San Francisco Bay Shoreline, San Francisco Peninsula Coast, Santa Cruz Mountains and Santa Clara Valley Together with San Jose are the main target of an up to date climate alert for robust thunderstorms issued at 2:24 p.m. on Wednesday by the Nationwide Climate Service. The alert is in impact till 3 p.m.
The storms might deliver pea-sized hail (0.25 inches).
“At 2:24 p.m., Doppler radar tracked a line of strong thunderstorms extending from over El Granada to 21 miles west of Boulder Creek, or extending from 6 miles southwest of Millbrae to 27 miles west of Santa Cruz, moving northeast at 45 mph,” in response to the NWS San Francisco CA. “Gusty winds could knock down tree limbs and blow around unsecured objects. Minor damage to outdoor objects is possible.”
Areas impacted by the alert embrace San Jose, Fremont, Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, San Mateo, Redwood Metropolis, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Cupertino, Menlo Park, Foster Metropolis, Los Altos, Burlingame, San Carlos, East Palo Alto, Belmont, Half Moon Bay, Hillsborough, Los Altos Hills and Atherton.
In keeping with the NWS, “Monitor the weather situation closely and be alert for threatening weather conditions. Torrential rainfall is also occurring with these storms and may lead to flash flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.”
Getting ready for approaching lightning: Skilled security recommendation
Lightning strikes the USA roughly 25 million instances every year, with the majority of those electrical discharges occurring in the course of the summer season months. Tragically, lightning claims the lives of about 20 people yearly, as reported by the NWS. The danger of lightning-related incidents escalates as thunderstorms draw close to, reaching its peak when the storm immediately looms overhead. Nonetheless, it steadily recedes because the tempest strikes away.
To make sure your security throughout a thunderstorm, think about the next suggestions:
Lightning security plan:
When venturing open air, it’s very important to ascertain a transparent plan for in search of shelter in case of lightning.
Keep vigilant by monitoring the sky for ominous indicators and listening for the telltale sound of thunder. If thunder is audible, it’s a transparent indication of close by lightning.
Search a protected place to shelter, ideally indoors.
Indoors security measures:
When you’re indoors, keep away from utilizing corded telephones, electrical units, plumbing fixtures, and steer clear of home windows and doorways.
These precautions assist scale back the chance {of electrical} surges, as lightning can comply with conductive pathways.
Await the all-clear:
After the final lightning strike or thunderclap, wait at the least half-hour earlier than resuming outside actions.
Lightning can strike even when a storm has seemingly handed, so train warning.
When indoor shelter isn’t accessible:
If you end up open air with no entry to indoor shelter throughout a thunderstorm, take these steps to maximise your security:
Keep away from open fields, hilltops, or ridge crests, which expose you to better lightning threat.
Avoid tall, remoted bushes and different outstanding objects. In wooded areas, keep near decrease stands of bushes.
In the event you’re in a gaggle, be certain that people are spaced out to forestall lightning present from transferring between folks.
Tenting in an open setting throughout a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged. If no different exists, arrange camp in a valley, ravine, or different low-lying areas. Keep in mind that a tent gives no safety towards lightning.
Don’t strategy water our bodies, moist objects, or steel objects. Whereas water and steel don’t entice lightning, they conduct electrical energy successfully and may pose vital dangers.
In abstract, when dealing with the specter of lightning, preparedness and vigilance are your greatest allies. By following these pointers, you’ll be able to considerably scale back the chance of lightning-related incidents and prioritize your security.
Wet roadways forward: Important security ideas for heavy rain
When heavy rain strikes, security is paramount. Equip your self with these pointers from the NWS to navigate moist roads and keep away from hazards:
Watch out for fast water move:
Throughout heavy rain, keep away from parking or strolling close to culverts or drainage ditches, the place swift-moving water can pose a severe threat.
Preserve protected driving distances:
The 2-second rule for following distance is your ally in heavy rain. Lengthen it to 4 seconds to make sure protected spacing in adversarial situations.
Decelerate and drive with care:
On moist roads, slowing down is paramount. Step by step ease off the accelerator and keep away from abrupt braking to forestall skidding.
Select your lane properly:
Follow the center lanes on multi-lane roads to attenuate the chance of hydroplaning, as water tends to build up in outer lanes.
Prioritize visibility
Flip in your headlights and watch out of different automobiles to the rear and in blind spot areas as they’re particularly troublesome to see by way of rain-spattered home windows.
Be careful for slippery roads:
The preliminary half-hour of rain is when roads are slickest because of a mix of rain, grime, and oil. Train heightened warning throughout this era.
Hold a protected distance from giant automobiles:
Giant vehicles and buses can scale back your visibility with tire spray. Keep away from tailgating and go them swiftly and safely.
Thoughts your windshield wipers:
Overloaded wiper blades can hinder visibility. If rain severely impairs your imaginative and prescient, pull over and look forward to situations to enhance. Search refuge at relaxation areas or sheltered spots.
If the roadside is your solely choice, pull off so far as potential, ideally previous the tip of a guard rail, and wait till the storm passes. Hold your headlights on and activate emergency flashers to alert different drivers of your place.
Within the face of heavy rain, these precautions could make a big distinction in guaranteeing your security on the street. Bear in mind to remain knowledgeable about climate situations and heed steerage from native authorities for a safe journey.
Initially Revealed: March 12, 2025 at 2:25 PM PDT
