PG&E meteorologists warn of winter storms in Northern and Central California

Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu, California after a 2018 storm. AP PHOTO

SAN FRANCISCO— Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) meteorologists are forecasting that the next series of winter storms will impact Northern and Central California today through the weekend.

Forecast models indicate a series of weather systems will move into the state beginning Wednesday, the strongest of which is expected between Friday and Sunday, producing breezy to gusty southerly winds late Friday evening into Saturday in northern Sacramento Valley and along the coast. Colder conditions could bring lower snow levels along the Sierra on Sunday.

“As the next winter storm approaches our service area, we want to remind Californians that this wet and windy weather can create hazardous conditions, particularly on the roads. We encourage our customers to drive safely and also have a personal or family preparedness plan in place in case of an emergency,” said PG&E senior meteorologist Evan Duffey.

PG&E’s meteorology team has developed a Storm Outage Prediction Model that incorporates real-time weather forecasts, historic data and system knowledge to accurately show where and when storm impacts will be most severe. This model enables the company to pre-stage crews and equipment as storms approach to enable rapid response to outages.

Safety reminders

• If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep yourself and others away. If you see damaged power lines or electrical equipment, call 911 immediately and then notify PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
• If a power line falls across a car that you’re in, stay in the car. If you must get out of the car due to a fire or other immediate life-threatening situation, do your best to jump clear of the car and land on both feet. Be sure that no part of your body is touching the car when your feet touch the ground.
• During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lampshades and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
• Don’t use grills or other outdoor appliances or equipment indoors for space heating or cooking, as these devices may omit carbon monoxide. Customers with generators should make sure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to crews working on power lines. Operate your generator outside. Never operate it inside a building or garage.
• 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. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal.
• Check and restock your emergency kits with flashlights, batteries, bottled water, non-perishable foods, medicines, etc. Also, ensure a portable, battery-operated radio, TV or NOAA radio is on hand.
• If you are driving and encounter emergency vehicles with activated lights and sirens, remember to move over, it’s the law in California.

Outage information

For more information about outages and ways to prepare and stay safe during the storm, please visitwww.pge.com/stormsafety.

If outages occur, customers can find details and information on restoration by:

• Clicking onto www.pge.com/outages and signing up for outage alerts via text, email or phone
• Following PG&E on social media for updates

o    PG&E on Twitter: www.twitter.com/PGE4Me

o    PG&E on Facebook: www.facebook.com/pacificgasandelectric

• Calling PG&E’s outage information line at 1-800-743-5002.