11:30 A.M. UPDATE
CURRENT CONDITIONS
Overnight water flow in all creeks remained far below flood warning levels. The flood risk remains low at this time, though rain and wind are expected to continue into the afternoon per the National Weather Service. The City is monitoring the next storm, with more rain forecasted for Saturday and continuing intermittently through next week. Crews are working to address five remaining power outages, with restoration expected by this afternoon for most customers.
City crews worked through the night. City crews from multiple departments were on duty throughout the night to assist the community. Public Works personnel responded to 33 calls concerning downed trees and 22 concerning flooding and storm drains. Utilities personnel responded to 10 reported outages, all due to downed trees or branches. Police officers and fire personnel responded to dozens of calls involving storm-related vehicle collisions, alarms, road closures, and other unsafe conditions. The City’s emergency dispatch center answered more than 300 total calls overnight. The Community Resource Center welcomed seven individuals overnight.
Community Resource Center is open. The Community Resource Center at Rinconada Library will remain open until at least 8 p.m. tonight, if residents need a warm and dry location away from their home to relocate and gather. Visitors can also charge devices, use a laptop, find a hotel, and determine next steps.
Prepare for power outages and be safe out on the roadways. Crews worked around the clock to minimize utility customer impacts and will continue to respond as needed. Please remain patient through today’s storm and future storms forecasted. Prepare for power outages by creating an emergency supply kit, filling your vehicle’s gas tank, and consulting your medical provider concerning any special medical considerations that may arise during an outage. Go here for a complete list of tips and resources for preparing for an outage, and ways to gain real-time information. The City is also reminding the community to be safe while navigating roadways which may still contain standing water or fallen debris, and not to touch downed wires or move fallen branches, which may be entangled with live wires.
STREET CLOSURES IN EFFECT
As power outages continue, remember that street signals may be out as well. Treat dark signalized intersections as four-way stops. One current road closure remains in effect:
REPORTING DAMAGE
For residents whose homes sustained storm-related damage from the January 4 storm, or flood damage from the December 31 storm, please fill out the online form at www.cityofpaloalto.org/reportflooddamage, and City building officials will follow-up. The City has established a process to offer three nights of hotel accommodations at select hotels for those who we confirm have been displaced from their homes as a result of storm-related damage from the January 4 storm or flooding from the December 31 storm. Please use [email protected] to request accommodations.
