Fresno enjoys near-record warmth as looming high winds raise risk of power outages and dust

Amid a near-record warm January day, meteorologists warned Sunday of the increasing likelihood of high winds that will put Sierra foothill and mountain communities at risk for power shutoffs while also raising air-quality issues on the Valley floor.

A high-wind watch issued Saturday was upgraded a day later to a warning by the National Weather Service, meaning conditions went from possible to expected.

Gusts as high as 75 mph are forecast for the Sierra Nevada and up to 65 mph in the northern Fresno County foothills from Monday afternoon into Tuesday morning.

“Damaging northeast wind gusts could down a significant number of trees and lead to power outages,” the Weather Service office in Hanford tweeted. “Please plan for intense, damaging winds.”

PG&E warned for a second straight day of “potential widespread, wind-driven outages” in areas of Fresno County and three other counties in the central San Joaquin Valley if “targeted public safety power shutoffs” are needed in places where dry brush increases the risk of wildfires.

Loose objects should be safely sheltered away and people in affected areas should try to stay clear of trees and power lines.

Winds on the Valley floor will stir up potentially dangerous dust and debris.

“High concentrations of PM10 (particulate matter 10 microns and smaller) may result from windy conditions,” the San Joaquin Valley Air District warned as it issued “a health caution for residents in impacted areas to protect themselves from exposure to wind-blown dust.”

“Exposure to particulate pollution can cause serious health problems, aggravate lung disease, trigger asthma attacks and bronchitis, and increase risk of respiratory infections,” the district noted in a news release.

Valley residents were urged to refrain from using wood-burning devices that would add to air-quality problems.

San Joaquin, Stanislaus, Merced, Madera, Fresno, and Kings counties all are expected to experience some impacts through Tuesday.

Monday update: Where will power outages occur?

PG&E, in an updated announcement Monday, said some 5,465 customers in small portions of Fresno, Kern, Madera, Mariposa and Tulare counties are set to be de-energized for the public safety power shutoff (PSPS) beginning overnight into Tuesday morning.

The number of customers was downgraded from the Sunday estimate of 6,100.

High winds can knock down electrical lines, which, if still powered, can ignite brush and trigger often massive wildfires. PG&E was driven into bankruptcy in early 2019 because of billions of dollars in liabilities from the 2017 wine-country fires and the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and destroyed thousands of homes in Paradise.

PG&E listed these updated numbers on the latest planned PSPS:

• Fresno County: 1,823 customers, 107 Medical Baseline customers

• Kern County: 23 customers, 0 Medical Baseline customers

• Madera County: 288 customers, 20 Medical Baseline customers

• Mariposa County: 2,236 customers, 136 Medical Baseline customers

• Tulare County: 435 customers, 8 Medical Baseline customers

Resource centers to open

PG&E said in a news release early Tuesday that the scheduled preemptive “de-energization was beginning about 1 a.m.

“To support our customers during this PSPS, PG&E will open Community Resource Centers (CRC) from 8:00 a.m. until 9:30 p.m. at the following locations:”

▪ Auberry Library on 33049 Auberry Road, Auberry

▪ Bear Mountain Library on 30733 E Kings Canyon Road, Dunlap

▪ North Fork Elementary School on 33087 Road 228, North Fork

▪ Yosemite High School on 50200 High School Road, Oakhurst

▪ New Life Christian Fellowship on 5089 Cole Road, Mariposa

▪ Grover Beach Community Center on 1230 Trouville Avenue, Grover Beach

▪ First Christian Church on 15550 S College Drive, Santa Maria

“The temporary CRCs will provide ADA-accessible restrooms, hand-washing stations, medical-equipment charging, WiFi; bottled water, grab-and-go bags and non-perishable snacks.”

Fresno basks in near-record January heat

Fresno temperatures continued to range above normal Sunday, a trend that will reverse itself throughout the new week.

The city did not break the record high of 74 degrees for Jan. 17, set in 2014, but it did come close at 70 — about 10 degrees above normal for this time of the year, meteorologist Jim Dudley said.

A high of 69 was reported in Fresno for Monday, just off the record 70-degree mark mostly recently seen in 2014..

Forecasts through Thursday called for highs in the mid- to lower 60s.

Significantly cooler temperatures are in the forecast by Friday, with highs in the mid-50s and a 20% chance of rain into Saturday.

This story was originally published January 17, 2021 at 8:18 PM.