SAN FRANCISCO — PG&E customers may find themselves sitting in the dark once again. The utility company said weather conditions could lead to power shutoffs for about 21,000 customers in the Sierra Foothills through the weekend and into Monday because of potential dangerous weather conditions.
PG&E officials said customers in Butte, Plumas and Yuba Counties are expected to be impacted by power shutoffs. Officials do not know the strength or the timing of the weather system. Customers in the Bay Area and southern locations of PG&E's coverage should not be imapcted.
"PG&E meteorology is closely tracking the potential for dry northerly winds to develop Saturday afternoon/evening and continue Sunday and possibly Monday across Northern California," PG&E said in a statement on their website Wednesday.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a fire weather warning for Saturday, Sept. 26 at 11 a.m. to Monday, Sept. 28 at 8 a.m..
"Hot temps along with the potential for gusty winds could introduce the opportunity for critical fire weather this weekend for parts of the Sacramento Valley," said ABC10 meteorologist Tracy Humphrey.
According to the fire weather watch, winds could reach 10 to 20 miles per hour with gusts up at 30 miles per hour. The daytime humidity could get as low as 10-20 percent. California has already seen more than 8,000 wildfires scorch 5,600 square miles this year.
PG&E said fire danger remains seasonably high. The utility also said according to the National Interagency Fire Center, wildland fire potential outlook favors above-normal large wildland fire potential for most of Northern California for September and October followed by normal large fire potential for November and December.
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