Berkeley wakes up to strong, gusty winds

January 20, 2011 7:02 am by Tracey Taylor

Wind gusts of more than 50 mph woke many Berkeley residents early today as trees tossed and swayed under a particularly bright moon and at least one redwood tree in the south of the city lost a branch.

KTVU reported 50+ mph gusts on Grizzly Peak and Fish Ranch Road in the Oakland-Berkeley hills. At 6.55 a.m., Wunderground was recording 31.2 mph winds from the North East with gusts of 55.1 mph. On Twitter @ced1 reported high winds in downtown. Fire engine sirens could be heard around the city.

Berkeleysiders who hear or see of fallen trees or other consequences of the wind, email us information to tips@berkeleyside or use the citizen journalism function on your Berkeleyside iPhone app to send us details and/photos directly.

7.11a.m.: @tahirata on Twitter writes: “Branches of all sizes strewn over paths on the UC Berkeley campus, making bicycle and skateboard traffic difficult.”

8 Comments

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  • Name Withheld

    Out here in the flatlands we’re just getting a light breeze.

  • Sofia

    Traffic light was out at Ashby & College as of 9am this morning. Hopefully it’s fixed by now – there was quite the backup on Ashby (beyond Telegraph and Claremont).

  • David Bowles

    Our house faces Tilden Park and the gales are so strong that the redwood trees are bent pretty far over!

  • Bryan

    An entire tree fell over in front of Ned’s Bookstore across from the UC campus, on Bancroft near Telegraph.

  • joyce

    Various power outages for a couple hours or more in the Berkeley Hills.

    Power out Clark Kerr …Redwood Gardens area 7-8:30am or so.

  • Berkeleywalker

    The light at Ashby and College was out during rush hour. Two Berkeley cops were there walking around as well as an Eye Witness news truck. But at 7:40, NO ONE was directing traffic.

  • Ephemerol*29

    I believe it paramount in importance as well as an introduction in levity, perspective, fact and reality, to fully acknowledge — even if you possess a modicum of healthy skepticism or reservation — that all of this display of savage raw fury could all have very well have been prevented, if all of us were to have presented the Beast ( Godzilla ) with just a tad bit more respect as we go about our daily business in this time world. Tomorrow is another day and thus another opportunity and chance. Use it wisely and thoughtfully.
    ____________________________
    “Life is the strangest teacher…”
    — Mikhail Gorbachev

  • Valeria

    Winds woke me 6- 6:30 am, I have three redwoods that were violently thrashing outside my upstairs bedroom window, the gusts seem to leav as fast as they showed up maybe 1/2 hr episode.
    I live in the flats.