PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The Latest on a ‘bomb cyclone’ forecast for northern California and southern Oregon (all times local):
7:25 p.m.
Utility officials say they are working to restore power to thousands of customers in southern Oregon and northern California because of high winds at the coast and heavy snow in the mountains.
Pacific Power officials said Tuesday evening that more than 15,000 customers were without power as of Tuesday afternoon with Del Norte County, California hardest hit.
Utility officials expect outages to continue overnight into Wednesday based on the weather forecast as a “bomb cyclone” impacts the region.
Pacific Power is working with local emergency officials and the Red Cross to set up warming shelters where needed.
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4:10 p.m.
The Oregon Department of Transportation has announced three highways in the Cascade Range in southern Oregon are now closed because of blizzard conditions.
Oregon 138, also called the North Umpqua Highway, east of Roseburg is closing at Tokatee to its junction with U.S. 97. Oregon 62 and 230 are closing at Prospect north through Union Creek to Diamond Lake Junction.
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3 p.m.
Authorities are reporting downed trees, power outages and heavy snow on mountain passes as a ‘bomb cyclone’ approaches the northern California and southern Oregon coast. A business in Crescent City, California lost its roof to gusting winds.
The storm will make landfall near Brookings, Oregon around 4 p.m. Tuesday and then shift south toward Crescent City.
Trees are down across U.S. Highway 101 in Curry County, just north of the California border in Oregon, and sporadic power outages are being reported across the region. Winds are gusting at 70 mph (112 kmh) in coastal areas and waves of up to 32 feet (9.7 meters) are expected.
A ‘bomb cyclone’ forms when air pressure drops by 24 millibars or more in a 24-hour period.
Forecasters say this storm’s air pressure has dropped even more quickly than that, making it extremely dangerous.
