December 15th 2024.
After a turbulent day of heavy winds and a rare tornado touchdown in Scotts Valley, the aftermath is still being dealt with by dedicated crews. The priority is to restore power to the thousands affected, reopen roads, and repair any damages caused by the storm.
In an update released on Sunday, the Scotts Valley Police Department shared that all roads have been reopened and power has been fully restored thanks to the tireless efforts of the crews who worked through the night. Despite the chaos and destruction brought on by the tornado, there were no fatalities reported. However, five people did sustain injuries, three of whom were taken to a medical facility for treatment. One person remains in the hospital for continued care, according to the press release.
"We want to take a moment to express our gratitude to the community for their patience, understanding, and cooperation during this challenging and impactful situation," read the press release. "We understand that the disruption caused by the storm was significant, and we are grateful for your support throughout the process. The collaborative effort from everyone involved showcases the strength and resilience of this community and those who serve it."
The tornado, which was given an Enhanced Fujita Scale of 1 (the second lowest level), caused a path of destruction along Mount Hermon Road and around the Scotts Valley Shopping Center for approximately five minutes. The National Weather Service reported that the twister likely produced wind gusts of around 90 miles per hour.
For the first time in history, a tornado warning was issued for San Francisco at 5:54 a.m. on Saturday morning. Thankfully, the warning was cancelled after about 20 minutes. The National Weather Service stated that California typically experiences an average of 11 tornados per year, mostly during the spring and fall in the northern half of the Central Valley.
The storm also brought pounding rain and strong winds across the region. In Belmont and Livermore, flooding closed roads for several hours and thousands of people were left without power due to downed powerlines. As of Sunday afternoon, PG&E was working to restore power to over 4,000 customers in Marin County, nearly 3,000 customers in San Mateo County, and thousands more in Santa Cruz, Santa Clara, San Francisco, and the East Bay.
The severe weather also caused traffic delays in Walnut Creek, with services on the BART temporarily being cut between the Coliseum and Oakland Airport stations. The National Weather Service also issued a minor coastal flood warning for areas surrounding the San Francisco and San Pablo bays, which will remain in effect until Monday afternoon.
Thankfully, the forecast for the beginning of the week looks calmer, with light rain and temperatures in the mid-50s expected for much of the Bay Area. "We won't be seeing anything like what we experienced over the weekend," stated National Weather Service Meteorologist Nicole Sarment. "There may be some winds of up to 30 miles per hour near the coast, but nothing compared to what we saw during the storm."
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