Northern California Wind Damage and Power Outages Update Heavy winds swept through Northern California on Monday, May 18, 2026, causing widespread power outages, tree damage, and spot fires across the region. The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning, indicating an elevated risk of wildfires due to strong winds, with gusts reaching up to 45 mph. The warning remained in effect until 8 p.m. that day, with the highest fire risk concentrated along and west of Interstate 5 in the Sacramento Valley, stretching from Redding in Shasta County to Merced County. PG&E, the state’s largest utility company, began the process of re-energizing areas affected by planned power shutoffs and weather-related outages. By 10 p.m., the utility reported that crews had completed inspections of electrical equipment, repaired damages, and restored power to “essentially” all customers impacted by the outages. Earlier in the day, PG&E announced that 11 out of 15 counties affected by planned shutoffs had received an all-clear to re-energize, with most customers expected to have power restored by the following morning. The damage caused by the winds was evident in several communities. In Davis, a massive tree was uprooted and lay across a homeowner’s driveway after falling during the storm. The incident occurred on Sunday at 11 a.m., when the tree crashed through the home’s windows. The homeowner, who had lived in the area for decades, described the moment as terrifying but fortunate, as no one was injured. Crews were actively working to remove the tree, while minor damage to the roof and gutters was reported. The city of Davis noted over 100 calls were made following the winds, though no major incidents beyond the tree damage were confirmed.#national_weather_service #pg_e #city_of_davis #caltrans #dawson_fire
