Part of downed power pole sits suspended in the air by numerous powerlines after a severe California storm. Courtesy photo 

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, CA (MPG) – The National Weather Service released an advisory on Tuesday warning Northern California residents of southerly winds with gusts up to 45 miles per hour from 10 p.m. Nov. 4 to 4 p.m. Nov. 5.

The weather service said 55 mile per hour gusts can be expected in the Delta, with the advisory covering the Carquinez Strait and Delta, Sacramento Valley and Northeast Foothills.

Loosely secured or unsecured objects could be blown around and the weather service advises that those objects be secured.

Cities included in the effected area are Marysville, Yuba City, Redding, Oroville, Chico, Sacramento, Red Bluff, Fairfield, Suisun and Paradise, according to the National Weather Service.

“Winds this strong can make driving difficult, especially for high profile vehicles,” the weather advisory said. “Use extra caution.”

Tree limbs could possibly fall down and power outages could occur, according to the weather service.

A fallen tree is pictured after a severe weather event in California. Courtesy photo

Pacific Gas and Electric (PG&E) advises customers never to touch downed powerlines. PG&E released an advisory also warning customers of possible power outages due to downed power lines from the incoming storm on Wednesday. The company advises customers to keep a battery-powered flashlight and radio within easy reach stocked with fresh batteries.

Utility customers with standby electric generators are advised to ensure that their systems are properly installed by a licensed technician and portable generators should be used in a properly vented area.

Due to a fire risk, PG&E advises customers not to use candles and instead use flashlights. If candles must be used, customers are advised to keep them away from drapes or other flammable household items.

Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) advises customers to keep a “storm kit,” consisting of a portable cell phone with a charger, flashlight, fresh drinking water, extra batteries of multiple sizes, a manual can opener and a battery-operated radio.

To learn more from the National Weather Service, visit www.weather.gov/sto/

SMUD customers can report outages at myaccount.smud.org/manage/outage/guestoutagereport. To learn more about SMUD’s storm safety tips and view the outage center, visit smud.org/In-Our-Community/Safety-Tips/Storm-safety.

For PG&E customers, outage information can be obtained at pge.com/outages or by calling 1-800-743-5002. Customers are also encouraged to log in and keep their contact information updated on the company’s website at pge.com. More PG&E storm safety tips can be found at pge.com/stormsafety.

Utility customers should assume any downed powerline is energized and extremely dangerous. At no time should any customer or unqualified person attempt to touch or move the downed powerline. The proper utility provider for the respective area should be contacted after dialing 911 when faced with a downed powerline.

Various fallen trees were cut into smaller logs after a severe weather event in California. Courtesy photo