California Shudders as High Winds Blow In

High winds raked most of California today, with gusts topping 50 mph closing highways and bridges, knocking down power lines, phone lines and trees and kicking up dust storms that made driving extremely hazardous.

Along with the blustery winds ashore, there were gale and dangerous surf warnings along most of the coast, with seas up to 20 feet and winds topping 50 knots.

The northerly winds, caused by a late-season storm tracking from the Pacific Northwest toward Utah, were expected to continue into tomorrow.

In the Bay Area, the Antioch Bridge over the San Joaquin River was closed at 9:25 a.m. when winds topped 50 mph. "It's pretty hairy out there," said a bridge sergeant who would not give her name. "We'll stay closed until all this dies down."

Interstate 5 was closed in Fresno County for about a half hour just before dawn after electrical wires were blown across the roadway, said California Highway Patrol spokesman Kirk Arnold.

He said power poles and lines had been blown down at various locations in the Delta and Central Valley, causing temporary road closures.

Blowing dust also made driving hazardous in various spots of the Delta and Valley. San Joaquin County sheriff's spokesman Joe Herrera said Vierra Road was closed during the morning when blowing dust reduced visibility to zero.

He also said there were numerous trees and power lines down and that power had been knocked out to the courthouse and an adjacent county building in downtown Stockton.

PG&E spokeswoman Jennifer Ramp said as many as 2,400 customers were without power during the morning as the wind broke power poles and knocked down trees onto power lines.

The biggest power failures were on Bethel and Jersey islands and in Pittsburg, she said.

On Bethel Island, the wind tore off part of the roof at two boat docks and knocked out power and phone service.

At Delta Sportsman, Inc., a marine supply store on Bethel Island Road, clerk Clifton Green said the winds picked up about 3 a.m. and knocked power out at 5:30 a.m.

"It blew a lot of stuff around," he said, adding that it was fortunate the store bought a generator two months ago to deal with possible blackouts. "It keeps the tanks running for live bait and a couple of lights," he said from his darkened store. "If we didn't have that, we'd have a lot of dead minnows."

The wind also thumped Dale and Marian Riggle awake when a tree feel on their motor home at the Sugar Barge RV Park on Bethel Island.

"It was strong, but we're OK," Marian Riggle said, saying the tree fell over about 5 a.m. It caused only minor damage.

The National Weather Service said the high pressure building over Northern California along with a low pressure system over Utah caused the wind, which would persist until early tomorrow morning.