Palo Alto has been grappling with the aftermath of a fierce overnight storm that knocked down trees and caused power outages throughout the city. According to the City of Palo Alto's official statement, the turbulent weather led to over 100 tree-related issues, leaving the Foothills customers in the dark, with power not expected to be restored until 4 p.m. today. Bravo to city crews, working tirelessly to clear the mess. They've made reopening Baylands, Arastradero, and Foothills Nature Preserves their top priority, although some areas remain without power, affecting facilities like the Foothills Creek monitor rain gauge.
Despite the chaos, no roads have been closed, but residents are urged to exercise caution given the scattered storm-related debris. The city's communiqué emphasized that traffic signals might be down and reminded everyone to treat such intersections as a four-way stop. While some get a little reprieve, with facilities like the Byxbee Park parking lot expected to reopen by noon after tree work concludes, others aren't as lucky, with the Foothills Interpretive Center and Panorama Loop Trail still closed due to the storm's fierce punch, registering winds up to 65 mph according to an X post by the City of Palo Alto. We're not out of the woods yet, as the National Weather Service forecasts more rain through Tuesday, with the risk of lingering high winds and flooding, especially south of Palo Alto along the coast.
Crews responded to over 100 tree issues Sun., several outages. Foothills top wind speed of 65 mph recorded. Nature Preserves reopened. Foothills Interpretive Center, Panorama Loop Trail closed. @NWSBayArea forecast rain to continue. More #paloaltostorm at https://t.co/RU8K7457JN pic.twitter.com/qlyBB600ca
— City of Palo Alto (@cityofpaloalto) February 5, 2024
There's a note of urgency for those in historically flood-prone zones, the city recommends preparing for the possibility of flooding as a precaution, assuredly noting stocked sandbag locations available around town. To stay abreast of rapidly shifting conditions, the city suggests to monitor creek levels and sign up for emergency alerts as well as follow public updates from the Palo Alto Police through Nixle. For power outage notifications and details, residents can sign up for alerts at the provided city utilities website. Community concerns, excluding emergencies which should be directed to 9-1-1, can be reported through Palo Alto 311 or other phone numbers listed on the city’s page.
With colder temperatures on the horizon, it might be time to seek warmth and shelter at countywide warming centers, including those available at Palo Alto Library locations. For more information on creek levels, weather forecasts, emergency preparedness, and the reopening status of city amenities, residents can refer to the online resources provided by the city. Consider this a gentle nudge from your city officials to hunker down, stay warm, and keep informed for a community weathering the storm together.
