Bay Area cleaning up from weekend storms
The Bay Area is picking up the pieces after this past weekend's storms. Downed trees caused a variety of problems from power outages to property damage.
In Oakland, a large tree fell across part of Skyline Boulevard. Crews managed to cut it up, so the roadway could re-open. In Berkeley, the owner of a Toyota Prius is without wheels, after a giant branch toppled onto their car. It took crews several hours to clear a large that fell on Gill Port Lane and Land Arkell Road.
In Vallejo, wind knocked a large eucalyptus tree down at Burnham and Baxter Street yesterday. It fell onto a pickup truck and took three power poles with it. About 2,400 PG&E customers lost power in that area, but it has since been restored.
PHOTOS: Storm moves into Bay Area
A tree in Foster City forced some people from their homes late Sunday night. The tree partially fell onto the Tradewind apartments on Polynesia Drive around 10:15 p.m. Firefighters decided it was best to evacuate residents from the top floor as a pre-caution.
In Santa Clara County, crews have cleared away a large branch that closed part of Highway 9. The branch brought down power lines, which, in turn, fell onto a car. PG&E cut the electricity to the lines and everyone got out of the vehicle safely.
In San Francisco there was a mad dash to get people out of the way after strong winds knocked styrofoam construction blocks off the roof of the Renoir Hotel last night at McAllister and Market. One person went to the hospital with minor injuries.
The mix of wind and rain can be an issue when it comes to power. In Antioch, the Save Mart supermarket on East 18th Street lost power for a while last night. Workers escorted shoppers to the door, after the store went dark. They also covered open display cases with plastic tarps, to keep perishable items like dairy products and some frozen foods cold.
Marin County residents will learn how much water has collected in local reservoirs. The last report showed Marin County reservoirs at 97 percent of capacity -- thanks to heavy rains in December. The reservoirs are normally about 81 percent full at this time of year. Now despite robust numbers, the marin municipal water district still urges residents and business owners to keep conserving.
The storm is also bringing some much needed snow to the Sierra, and that's causing some delays for drivers. If you're heading to or from South Lake Tahoe, chains are required between Twin Bridges and Meyers. There are no chain restrictions on I-80 for passenger vehicles. Forecasters expect another 14 inches of snow in the mountains from this storm. The area picked up between 10 and 15 inches on Friday. California gets a big chunk of its drinking water from the Sierra snowpack.
California's insurance commissioner is urging people to check their insurance and do a home inventory. Most policies don't cover flooding, but will cover damage from falling trees or wind. For more information on what may be covered, click here.
To check out the latest power outage numbers from PG&E, click here.
