Quick Take
The first, and stronger, of two storm systems forecast for the week took out power for more than 4,000 Santa Cruz County residents and closed a few roads on Wednesday.
More than 4,100 Santa Cruz County residents were without power as the first, and stronger, of two storm systems forecast this week rolled into the region Wednesday afternoon.
Pine Flat Road near Meyer Road in Bonny Doon, and Empire Grade near Jamison Creek Road were closed due to downed trees as of 5 p.m. Mount Madonna Road near Casserly Road and Casserly Road near Sanford Drive are also closed due to a downed utility pole.
According to Pacific Gas & Electric spokesperson Stephanie Magallon, the power outages were all storm-related, as strong winds broke utility poles and took down power lines. The largest outages were near Interlaken, affecting nearly 2,000 customers, and Capitola/Soquel, where about 1,400 were without power.
National Weather Service meteorologist Brayden Murdock said that the agency had issued a severe thunderstorm warning, but that it has since expired.
“The main rain band is pushing east, but Monterey and Salinas could be hit within an hour or so,” he said at around 3:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Murdock said that thunderstorms are still possible through Thursday. The chance of thunderstorms rises around midnight Wednesday and again mid-to-late morning Thursday. He said that the storm will exit the area by Thursday afternoon. Another system is headed toward the area on Friday, but Murdock said that it is unlikely to be as strong as Wednesday’s: “There isn’t a really pronounced stormfront like the one we saw today.”
Murdock said that there could be some dangerous waters over the weekend, including big swells, strong waves, and rip currents, but that it is too early to say whether the agency will issue a beach hazards statement.
