With a storm poised to start soaking San Francisco starting late Wednesday, the National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for the city and coastal areas of the Peninsula that begins at 10 p.m.
The weather service warned of gusts of up to 60 miles per hour in the city, with sustained winds from the south of up to 35 miles per hour. Higher elevations and the western side of San Francisco could be especially impacted.
The weather service said that “widespread power outages are possible,” as are downed trees, property damage and snapped power lines – with travel potentially “extremely difficult and hazardous, especially for high-profile vehicles.”
The warning is in effect from10 p.m. Wednesday to 10 a.m. Thursday, and an advisory – a step down from a warning – is in place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday.
The high winds are expected around the same time as the main rain event, which will reach peak intensity around the time of the Thursday morning commute, which will be messy.
It’s San Francisco’s first high wind warning since December.
The North Bay Coast and Marin Headlands are also under a high wind warning starting at 10 p.m. Wednesday – gusts could go even higher on exposed ridges. The remainder of the Bay Area will be under a wind advisory overnight, with sustained winds expected of 15 to 25 miles per hour and gusts up to 45 miles per hour. The advisory generally extends until 4 p.m. on Thursday.
This article originally published at San Francisco gets high wind warning as weather closes in.