Time to prepare is now as after rain and wind
Thursday and Friday, snow could fall as low as 2,000 feet with
several feet of accumulation over 5,000 feet
National Weather Service has issued a Blizzard
Warning encouraging people to avoid travel
OAKLAND,
Calif., Feb. 28, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of a
strong winter storm expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and
low-elevation snow, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E)
crews are readying to respond to expected power outages.
The National Weather Service has issued a rare-for-California
Blizzard Warning, which runs from Thursday to Sunday. A
social-media post from the NWS' Sacramento Office makes the
potential severity quite clear: "Blizzard warning! Driving
conditions will deteriorate rapidly Friday-Saturday AM with
white-out conditions & near-zero visibility from this dangerous
winter storm. AVOID TRAVEL DURING THIS TIME!"
Starting Thursday and continuing through the weekend, the storm
is expected to have the heaviest impact in the Sierra Nevada
foothill and mountain communities between El Dorado and Nevada counties. Other impacted areas include
the North Coast, Peninsula and the Sacramento and San Joaquin Valleys, according
to PG&E meteorologists.
An initial wave of moderate to heavy rain and gusty winds is
expected in the northern part of PG&E's service territory
during the day Thursday, with more widespread rain and gusty
conditions on Friday. Low- and middle-elevation snow impacts are
expected Saturday into Sunday, with several feet of snow above
5,000 feet and six-to-12-inches possible down to 2,000 feet.
In previous winter storms where high accumulations of low snow
have occurred, some customers have experience extended outages as
our crews often have difficulty accessing more remote locations in
higher terrain due to roads blocked by trees, debris and snow.
PG&E is pre-staging crews and materials and is prepared to use
helicopters, snow cats and four-wheel drive to gain access to hard
hit areas; however, customers in remote areas should prepare for
extended outages given the unique circumstances of this storm.
The utility also has been communicating with cities and counties
to share preparation and plans.
Storm Safety Tips
Just as PG&E follows its plan to prepare for and respond to
a storm, customers are urged to prepare their families and
neighbors as well. Here are some storm safety tips:
- 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 811express.com at least two full business days
before digging to have all underground utilities safely
marked.
Faster Online Outage Info
If an outage does occur, PG&E's online outage
center has been updated and improved based on customer
feedback. Significant changes include:
- Faster loading times to find important outage information.
- An Outage Status Tracker so customers can get status updates on
the assessment and repair of their outage.
- More local information on the extent of outages around a
customer's home and business
- More information on how to prepare ahead of outages, what
causes outages and how PG&E prioritizes restoration work.
PG&E will let customers know the cause of an outage, when
crews are on their way, the estimated restoration time and when
power has been restored.
If receiving an outage text, customers can reply "status" to
learn the latest information on the outage without visiting the
outage page.
Other tips can be found at: Safety and Preparedness, Storm
Safety, and Safety Action Center.
About PG&E
Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a
subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined
natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million
people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information,
visit pge.com and pge.com/news
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SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company