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Bay Area preparing for the storm
An atmospheric river is expected to bring high winds and rain to the North Bay.
MARIN COUNTY, California - Many people who were promised a big weather event only to see a storm lose strength or veer off, are well advised to take it all more seriously as the climate warms.
Big picture view:
It's the classic prelude to most major approaching storms. On the surface, a partially gray but lovely, docile early autumn day. But what lurks is an atmospheric river that will bring high winds and rain.
Up on the mountainside, the unparalleled view of an international icon and world-class city.
"This is like the quiet before the storm. I'm pretty sure things will get pretty rough, you know, a lot of wind and rain and stuff. So, everybody needs to be prepared," said Amandeep Dhillon of Hayward, who came to gaze at the Golden Gate Bridge and city.
PG&E Prepares:
Pacific Gas & Electric is as ready as it can be and taking no chances if it turns out that the storm's bark is worse than its bite.
"It's the wind that really impacts our equipment the most, and we are definitely expecting gusty winds. So our team is prepared. We actually have more than 2,600 crew members ready to respond," said PG&E spokesperson Tamar Sarkissian.
Don't get caught off guard:
Former FEMA Disaster Manager Mark Neveu says regular folks can easily be caught off guard when windblown items start flying around.
"Certainly it's gonna be dark. You know, your picnic table rolls over, your umbrella rolls over. Something happens, your outdoor table, you go out to fix it or even worse, you try and crawl on your roof. That creates injuries for people. They can't see. They're limited in their ability to do what they're doing. Number one, because of the light, number two, they shouldn't be up there because we've got high winds," said Neveau.
High winds can render critical rescue equipment unusable.
"Makes it difficult for rescue helicopters, and that's either air ambulance, firefighting helicopters, when wind gusts sustain at anywhere from 35 to 40 miles an hour," said Neveau.
Wave watching not advised:
Finally, a warning to wave-watching "lookie loos" from a man who surfs big waves.
"Stay away from the water. You know, look from a distance. Never turn your back on the ocean and, yeah, just be aware and alert of your surroundings and make sure that you don't get close enough to where the ocean can sweep you in," said Jaykob Milstein.
As climate change intensifies, there will be fewer false alarms.
Timeline: Atmospheric river approaches Bay Area
An atmospheric river is headed for the Bay Area, bringing heavy rainfall and strong winds beginning late Wednesday and lasting through early Friday. The storm system is expected to deepen as it slides down the West Coast.