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Weather5 min read
Northern California’s red flag warning: what to do before 5 p.m.
A Monday warning covers parts of the Sacramento Valley and foothills. Avoid sparks, check your location and get the departure plan ready.
Read insight →California Signal / Insights
Understand what
the signal means.
Short, source-led briefings on California’s hazards, infrastructure and public decisions. The useful context—without the noise.
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PowerLatest published · 5 min read
When the outage map lags, check your address—not the statewide total
Outage maps are useful, but they can lag behind the street. Here is how to verify your service, read restoration estimates and decide what to do next.
The answer: Search your utility’s official map for your service address, report an unlisted outage, and treat restoration times as estimates—not guarantees.Read the briefing →
Coastal Hazards5 min read
A calm-looking California coast can still be dangerous this week
Beach hazard statements cover parts of the North and Central coasts, with sneaker waves in the north and dangerous rip currents farther south.
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Wildfire4 min read
Why acreage is only the first number to read
The biggest fire on the map is not always the one to worry about most. Where it is, where it is headed and what lies ahead matter just as much.
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Evacuations4 min read
Warning or order? The decision window that matters
A warning gives you precious time to get ready. An order means that time is up—and you need to leave.
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Weather4 min read
Atmospheric rivers: read the timing, not just the total
Six inches of rain over three days is one thing. Six inches overnight is another. With atmospheric rivers, the clock matters as much as the total.
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Power4 min read
A PSPS is not the same as a normal outage
One is a safety action taken before equipment ignites a fire; the other is an interruption caused by a fault, damage or system problem.
Read insight →Grid3 min read
Why a normal grid can still feel stressed locally
California can have plenty of electricity statewide while a damaged line leaves your neighborhood in the dark. Both things can be true.
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Earthquakes4 min read
ShakeAlert buys seconds, not certainty
ShakeAlert cannot tell you an earthquake is coming tomorrow. It can sometimes warn you that shaking already under way is headed toward you.
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Air quality4 min read
Smoke maps answer three different questions
A smoke plume overhead can look terrifying while the monitor near you tells a different story. That is because smoke maps are showing different things.
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Coastal hazards4 min read
Tsunami warnings start with geography
You will not know whether a tsunami is dangerous by looking at the ocean. Your location—and the route to higher ground—matters first.
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Public warning4 min read
Why one emergency alert channel is never enough
No single warning system reaches everyone, every time. A few overlapping alert sources give you a much better chance of hearing what matters.
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Decision-making5 min read
The 10-minute California operating picture
You do not need to read every feed in California. In ten minutes, you can find what is urgent, what is changing and whether the data can be trusted.
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