Heavy winds wreak havoc across Bay Area
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Canopy topples at a South San Francisco Valero gas station. Photo: Josh Edleson/AFP via Getty Images
Heavy winds wreaked havoc in San Francisco and across the Bay Area Wednesday evening, leaving tens of thousands without power and killing at least one person, a young child.
Why it matters: The storm is just one in a series of atmospheric river storms to hit the Golden State, with multiple subsequent disturbances set to spin up across the North Pacific in the coming weeks, Axios' Andrew Freedman writes.
- Its epic-looking satellite imagery resulted from an atmospheric river associated with a bomb cyclone.
Catch up quick: Much of Wednesday was calm in San Francisco. But at a press conference just after 5 pm, the city’s director of the Department of Emergency Management Mary Ellen Carol declared: "The storm we’ve been waiting for is here."
- Wind gusts downed trees across the city, blocking major roadways and forcing Muni buses to find new routes.
- Around 6pm, SFFD reported rescuing a family from their car after a tree fell on it near the Civic Center.
- In South San Francisco, a Valero gas station's canopy completely collapsed.
- Wind gusts near SFO reached 60 mph around 9 pm, while a weather station in Marin County clocked one gust of just over 100 mph.
Meanwhile, in the Sonoma County town of Occidental, a young child (1-2 years of age) died Wednesday after a redwood tree fell onto a home at around 5 pm.
By the numbers: Nearly 100,000 homes and businesses across the Bay Area were without power as of Wednesday evening, PG&E said.
- Yes, but: Only around 6,500 in San Francisco were affected, including people in the Mission.
- 24-hour rain totals as of 5 am Thursday morning were .99 inches in San Francisco, far below the New Year's Eve storm that brought over 5 inches.
Of note: While several Bay Area school districts are shut down today, SFUSD told parents Wednesday evening that its classes would remain in session.
What we're watching: How much damage last night's storm caused and where things will go from here.
- The National Weather Service said this morning that rain showers will continue for the first half of the day, followed by a break until early Friday.
- Then, they write, subsequent weather systems will likely bring more rain and wind this weekend and beyond.