Fire crews, swift water rescue teams and other first responders have been moving into place throughout the state in preparation for the storms.
Still reeling from last year’s onslaught of wind and rain, communities along the California coast are bracing for a one-two punch of hefty storms that are forecast to begin Wednesday and last through to early next week.
Federal, county and municipal officials have taken to social media to warn residents of the potential for flooding and power outages, while Gov. Gavin Newsom activated California’s Emergency Operations Center Tuesday afternoon.
Fire crews, swift water rescue teams and other first responders have been moving into place throughout the state in preparation of the storms, said Brian Ferguson, spokesman for the state’s Office of Emergency Operations Services.
“The state is working around the clock with our local partners to deploy life-saving equipment and resources statewide,” Newsom said. “With more storms on the horizon, we’ll continue to mobilize every available resource to protect Californians.”
Ferguson said the first storm was expected to wallop the northern part of the state beginning Wednesday. The second one, which is forecast to arrive a few days later, is anticipated to strike further south, potentially wreaking havoc in Southern California.
“The first one is windy and colder,” Ferguson said. Gusts could top 60-70 mph and officials urged people to brace for widespread power outages. Officials were predicting anywhere from 6 to 8 inches of rain in some areas of the Santa Cruz Mountains — with the potential for downpours of 2 inches per hour.
State officials are already working with utilities to get crews dispatched quickly when power goes down, Ferguson said.
The second storm system is “the one we’re more concerned about,” he said. It is warmer — allowing it to pack more water — and is expected to hit with particular ferocity in Southern California.
