PG&E Readies Resources, Crews Ahead of Storm Bringing Heavy Rain and Wind to Northern and Central California

OAKLAND, Calif., Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ahead of the winter storms expected to impact much of Pacific Gas and Electric Company's (PG&E) service area this week, the company has positioned crews and resources across its service area to support the safe and swift response to restore any storm-related damage and restore power that may result from the forecasted heavy rain and strong winds.

PG&E Meteorology Storm Forecast

PG&E's in-house meteorologists forecast that the storm, which arrived yesterday, Monday, Feb. 3, will move southward through Tuesday bringing 40 to 55-plus mph winds along the North Coast, higher Bay Area elevations and the North Valley. The first wave of the storm could deliver 50-60 mph winds on the Peninsula and Central Coast along with several inches of rain and heavy snow above 6,000 feet elevation. After a brief pause Wednesday, a second storm will arrive Thursday and is expected to deliver wind, rain and high-elevation snow through Friday.

The National Weather Service has issued advisories, watches, and warnings throughout portions of PG&E's service area; these can be viewed on the PG&E Weather Map.

PG&E Storm Preparations

Using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, PG&E's Meteorology Team has developed a Storm Outage Prediction Model that incorporates real-time weather forecasts, historical data and system knowledge to predict where and when storm impacts will be most severe. This model enables the company to pre-stage crews, power poles, powerlines, transformers and other electric equipment across PG&E's service area as storms approach to enable rapid response to outages. 

"The safety of our hometowns remains our absolute most important responsibility. We know that storm-related outages can be disruptive for our customers, so to support the safe and quick response to any outages that may occur, we have crews and resources prepositioned," said Peter Kenny, PG&E Senior Vice President, Electric Operations.

PG&E is urging its customers to take the necessary steps to be prepared and stay safe throughout the winter.

Keeping Customers Informed

If an outage does occur, PG&E customers can find real-time updates via the online outage center, including status updates the assessments, repair and estimated time of restoration.

Renters and others without a PG&E account may also use this portal to sign up for outage notifications by text, email, or phone.

Daily updates around storm response and restoration will be available on PG&E Currents.

Storm Safety Tips

As PG&E follows its plan to prepare for the storm, customers are urged to prepare their families as well.

• Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals  away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002.
• Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on powerlines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area.
• Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights and not candles, due to the risk of fire. And keep extra batteries on hand. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals and small children. Do not leave candles unattended.
• Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running.
• Have fresh drinking water and ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer to prevent food spoilage.
• Secure your outside furniture: Strong winds can blow lawn chairs and other outdoor items into powerlines.
• Turn off appliances: 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.
• Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 8-1-1 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked.

Other tips can be found at: Safety and Preparedness, Storm Safety, and Safety Action Center.

About PG&E

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is a combined natural gas and electric utility serving more than 16 million people across 70,000 square miles in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and http://www.pge.com/about/newsroom/.

SOURCE Pacific Gas and Electric Company