Storm Knocks Down Trees, Power Lines Citywide In Walnut Creek: Police

WALNUT CREEK, CA — The Walnut Creek Police Department reported trees and power lines down citywide Tuesday afternoon as the Bay Area was dealt high winds and rain from an atmospheric river storm.

Some 5,000 PG&E customers were without power Tuesday afternoon in and around Walnut Creek because of high winds in Central Costa County.

Police urged community members to use caution and avoid the roadways if possible.

As of 1:45 p.m., the following roadways were closed:

Eastbound Ygnacio Valley Road at Wiget Lane was closed in all directions due to a tree and power lines down, police said on Twitter.

Huston Road and Camino Verde Circle were closed where a large, 75- to 100-foot tree was down.

Homestead Avenue was blocked from Marshall Drive to Holly Street, due to a downed tree and power lines.

Across the Bay Area, nearly 275,000 customers were without power Tuesday, including 88,621 in the East Bay.

The reason for the escalating outages is rain, accompanied by intense gusts that have led to downed trees and wires in every part of the Bay Area.

Winds of 74 mph have been clocked at San Francisco International Airport; 97 mph at Mount Umunhum in the Santa Cruz Mountains; 93 mph along Mines Road in the East Bay; and 71 mph in the Las Trampas and Oakland hills, PG&E Spokesperson Megan McFarland said.

"Elsewhere, widespread gusts 45-55 mph have been reported and will continue with isolated gusts 65+ mph possible through the Sacramento and northern San Joaquin Valleys, as well as along the Sierra foothills and over elevated terrain," McFarland said.

—Bay City News Service contributed to this report.