Strong Winds Cause Power Outages to Over 2,000 in Danville

BAY CITY NEWS

Strong winds blew through the Bay Area Sunday night and early this morning, causing power outages and downing trees in a number of cities.

In Danville, shortly before 8:30 p.m., a tree struck a power line in the Iron Horse Trail area near Hemme and La Serena avenues, knocking out power to about 2,170 customers.

Power was restored to 800 of those customers by 10 p.m., and all had their power back by 8:15 a.m. today, King said.

Gusts on the Altamont Pass were up to 75 mph, while winds at San Francisco and Oakland international airports were up to 50 mph, National Weather Service Forecaster Steve Anderson said.

The California Highway Patrol issued wind advisories for bridges including the Bay Bridge and the Benicia-Martinez Bridge.

A regional wind advisory issued by the National Weather Service was in effect until 3 a.m. today. Gusts have died down significantly since then, to 10-20 mph, Anderson said mid-morning.

It was a chilly morning in the Bay Area, but things are expected to warm up later this week, with temperatures forecast to be in the 60s and 70s, Anderson said.

The San Francisco Public Works Department responded to 16 downed trees 
Sunday evening, department spokeswoman Rachel Gordon said.

The trees fell at spots including at Van Ness Avenue and Pine Street, Fillmore Street and Pacific Avenue, and Brotherhood Way and Lake Merced Boulevard, Gordon said.

In three instances, vehicles were hit but there were no injuries, Gordon said.

The high winds also blew significant amounts of sand onto The Great Highway, which has been closed since shortly before 6 a.m., she said.

Crews are waiting for winds to die down before clearing the roadway, and there is no estimated time for it will reopen, Gordon said.

Power was knocked out on Treasure Island around 7:30 p.m. Sunday, when a tree branch downed a power line, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission spokesman Tyrone Jue said. He said crews were able to make repairs and restore power by 10 p.m.

In San Francisco, power went out to about 5,600 PG&E customers in Nob Hill, Russian Hill and Ghirardelli Square around 10:25 p.m. Sunday after debris knocked down a power line, PG&E spokesman Jason King said.

Crews had power back to all customers by 2:30 a.m. today, King said.

On the Peninsula, a tree fell on a power line around 10:40 p.m., causing an outage that affected 870 customers in Redwood City and Woodside, King said.

A day care center in Redwood City was without power and running on a generator this morning, King said.

Late this morning, there were still 478 customers without power near Alameda De Las Pulgas and Goodwin Avenue in Redwood City. PG&E estimated that those people would have their power back by 12:30 p.m.