Bay Area prepares for weekend of high winds, rain as storm approaches

PACIFICA, Calif. (KGO) -- Following the intense weather several weeks ago, this weekend's storm is set to be the first to hit the Bay Area since before Thanksgiving.

On Friday, PG&E officials say they spent the day preparing.

"We have our emergency operation center open at this time. We're staffing it 24/7 to make sure that any outage or emergency that comes up, we're aware and we're able to get crews out at the drop of a hat," said PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian.

Sarkissian says although we're expecting measurable rainfall, it's the incoming storm's strong winds that could cause power outages.

TIMELINE: Stronger storm coming to Bay Area Saturday

"The winds can break branches, it can throw debris through the air, it can damage our equipment. Otherwise healthy trees can be uprooted," she said.

At the local fire station in Pacifica, Fire Inspector Clyde Preston tells us the department is encouraging people to prepare for the storm now -- everything from charging electronic devices to making sure you have things like flashlights ready to go.

But Preston says it's not just about getting the inside ready, the fire inspector taking time to show us examples of areas like gutters and drain pipes, all of which he says people should clean out of before the storm hits.

"What we don't want to have happen is, we don't want people out there during a storm on a ladder trying to clear out gutters," Preston said.

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The expected stormy weather isn't a turn-off for everyone though.

We talked with several surfers on the beach in Pacifica and all of them told us it's good for the waves.

That includes Thomas Corcoran and his friends. The group tells us they're new to the sport, but felt the choppy waves were a great way to learn quickly.

"You're getting pummeled all the time. Pretty much getting hit by waves, getting out to shore and then swimming back," Corcoran said.

In the North Bay, homeowners and first responders are bracing for the storm, which could bring strong winds and heavy rain. Many are still cleaning up from the last storm, which brought flooding.

MORE: Big cleanup underway in North Bay after flooding mess from atmospheric river: 'Heartbreaking'

Olia Pospelova showed us all the cleaning and disinfecting that's been done at the Surrey Resort in Guerneville. A pre-Thanksgiving storm flooded the place with several feet of water. Now, a new storm is approaching.

"We are ready now. We did all the prep just in case," Pospelova said.

Many items are in storage or moved outside with all eyes on the Russian River.

"So, we hope there will be no flood no flooding inside. We are ready. It won't be a surprise like last time," she said.

Angela Roman lives on Old River Road. Her family is ready for the storm with a new tank of propane for cooking in case the power goes out.

MORE: 2 die in storm flooding-related incidents in Sonoma County, officials say

"Everything is saturated, so I'm concerned about trees falling on our house and the river getting high. That's what we're concerned about," Roman said.

"We're expecting significant rainfall across the region," said Sonoma County Fire District Division Chief Cyndi Foreman.

Foreman says flooding is possible from local creeks, the same flooding parts of the county saw with the November storm, which left many cars and parking lots submerged.

"And the rain really doesn't have anywhere to go. It's not soaking into the ground. We're going to see more runoff and landslides, so much water that's going to come off the hills," Foreman said.

Strong winds could topple trees and the coast, rough seas. Last month, eight people died in in three separate boating accidents in Bodega Bay.