Gusts to 73mph Overnight, Power Shutoffs Underway

The sixth power shutoff event of the season, and 5th in two months hit Sonoma County and the North Bay overnight, with power being turned off Wednesday morning to more than 40 thousand customers across the region.

The shutoffs include almost 20 thousand customers, or 60 thousand residents, in Sonoma County.

Overnight and Wednesday morning winds were gusting as high as 73 mph on the top of Mt. St. Helena at 4300 feet, 67 mph on Pine Flat Road at 3300 feet, and 59 mph at Healdsburg Hills North.    Some of the highest winds including on Pine Flat Road were being recorded at mid-morning on Wednesday.

PG&E set in motion the shutoffs as an area of low pressure passed through Northern California and moved south of the region, causing a temporarily steep pressure gradient over the North Bay.  The winds should continue through Wednesday before falling early Thursday.

Rain showers were reported Tuesday night in northern Sonoma County in Healdsburg, Windsor, Guerneville and numerous other locations.  However, as offshore winds continue today, humidity levels are expected to plunge across the North Bay, raising the danger of fire starts.

Power outages were scattered throughout Sonoma County, including the east side of Santa Rosa, and the Sonoma Valley. PG&E said power would be shut off to more than 19 thousand Sonoma County customers, around 13 thousand in Lake County, more than 10 thousand in Napa County, and less than 1000 in Mendocino County.

To see where the power has been shut off, visit this link:

Power Shutoff Map