Warnings

BAY AREA, CA — PG&E customers across the North Bay woke up without electricity Thursday morning — with more outages possibly in store across the Bay Area — as utility crews shut off power to some 1,600 homes in a move designed to reduce wildfire risk during a stretch of dangerous fire weather.

PG&E reported that Public Safety Power Shutoffs had affected 900 customers in Napa County, 630 customers in Sonoma County, and 100 customers in Solano County as of 10 a.m. PG&E also reported at 5:38 a.m. that power outages affected 2,500 customers in Napa.

PG&E uses Public Safety Power Shutoffs, known as PSPS events, when weather conditions create an elevated fire threat.

PG&E estimated power restoration in affected portions of Solano, Napa, and Sonoma counties could take until 4 p.m. Thursday.

Another 250 active outages affected about 8,397 customers across the Bay Area this morning.

The outages come as a wave of extreme weather sweeps across the Bay Area.

The National Weather Service issued 'Red Flag' warnings covering parts of the North Bay and East Bay, where forecasters warned that strong winds, hot temperatures, low humidity, and dry vegetation could rapidly fuel wildfires. The warning remains in effect until 9 a.m. Thursday.

Forecasters also issued a Heat Advisory from noon through 11 p.m. Thursday for the East Bay, South Bay, North Bay, and bayshore communities.

Temperatures are expected to climb into the triple digits across inland areas, with Concord and Livermore forecast to reach 105 degrees.

San Jose could see temperatures near 93 degrees, while downtown San Francisco is expected to reach 78 degrees.

Oakland is forecast to hit 84 degrees, and even coastal communities could experience unusually warm temperatures approaching 85 degrees.

At the same time, wind gusts could reach 45 mph in mountainous areas, with isolated gusts exceeding 60 mph at the highest elevations, according to weather officials.

Weather hazards extend beyond wildfire concerns.

The National Weather Service also issued a Coastal Flood Advisory and a Beach Hazards Statement as strong onshore winds and high tides impact the region.

The flood advisory remains in effect from 6 p.m. Wednesday through 1 a.m. Saturday in parts of the North Bay and from 7 p.m. Thursday through 1 p.m. Saturday along San Francisco Bay shorelines.

Forecasters warned that high tides could push water levels up to 1.5 feet above ground in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways, creating localized flooding concerns through the weekend.

Customers can check whether their address is affected through PG&E's website.

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