Several storms moving through the North State this weekend into next week are expected to deliver significant rain in the valley, foothills and mountains below 5,500 feet.
PG&E spokesman Paul Moreno told NSPR that the company is prepared to respond quickly to any power outages that might occur.
“The good news is the winds won’t be too high so we’re not expecting too many power outages in this situation,” Moreno said. “Nonetheless we do have crews ready and on standby.”
However, even with winds mostly expected to be moderate across the region, Moreno said they could still cause issues.
“One situation we need to be aware of is the potential for some localized flooding, and if soils do get saturated even light winds can push over trees that have weak root balls and if those do fall on power lines that could, of course, cause power outages,” he said.
Additionally, possible thunderstorms in the valley could cause rivers and streams to rise suddenly, causing localized flooding.
The National Weather Service estimates rainfall of one inch or more in the valley and foothills.
Moreno reminds people to keep their cell phones charged, and have flashlights and battery powered lanterns on hand.