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Record strong winds to lash Bay Area

Millions of Californians prepared Saturday to live in the dark again as the state’s largest utility warned it might cut power for the third time in as many weeks because of looming strong winds and high fire danger.

Pacific Gas & Electric will decide Saturday whether to black out 850,000 homes and businesses in 36 counties for 48 hours or longer throughout the San Francisco Bay Area, wine country and Sierra foothills.


The two previous shutdowns were done amid concern that gusty winds could disrupt or knock down power lines and spark devastating wildfires.

Weather forecasts called for record strong winds to lash much of the region over the weekend, with some gusts hitting 85 mph. It might be a record wind event, the National Weather Service warned.

Sunday, windy and dry.  Bay Area temperatures will actually be cooling, but the dry winds will be a fire threat.  This threat will remain into Monday morning, effective until 11 AM.