Thousands of Northern Californians faced a less-than-festive Christmas morning as powerful winds and a heavy storm swept through the region, leading to widespread power outages. According to KCRA, gusts exceeding 50 mph resulted in nearly 12,600 SMUD customers in areas including Rio Linda, Carmichael, and Rancho Cordova losing electricity. By the day's end, power had been restored to most affected customers.
In Nevada County, more than 12,000 residents lost power, including areas such as Grass Valley and Nevada City, FOX40 reported. PG&E said the unplanned outage, caused by storm conditions, began around 4:40 a.m., and restoration efforts are underway with no clear timeline.
In Placer County, nearly 6,000 PG&E customers lost power. Auburn police reported a fallen tree on East Placer Street caused road closures. PG&E provides real-time updates through its online outage center, and customers can sign up for notifications about causes and restoration estimates.
SMUD encourages anyone who spots downed lines or experiences outages to report them via their website or at 1-888-456-7683. The utility also advises customers to assemble emergency kits and keep important numbers handy. More safety information is available on SMUD’s website.
Californians can access resources to prepare for power outages and emergencies. Ready.gov guides preparation and recovery, while CalAlerts offers statewide emergency notifications. Residents can also use the Caltrans QuickMap app or website to check road conditions during storms.
