Severe Storm Knocks Out Power for Thousands in Eureka, Humboldt County

High winds, heavy rain and snow swept across Northwestern California early Sunday, cutting power to thousands of residents stretching from Crescent City to Southern Humboldt and hitting Eureka and its surrounding communities particularly hard.

PG&E's outage map showed approximately 1,000 customers without power in Humboldt County alone. The hardest-hit area was Pine Hill, west of Eureka, where a tree made contact with a power line and knocked out the county's largest single outage. PG&E listed the restoration time for Pine Hill as "to be determined."

A PG&E spokesperson identified as McFarland acknowledged the scale of the event. "PG&E was prepared for the weather but described the storm as 'pretty tough,'" she told KRCR. She said she could not provide an estimate for when power will be fully restored across the county. Rural areas have proven especially difficult to reach, with fallen trees and snow-covered roads limiting access for crews and equipment.

The U.S. National Weather Service in Eureka issued a High Wind Warning through 10 a.m. for Del Norte Interior, Southwestern Humboldt, Northern Humboldt Interior, and Southern Humboldt Interior, covering communities including Kneeland, Petrolia, and Whitethorn. PG&E said crews are responding to storm-related emergencies and will begin repairs once extreme weather conditions ease.

TM May, a resident on the south end of Eureka, was without power from 8 p.m. until roughly 7:45 the following morning. "They have been working in the freezing temperatures, rain, snow and high winds," May wrote of the PG&E crews. "It is a dangerous job, but they will continue on until everyone has power."

PG&E is urging residents to stay away from any downed power lines and to call the utility to report them. Current outage information is available through PG&E's online Outage Center. Local officials have also asked residents to conserve energy and prepare for extended outages while crews work to restore service.