FILE PHOTO: PG&E crew work on power lines to repair damage caused by the Camp Fire in Paradise, California, U.S. November 21, 2018.
Due to a strong offshore wind coming this week, Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) has announced a plan to shut off the power supplies in 19 counties.
The Public Safety Power Shutoff (PSPS) is expected to affect at least 250,000 residents all over California, the utility company declared through a press release. Some affected areas include Sierra Foothills, North Valley and some parts of the Bay areas, especially the North Bay.
The wind might sustain a speed up to 25 mph and gust ranging from 30-50 mph. Due to extremely dry vegetation backed with a temperature that is 5 to 15 degrees above average on the PG&E's area of services, fire warning has also been issued.
Customer Notification System
The press release also announced that starting on Monday, November 18, the company will begin notifying affected customers about the potential power shut off through phone, text, and email. The notification will arrive three times -- at 48 hours, 24 hours and just before the actual power shut off so that the customers can prepare.
If in case a customer did not very that they have received the "important safety communications", PG&E employees will visit their house personally.
The press release said that customers who use electric-based life-sustaining equipment will be prioritized by the personal visit.
After the deadliest campfire last year, PG&E has begun implementing PSPS to prevent fire caused by their equipment during high and dry winds conditions.
The company was criticized for this action. California Governor Gavin Newsom even called them "greedy" for prioritizing profits over public safety. The City of San Jose, on the other hand, claimed that the shutoff costs the city at least half of a million dollars and is asking for compensation.
READ: California to Experience Break from High Winds that Worsened Fires
Weather Updates
While California will experience dry weather, the Northeastern part of the United States will experience freezing rain or freezing drizzle this Monday, according to the National Weather Service.
Nine states were given winter weather advisories, including Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.
However, the temperature in New York and Washington, D.C. will not drop below freezing but it will rain, NWS predicted. The weather could last up to Tuesday.
The local weather institute of Burlington issued a warning for icy roads from Monday to Tuesday morning. They advised travelers to drive with extra caution.
CNN meteorologist Allison Chinchar said that it will probably rain in coastal cities like Boston and Providence.
Haley Brink, another meteorologist of CNN, reported that a low-pressure system off the Carolinas created a storm. Then, this storm will move over the Midwest, and send gusts and wintry weather to areas of the Northeast.