Rare winter windstorm batters the Bay Area

The rare Bay Area wind event Monday night into Tuesday wreaked havoc on some neighborhoods.

The gnawing sounds from chainsaws filled the air as crews tried to clear a downed 60-foot pine tree toppled by high winds onto Undajon Drive.
 
"It’s currently affecting two cars, the fence line. And actually, it’s taken our part of the PG&E gas line," said Kaitlyn Shelton, an assistant arborist for the City of San Jose.
 
San Jose firefighters said two homes were evacuated while repairs were made to the impacted gas line and a water main.
 
Wind-generated troubles started during the overnight hours.
 
"The South Bay has been the area that was hardest hit during this wind storm here in the Bay Area," said PG&E spokeswoman Tamar Sarkissian.
 
Gusts exceeded 90 miles per hour in some places. Part of a wooden fence was blown down during the windy conditions, allowing for a black Labrador retriever named Shadow to run free. 

The dog's owner, Rhonda Austin, said she "realized when I went to go get him that he wasn’t in the backyard anymore. So he escaped."

 The high winds also took down power lines, leaving thousands of residents in the dark. 
 
"It must have gone out sometime last night, because I woke up in the dark, got ready for work in the dark, and then couldn’t open my garage door," said Barbara Morrison. 
 
By midday Tuesday, part of Rotterdam Lane was still without service.
 
"We really saw a very impactful storm, but we were prepared. We had a plan in place and it’s been all hands on deck to get out there and restore our customers," said Sarkissian.
 
Experts said the normal atmospheric dance of high and low-pressure gradients causes severe winds. But normally, that weather activity is seen in autumn, not winter.
 
"It could be one of those events that happen once every hundred years, and we just happened to be around for it. It also could be yet another sign of a changing climate," said Dr. Alison Bridger, an atmospheric scientist at San Jose State University.
 
She believes the windstorm warrants further study.
 
As wind gusts slowly dissipated throughout the day, a neighbor spotted Shadow and held the 8-year-old pooch until his owner arrived.
 
"She found him and put him in her backyard. And she’s got him. So we’re good," said Austin.
 
It was a bright spot in a day blanketed by wind and its effects.