Residents Urged To Brace for Winter Storms

From the County of Santa Cruz: The County of Santa Cruz is urging residents to brace for a powerful winter storm expected to impact the region this weekend.

National Weather Service models suggest more than a foot of rain could fall on parts of Santa Cruz County on Saturday and Sunday, with mountainous areas being most susceptible to storm impacts. Lower but significant rainfall totals are expected elsewhere in the county. Santa Cruz County public works and emergency officials will monitor rainfall, roads and stream levels throughout the weekend.

“Residents should prepare themselves and their families for what is likely to be a significant amount of rain over the weekend,” Santa Cruz County Emergency Manager Rosemary Anderson said. “That includes checking gutters and storm drains and make sure they are clear of debris, securing flashlights, batteries, radios, sandbags and anything else you might need ahead of time.”

Motorists should expect wet roadways, drive with extreme caution and plan extra time for travel. Due to the likelihood of mudslides and falling trees, residents are also advised to avoid wooded areas such as heavily forested parks. The County maintains several storm resources for residents:

• Storm Preparedness website: http://santacruzcounty.us/StormPreparedness.aspx.
• County Office of Emergency Services at http://www.santacruzcounty.us/OES.
• Sandbag pickup locations: http://www.santacruzcounty.us/sandbags.
• Current road closures (County roads only): http://www.sccroadclosure.org.

In addition, residents may look up current PG&E power outages at http://www.pge.com/outages, or call their 24-hour hotline at 800-743-5002.

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