Strong Winds Topple Trees, Cuts Power To Thousands
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) -- A windy, wet night has left Bay Area roadways littered with fallen trees and debris, while thousands were left without power.
The National Weather Service issued a high-wind advisory Monday, and it will remain in effect until 8 p.m.
Gusts reaching 45 mph are expected in parts of the Bay Area, and motorists are advised to drive cautiously.
Overnight gusts exceeding 30 mph brought down trees and branches in some San Francisco neighborhoods, San Francisco Department of Public Works spokeswoman Rachel Gordon said.
Reports of fallen trees started coming in around 3 a.m., she said.
In the 700 block of Guerrero Street, a 30-foot tree fell onto cars, damaging several vehicles, but no injuries were reported, Gordon said. Another vehicle was damaged by fallen tree debris at 14th and Sanchez streets, she said.
Additionally, a massive, roughly 80-foot tree fell overnight near 48th Avenue and Point Lobos, according to Gordon.
In other neighborhoods including the Sunset District, Lake Merced area, Mission District, ColeValley, and Western Addition, crews were working this morning to clear debris, she said.
Heavy Morning Winds Wreak Havoc In SF
n West San Jose, a large tree was toppled across Forest Ridge Dr. near Lawrence Expressway.
With 75 mph gusts along Ocean Beach overnight, the Great Highway was shut down around 3:30 a.m. between Lincoln Way and Sloat Boulevard. Sand was being blown onto the roadway, creating hazardous driving conditions, Gordon said.
She did not have an estimate for when the roadway would reopen.
According to weather officials, wind gusts peaked at 62 mph along the Point Reyes coast in Marin County; 60 mph at San Francisco International Airport; 54 mph at Mount Diablo in Contra Costa County; and 52 mph in the Cupertino area.
PG&E crews were working to restore power to thousands of Bay Area customers Monday ho lost electricity because of the strong winds , a utility spokesman said.
Roughly 5,970 customers from the North Bay to San Jose remained without power as of 9:30 a.m., PG&E spokesman Jason King said. As many as 20,000 lost power at some point overnight, he said.
The hardest-hit communities were on the Peninsula, where crews were working to restore power to roughly 3,900 homes and businesses, King said.
About 220 customers remained without power Monday morning in San Francisco, where as many as 4,600 lost service overnight, he said.
In the North Bay, 930 customers were still in the dark, and power was out for around 250 customers in the East Bay, according to PG&E.
In the South Bay, about 590 customers remained without power Monday morning, King said.
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