Weekend storms could bring more outages, lightning
OAKLAND, Calif. - Downed trees, mudslides and power outages continued around the Bay Area Friday as people prepared for yet another round of storms that will be rolling into the region over the weekend.
Elsewhere in the Bay Area, power crews worked to restore power lines before Saturday's onslaught of more rain and high winds.
In Pacifica, tree limbs tangled with a power line causing an outage in the neighborhood along Hickey Boulevard.
Suzanne Johnson owns Pacifica Playschool and had a room full of preschoolers when the lights went out Friday afternoon.
"I just got through calling all the parents and saying you need to come get your children because we don't have power," said Johnson. Johnson says it is the third time in a week, they've lost power.
"I'm storm fatigued," said Johnson, "I had to close last Friday cause we had no power and Thursday...I'm like again? We've been open since 1959. My grandmother started Pacifica Playschool. I've never had to close for anything."
People may be over the rain, wind, and flooding, but the storms aren't over for us.
High winds could bring higher waves to the coasts with more rain and possible wind gusts up to 50 miles an hour Saturday.
At Pacifica Pier, some people took photos of the high waves crashing onto the sidewalk.
"It's wet. I try and stay on that side of the road so I don't get wet," said Sean Ryan, a Pacifica resident, "The waves, yeah, it's pretty wild out there."
Many residents, tired of the relentless storms, are ready for a break.
"I do landscape construction management, so it's been difficult in that world. We're try to stay afloat literally and hypothetically," said Ryan.
Along California Highway 1 in Pacifica, crews put orange cones along the northbound lanes where fallen debris was waiting to be cleared.
In Orinda, a tree fell over the road and onto a power line on Dos Encinas Road.
"A tree come down on a power line which took power out on the whole street but the line was live so we weren't allowed to walk by. So our kids got stuck in school," said Kylie Gordon, an Orinda resident.
On Friday, Niles Canyon Road finally reopened, a relief for residents. The important road linking Sunol and Fremont had been closed for 11 days after the creek overran its banks and flooded roads and homes.
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"When the creek rose, some cars were pushed in, some people's houses were flooded. We have a lot of damage up there," said Andrew Turnbull, a Sunol resident, "We're glad to have it open."
Officials say while many people are exhausted from the weeks of storms, it is important to stay vigilant because we aren't in the clear yet.
"Turn your headlights on. We get a lot of people who don't do that..there's low visibility during the rain so be mindful of that," said Officer Adib Zeid, a CHP Oakland office spokesman.
With the weeks of storms, area roads, rivers, and hillsides may be in worse condition than before the rain, so Officer Zeid says if possible stay home. If you do need to go out, make sure you plan ahead and don't speed.
"Slow down, give yourself enough following distance," said Officer Zeid, "This is what's causing a lot of the accidents, rushing, not giving yourself enough time."