A powerful California storm has left more than 117,000 San Francisco residents without power this week
, The Associated Press reported.
The storm, caused by a stream of atmospheric moisture called the "Pineapple Express," brought extensive rain, winds, and snow to the state, particularly in the northern areas, this week.
"It’s a two-pronged punch — it’s wind and rain. Once the ground gets saturated and the winds are howling, there’s a bigger chance of trees going down on power lines," National Weather Service forecaster Diana Henderson, in Monterey, told the AP.
A downed 80-foot tree also managed to trap a student on a school playground in Santa Cruz, pinning him by his arm and shoulder until rescue personnel were able to cut him out. He was taken to the hospital, probably with a broken arm, the news agency said.
The Los Angeles Times reported that the city’s downtown area was affected by the power outage, and the storm also caused the cancellation of more than 230 flights, closed some Bay Area Rapid Transit stations, and even flooded highway lanes.
"A swath of heavy rainfall with amounts of 2 to 4 inches by Friday night is likely, with the greatest amounts expected for central and northern parts of
California," the National Weather Service website said. "This is badly needed rainfall for a region suffering from extreme drought. Some of this moisture is expected to make it to the Intermountain West in the form of rain showers and mountain snow showers."
Before the storm hit, Twitter was inundated with (accurate) predictions that the power would go out.
To see the
PG&E Power Outage Map, click here.
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