As students look over course syllabi and get their schedules ready for the first week of spring quarter, an umbrella should be added to the first day checklist. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), the San Francisco Bay Area should expect a heavy storm with wind, rain and possibly thunderstorms on the horizon for Sunday evening through Monday.
On Sunday, NWS sent out a gusty wind advisory in place until early Monday, with gusts peaking at 45 miles per hour. Lower elevation regions of the Bay Area should expect about half an inch of rain, beginning Sunday evening.
The upcoming storm follows two harsh fire seasons in 2020 and 2021, and the much needed moisture will assist with this year’s season as California remains in a drought. Between 1991 and 2020, the Palo Alto area saw an average of 8 days of rain with 2.2 inches in the month of March. This March, only 1.22 inches of rain has been recorded.
The Daily reached out to Stanford’s Department of Public Safety (SUDPS) for tips for community members during potentially hazardous weather. Laurie Friedman, Deputy Emergency Manager, wrote in an email that the Office of Emergency Management works closely with Land, Buildings & Real Estate (LBRE) and other departments to prepare for potential hazardous conditions, including power outages, local campus flooding and fallen trees. While potential hazardous occurrences from thunderstorms and high wind are unlikely in this region of California, Friedman wrote that “there are procedures in place to respond and mitigate impacts to campus.”
Friedman, as well as Bill Larson, spokesperson for SUDPS, advised in emails for students to be safe while biking on slippery roads. Larson added that “in addition to bike lights at night, which is required by law, bicyclists should also wear light colored attire to be seen better and always wear a helmet.” Reflective bands are also a good idea, they added.
Friedman further urged students to find safety and preparation information on the CardinalReady website, which contains information on what to do during a power outage and flooding. If emergency actions are needed, Stanford will broadcast an AlertSU message to the campus community. Students can receive weather alerts from Santa Clara County ALERTSCC and/or the San Mateo County SMC Alert program via registration for their services.