Trees toppled, power lines down as summer storm hits Fresno. Dry lightning in forecast
.jpg "A PG&E crew works on a power line after a tree fell at Maroa and Holland avenues in Fresno, California, on Wednesday, July 22, 2022.")
A summer storm moved into the central San Joaquin Valley on Wednesday morning, bringing with it strong winds and (possibly severe) thunderstorms.
The National Weather Service on Wednesday morning shared video of lightning strikes as the storm approached the area. The Clovis Police Department reported several traffic signals were out and trees and branches were down throughout the city.
Drivers were urged to use caution.
PG&E reported multiple outages and California Highway Patrol reported a downed power line on Highway 168 Wednesday morning.
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Boats broke free of their moorings at the Kaweah Lake marina and were propelled by wind against the dam.
The bulk of the “isolated severe microbursts” were expected to start mid-afternoon “continuing into the late evening” and last through Thursday, though with less severity.
“The primary concern with these storms will continue to be gusty erratic winds and lightning,” the Weather Service wrote in its forecast discussion on Wednesday.
Dry thunderstorms have little or no surface rain and are particularly dangerous in areas with dry vegetation that can cause wildfires.
The storms are expected to clear by the weekend and the area can expect temperatures 10 degrees above average for late June — likely 100 degrees or higher in the bulk of the San Joaquin Valley by Saturday and lasting through Monday. Temperatures in Fresno could reach 105 degrees on Sunday.
This story was originally published June 22, 2022 at 9:44 AM.