Gusty winds topple trees in SLO County as Weather Service issues alert
As gusty winds howled through the county Monday afternoon, trees in Cambria’s aging forest took an early hit.
Emergency radio transmissions reported that a tree went in the 1700 block of Downing Street about 2:44 p.m.
A second transmission about 10 minutes later said another tree had gone down across Burton Circle in the 2800 block of Burton Circle.
Fire Chief Justin Vincent said earlier reports that the tree had hit the Downing Street house weren’t fully accurate.
“It was a big tree,” he said about 3:45 p.m. “It fell across the deck, but not into the house.”
By 3:26 p.m., an electrical emergency was reported in the 400 block of Bonita Street in Morro Bay.
The PG&E outage website reported at 4:35 p.m. that five locations in the county had small electrical outages affecting up to 49 households, and another in the Pismo Beach area had the power out at up to 499 households.
Retired PG&E meteorologist John Lindsey posted on Facebook and tweeted about the weather at about noon.
“Hold on to your hats, folks!” he said. “The California coastline is experiencing a steep pressure gradient, leading to moderate gale-force to fresh gale-force (32 to 46 with gusts up to 55 mph) northwesterly winds, and seas expected to reach 13 to 15 feet.
“It’s shaping up to be a wild afternoon, and don’t forget your wetsuit; upwelling is causing the seawater temperature to drop to a chilly 50 degrees Fahrenheit.”
Hold on to your hats, folks!The California coastline is experiencing a steep pressure gradient, leading to moderate gale-force to fresh gale-force (32 to 46 with gusts up to 55 mph) northwesterly winds ️, and seas expected to reach 13 to 15 feet. It's shaping up to be a… pic.twitter.com/P4bUPMS1P0
— John Lindsey (@PGE_John) April 3, 2023
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory Monday, with northwest winds from 15 to 25 mph and gusts up to 40 mph. The advisory urged “extra caution when driving, especially if operating a high-profile vehicle. Secure outdoor objects.”
NWS meteorologist David Gomberg, based in Oxnard, bumped that gust speed up to 50 mph.
He confirmed what longtime county residents know, saying “This is common in April. This is the time for the northwest winds that come in the springtime.”
The Weather Service also issued a frost advisory for inland areas Tuesday morning.
