California Storm: Powerful winds sweep San Francisco, forcing officials to close parks and issue urgent warnings, while travelers on I-80 brace for treacherous blizzard-like conditions ahead.
Make no mistake: California stands in the crosshairs of a dangerous weather system. With winds already reaching a formidable 60 mph and conditions set to intensify overnight, residents must prepare immediately. The situation grows even more critical as a second storm follows directly behind, creating a potentially deadly one-two punch that demands your attention and action now.
URGENT “Now-Cast”: Prepare immediately for dangerous conditions hitting the Bay Area late tonight through Wednesday morning. High wind warnings must not be ignored—coastal gusts reaching a destructive 70 mph and inland areas facing powerful 55 mph blasts. San Francisco and Oakland residents should secure loose items before midnight, when the most severe winds strike until 4 a.m. Wednesday. The threat extends beyond wind—waterspouts and potential tornadoes pose additional serious risks that demand your attention and preparation now.
- Live storm tracker: See where rain is hitting California and the Bay Area
- Flood risk map: See which neighborhoods near you are danger zones
Latest updates:
California Storm: When the S.F. Bay Area sees peak impacts
Urgent attention, Bay Area residents: The sophisticated high-resolution rapid refresh weather model has identified a critical window of danger approaching. Hazardous winds will commence at midnight, escalating dramatically between 1 a.m. and 3 a.m. This isn’t just any storm system – we’re facing the threat of multiple low-topped thunderstorm supercells with the power to generate devastating waterspouts, tornadoes, and destructive straight-line winds. You must prepare immediately for these potentially life-threatening conditions.
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California Storm Weather service reports first 60 mph wind in Big Sur and Point Reyes
Just as the storm slammed into the coastline, the weather service confirmed what residents had feared: powerful 60 mph winds were now battering two vulnerable locations — Point Reyes and the southern edge of Big Sur — with potentially more severe conditions to follow.
California Storm: Stay updated during storms
Bay Area residents can receive weather notifications in multiple ways:
- The National Weather Service’s Bay Area office provides information online, including on Facebook, X, and YouTube. Local agencies, like the San Francisco Department of Emergency Management, also give storm safety tips.
- Local TV and radio stations routinely share official weather service watches and warnings.
- Wireless emergency alerts and weather apps can provide notifications directly to mobile phones.
- NOAA Weather Radio
Inflowing SFO flights are postponed by hours
Wind conditions have crippled San Francisco International Airport’s operations tonight, forcing inbound travelers to endure delays exceeding two hours as of 6:10 p.m. The situation is serious enough that the FAA has enacted a ground delay program until midnight, affecting every single contiguous U.S. flight destined for SFO.
Even those attempting to leave aren’t escaping the disruption—Flight Aware confirms departures are lagging by an average of 52 minutes. Travelers should immediately check their flight status and prepare for significant schedule adjustments.
California Storm Satellite image shows the impending storm Nebula
Brace yourselves: The weather service has detected “horizontal cloud sheets” in satellite imagery south of the Bay Area—a clear harbinger of what’s coming.
These telltale formations confirm what meteorologists have been warning about: the first of multiple intense storm systems is now approaching. Residents should prepare immediately for the significant winds and weather impacts that will strike the region repeatedly through Friday.
Bay Area winds would hit 75 mph tonight
The calm before the storm literally broke Tuesday evening as breezes picked up across the Bay Area. While San Francisco remained relatively peaceful with gentle 5-15 mph winds, Mount Umunhum told a different story, with gusts already hitting a whopping 50 mph by late afternoon.
Hang onto your hats—coastal and mountain areas will feel nature’s force first, but San Francisco and Oakland residents should brace for a midnight wind party with powerful 40-60 mph gusts. The coast will take an even bigger beating, potentially seeing 75 mph blasts, while Mount Tamalpais and Point Reyes might experience the truly rare and frightening spectacle of 100 mph winds.
California Storm Winds are already touching 25 mph in the North Bay
Powerful winds are intensifying across the region right now. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Weather Service has confirmed 25 mph winds sweeping through the North Bay and dramatic 54 mph gusts pounding Big Sur. For More Articles Like That
Coastal residents should prepare immediately for even stronger conditions, with wind speeds potentially reaching up to 60 mph overnight. While Christmas Eve morning offers a temporary calm, this is merely a pause before winds surge again that evening and throughout Christmas Day, making weather preparations essential.
Limitations Are Setting the Platform For Tornadoes
Heads up, Californians! A perfect storm of rare atmospheric conditions is brewing along your coastline, potentially spinning up waterspouts and tornadoes from Tuesday night through Friday. This uncommonly long risk period has meteorologists on alert—while your specific neighborhood faces minimal danger, climate scientists warn that some unlucky spot could witness nature’s spinning fury. Curious about what’s driving this unusual weather pattern?
Click through for the complete tornado risk forecast.
PG&E promises urgent answer to power outages during storm
As PG&E crews scrambled to prepare San Francisco staging areas for an incoming severe storm, they faced a frustrating twist of timing – the new threat loomed just as they’d finally restored power to the last customers hit by Saturday’s massive outage that had left nearly 130,000 residents and businesses in the dark.
We know it’s been a tough go here in San Francisco the last few days,’ admitted PG&E Vice President Aaron Johnson in a candid video on X. ‘Thank you for your patience. We got the power back on. Unfortunately, Mother Nature may have other ideas here going forward.’
Johnson assures residents that the utility company is fully prepared with personnel and equipment strategically positioned to respond the moment outages occur—though you should understand that realistic restoration times can only be determined after thorough damage assessment. In Santa Rosa, PG&E isn’t waiting for disaster to strike.
Regional Senior Manager Tony Walls emphasized through the company’s social channels that crews are actively preparing for what could be a devastating weather event, with destructive winds and a staggering 8 inches of rainfall expected. For More Details
For your safety, remember this critical advice: if you encounter a downed power line, call 911 immediately and stay well away from the hazard. PG&E wants you to know they’ve implemented an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ emergency response protocol, with resources already positioned throughout the region to restore your power as quickly and safely as humanly possible.
California Storm Marin Fire Division warns of 20-foot waves
For your safety, heed this critical warning from Marin County Fire Department: Stay away from beaches and flooded roads, and avoid driving entirely during the severe weather emergency hitting our region. Dangerous 65 mph winds and towering 20-foot coastal waves will create life-threatening conditions from Tuesday through Friday. Your decision to stay home could save your life.
California Storm Weather Service remains under-resourced amid storms
At the very moment Californians needed them most, National Weather Service offices stood dangerously understaffed as threatening storms approached. The Trump administration’s reckless decision to terminate early-career meteorologists and push others into early retirement has left critical weather monitoring positions vacant—with some offices unable to maintain the 24-hour operations essential for public safety.
Recognizing this imminent threat, Senators Padilla and Schiff took decisive action Monday, demanding an immediate reversal of these irresponsible cuts. Citing compelling Chronicle reporting, the California Senators warned that these diminished services aren’t merely inconvenient—they represent “unnecessary risks to California lives and property” and severely undermine the state’s ability to prepare for and respond to potentially catastrophic weather events. The administration must act now before these staffing shortages lead to preventable tragedy.
