Live Updates: Bay Area recovers from devastating Level 3 storm damage, power outages

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Last updated: Tuesday, December 17, 2024 7:45AM GMT
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SAN FRANCISCO (KGO) -- A tornado ripped through a Santa Cruz County neighborhood Saturday, injuring several people, flipping over cars and leaving behind damage.

Cleanup will likely continue for several days in the aftermath of the tornado.

The first-ever tornado warning was issued in San Francisco, and the rare weather occurrence is jolting Bay Area residents.

Read the latest storm updates below.

LIVE: Track rain in San Francisco Bay Area with Live Doppler 7

Bay Area Power Outage Map

Dec 17, 2024, 1:31 AM GMT

More than 2,400 still experiencing outages in Bay Area as PG&E working to restore power

As of 5 p.m. Monday, more than 2,400 PG&E customers remain without electricity in the Bay Area following Saturday's storm, the agency said.

San Francisco
268

East Bay
100

North Bay
810

Peninsula
776

South Bay
542

Total
2,496

You can track outages with the map below.

BAY AREA POWER OUTAGE MAP

ByLena Howland KGO logo
Dec 16, 2024, 8:02 PM GMT

'We heard a crash': North Bay recovering from storm damage, PG&E working to restore power

As more rain continues to dump on the North Bay, Saturday's storm left behind serious damage in one Novato neighborhood.

As more rain continues to dump on the North Bay, Saturday's storm left behind serious damage in one Novato neighborhood.

Pam Flannigan had a front row seat.

"We heard a crash and that was the tree that hit, went down on our neighbors and then when I was looking at that, on the phone with 911, the other tree just toppled over," Flannigan said.

She says trees started coming down around noon on Saturday amid heavy rain and gusty wind.

One tree fell within inches of her neighbor's front door along Fairway Drive near Carnoustie Drive.

Another fell on the Marin Country Club's golf course.

Each brought down power lines, knocking out power across the neighborhood.

"Well it's scary because there are two more trees over there, and the wind was so bad and they were going like this, and I was like 'oh my god' another tree could go, I mean they just uprooted," she said.

Two days later, about 300 customers in this neighborhood are still without power.

"In some cases, the damage is so extensive that it does take some time and in other cases, there are also accessibility issues where we are unable to access the work that we need to do right away because of downed trees," Tamar Sarkissian, a spokesperson for PG&E said.

PG&E says it's been an all-hands-on-deck weekend, dispatching crews to work day and night, even through the storms.

"We understand it is very frustrating when you're out of power especially for extended periods of time, we're out there and we're working to get you turned back on," Sarkissian said.

PG&E says they have four power poles down and multiple crews onsite in that neighborhood.

They added that the rocky terrain they've run into when setting poles is what's been slowing down restoration efforts.

According to the PG&E outage map, power is expected to be restored in that neighborhood by 7 p.m. on Monday.

You can view the ABC7 outage map here.

Dec 16, 2024, 2:58 PM GMT

About 3,500 still experiencing outages in Bay Area as PG&E working to restore power

As of 4:30 a.m. Monday, there are just over 3,500 PG&E customers without power in the Bay Area following Saturday's storm, the agency said.

San Francisco
139

East Bay
60

North Bay
1,799

Peninsula
925

South Bay
617

Total
3,540

You can track outages with the map below.

BAY AREA POWER OUTAGE MAP

ByLena Howland KGO logo
Dec 16, 2024, 3:29 PM GMT

SMART train in North Bay closed Monday after storm damage

Commuters in the North Bay who use the SMART train will need to find a new way to get to work Monday morning as the entire system is shut down.

Commuters in the North Bay who use the SMART train will need to find a new way to get to work Monday morning as the entire system is shut down.

Transit officials say downed trees from this weekend's storm blocked or damaged the tracks in multiple spots.

They have to make repairs and complete testing to prepare for the opening of the new SMART Petaluma North station later this year.

The testing was supposed to happen this weekend with a planned closure, but the weather got in the way.

For riders who end up taking a taxi, Uber, or Lyft because of the closure, SMART says it will reimburse commuters if they save their receipts. If you request it on the SMART website, they'll send money to your Clipper card.

Golden Gate Transit is offering a bus service connecting Somoma and Marin Counties to San Francisco as an alternative.

They will be operating extra buses on Route 101 to accommodate the anticipated increase in ridership.