Winter Weather Resources

Alerts | Weather | Road Conditions & Closures | Stay Informed | Outage Maps | Nevada County | Placer County | Winter Weather Tips | Food Safety | Medications | Utilities | Families | Recovery | How to Help | Trusted Information Sources | California Proclamation of a State of Emergency | Federal Emergency Declaration

Call 911 for a life-threatening emergency, downed power lines, or if you smell natural gas or propane

Or text to 911

  • Placer County – You can text 9-1-1 if you are living in or traveling through Placer County.
  • Nevada County – You can try texting 9-1-1. Some cell phone service providers do not yet have text to 9-1-1 enabled in Nevada County.

Contact 2-1-1 for other information

  • Call 2-1-1 or 1-833-342-5211 (1-833-DIAL211)
  • Text your zip code to 898211 to connect with a live call agent

ALERTS

PLACER COUNTY – PLACER ALERTS

SIGN UP for Placer Alerts online at www.placer-alert.org

Or text your zip code, followed by a second text with the word “resume” to 88911 (This applies to new or existing subscribers. You will begin receiving Placer Alerts to your phone based on your zip code.)

NEVADA COUNTY – CODE RED ALERTS

SIGN UP for CodeRED

  • To sign up for an UNMANAGED (or “Guest”) account, call 2-1-1 or 833-342-5211 (833-DIAL211) if you’d like assistance.
  • To create a MANAGED account, or to create a Guest account on your own, go here. A managed account allows you to modify your existing notification settings and contact information. You may also customize the types of notifications you receive and add an additional address.

For more information on CodeRed Alerts, please contact 2-1-1.

STATE OF CALIFORNIA ALERTS – CALIFORNIA OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

NEVADA COUNTY – ADVISORIES

Wed 1/4/23 – Advisory from Nevada County Office of Emergency Services

WEATHER

ROAD CONDITIONS & CLOSURES

STAY INFORMED

Trusted information sources providing current updates can be found at the bottom of this webpage or by clicking here.

OUTAGE MAPS

ELECTRICITY PROVIDERS IN NEVADA & PLACER COUNTIES

  • PG&E – Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) serves most of Nevada and Placer Counties, including the communities of Soda Springs and Norden near Truckee. 800-743-5002
  • Roseville Electric – Roseville Electric serves people within the city limits of Roseville. 916-797-6937
  • Liberty Utilities – Liberty Utilities serves some Truckee addresses and surrounding areas. 844-245-6868
  • Truckee Donner Public Utility District – Truckee Donner Public Utility District serves the Town of Truckee and some surrounding areas with power from NV Energy. 530-587-3896

If you do not know who provides your electricity, contact the utility companies above.

NEVADA COUNTY

Ready Nevada County Dashboard – for current incident information

People experiencing homelessness who need shelter can call 2-1-1 for information about possible options

Tuesday 1/4/23 – Advisory from the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services

The National Weather Service is forecasting an intense winter storm that will likely bring damaging winds, heavy rain, mountain snow and flooding beginning today (Wednesday, Jan 4th) thru Thursday evening Jan 5th. This storm will be followed by another system this weekend. Be prepared for intense rain, local area flooding, and winds up to 70 mph that may drive trees into power lines and across roads. Please plan for wide-area power outages and interruptions to communication systems.
 
Recommendations:

  • Fuel up your personal vehicle and make sure you have fuel for your generator
  • Check on your neighbors
  • Stay tuned to trusted news sources (OES, KNCO, KVMR, Yubanet, National Weather Service, The Union, Moonshine Ink, KTKE, Sierra Sun)
  • Make sure you have enough groceries for 72 hours
  • Ensure you have a secondary way to heat your home
  • Charge your cell phone, tablet, laptop, etc.
  • Call 211 not 911 for non-emergencies
  • Avoid flooded roads, and never try to drive across a flooded road
  • Be aware of flooding concerns along waterways and low lying areas.
  • Avoid the River Fire burn scar as there is a potential for debris flow in this area
  • Secure household items that may blow away in high winds
  • Use sandbags to mitigate flooding on your property.  The county of Nevada has no cost sandbags at four sites listed here: https://www.nevadacountyca.gov/1240/Sand-Sandbags-Available.
  • Report downed trees or flooding on County maintained roads at https://nevadacountyca.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/nevadacountyca    by calling (530) 265-1411
  • Report sewer overflows, spills, or flashing lights at wastewater facilities by calling 530-265-1555 to help us prevent or address spills. Do not open sewer cleanouts or break pipes to drain stormwater.
  •  Follow the Nevada County Office of Emergency Services on Facebook and look for updates here: Ready Nevada County Dashboard (arcgis.com): https://nevcounty.maps.arcgis.com/apps/MapSeries/index.html?appid=dfae8e3b36e3455bbf9dcc865349e72e

Be safe out there!

Paul Cummings, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services Program Manager, 530-265-1515

MORE NEVADA COUNTY INFORMATION & RESOURCES

REPORT DOWNED TREES AND DRAINAGE CONCERNS

In Unincorporated Nevada County:

  • For urgent issues such as a tree blocking a road, please report during business hours, M-F, 8 am-5 pm, call Public Works at 530-265-1411, or after hours call Sheriff’s Dispatch at 530-265-1471
  • Non-emergency concerns, please report through the Service Request Tool at https://nevadacountyca.portal.iworq.net/portalhome/nevadacountyca.

In City of Grass Valley, Nevada City, or Town of Truckee:

PLACER COUNTY

CURRENT STORM/S

On 1/5/2023, Placer County proclaimed a local emergency due to the ongoing threat of storms.

TIPS FOR BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER RAIN EVENTS

Visit Placer County’s webpage at https://www.placer.ca.gov/1503/Before-During-After-Rain-Events

SHELTER

People experiencing homelessness who need shelter can call 2-1-1 for information about possible options

DOWNED TREES OR POWER LINES, ROAD FLOODS, HAZARDS

Placer County:

To report downed trees and limbs or road flooding and hazards, contact Roads Division at (530) 745-7565 or pcroads@placer.ca.gov. They may or may not be able to assist as private roads, state highways, and city streets and roads are not maintained by Placer County.

City of Roseville:

If there is a power line down, stay away and call 911 immediately. Please report any trees in power lines to Roseville Electric at (916) 79-POWER.

DRAINAGE CONCERNS

Placer County:

Local drainage concerns information (including who to contact for your location) is available at https://www.placer.ca.gov/1540/Local-Drainage-Concerns. You may also view, download, or print out the Watch Out for Water pamphlet (PDF). Find info. on Placer County’s Floodplain Management Program, administered through the Department of Public Works, at https://www.placer.ca.gov/1498/Floodplain-Management.

City of Roseville:

Our creeks continue to handle the amount of rain and runoff effectively. Roseville creek levels can be monitored at www.roseville.ca.us/stream. DO NOT walk or drive past barricades or signs warning of flooded areas. To report localized street flooding or road hazards, call Roseville Public Works at (916) 774-5790 during normal business hours. After hours or on weekends, call (916) 774-5000 x 1.

SAND AND SANDBAGS

If you believe your home is subject to flooding, Placer County encourages you to prepare your home ahead of time with commercially available options. In the event that the National Weather Service (NWS) has forecast severe flooding in Placer County, sand and sandbags may be available from government sources for residents’ use to protect their houses and property. More info. here. Phone numbers are listed to check availability. If you live within city limits, please contact your city first for information about sand and sandbags.

1/5/2023: Sand is available at various locations throughout the county. Please refer to our Sandbag Locations Map or our Sandbag information page.

1/9/2023: City of Roseville: The following sandbag locations will remain open through Tuesday for Roseville residents and businesses. Please show proof of Roseville residency (driver’s license, etc.). Residents must fill sandbags themselves and each vehicle is limited to 20 sandbags per trip.

  • Maidu Regional Park – 1550 Maidu Drive (off of Rocky Ridge Drive) 8 am – 6 pm
  • City of Roseville Corporation Yard – 2005 Hilltop Circle (off of PFE Road) 8 am – 4:30 pm

STORM DAMAGE/S

Are you an affected resident who has suffered damage from recent or current storms and would like to request financial assistance? If so, complete Placer County’s Storm Damage Survey.

STORMWATER QUALITY

Placer County’s stormwater quality program goals are as follows:

  • To reduce pollutants in stormwater runoff
  • Eliminate non-stormwater discharges
  • Lessen the long-term impacts of stormwater discharges from development, business, and municipal activities
  • Educate the public about stormwater impacts

For more info., visit https://www.placer.ca.gov/1688/Stormwater-Quality-Management or call 530-745-7503 (open M-F, 8 am to 5 pm). Please email water quality concerns to stormwtrquality@placer.ca.gov

GREEN WASTE DISPOSAL

Placer County offers green waste collection and drop-off options to help you clean up your yard. Placer recycling facilities chip green waste for use as mulch or compost, keeping the material out of the landfill. Learn more

WINTER WEATHER TIPS

Listos California – Safety guides in many languages – before, during, and after FLOODS

American Red Cross – How to keep water pipes from freezing and how to thaw them if they do freeze

Storm Safety Tips from PG&E 

  • PG&E encourages customers to have a plan, prepare for power outages and above all else, stay safe.
  • Customers can get updates on outages in their neighborhood through a variety of channels.
  • Contact the outage information line at 1-800-743-5002
  • Access the Electric Outage Map online at pge.com
  • PG&E customers can also log-in to their account through pge.com and sign up to receive proactive outage alerts through email, text or phone.
  • Never touch downed wires: If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5002. 
  • Use flashlights, not candles: During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights, and not candles, due to the risk of fire. And keep extra batteries on hand. If you must use candles, please keep them away from drapes, lampshades, animals, and small children. Do not leave candles unattended. 
  • Have a backup phone: If you have a telephone system that requires electricity to work, such as a cordless phone or answering machine, plan to have a standard telephone or cellular phone ready as a backup. Having a portable charging device helps to keep your cell phone running.
  • Have fresh drinking water, ice: Freeze plastic containers filled with water to make blocks of ice that can be placed in your refrigerator/freezer during an outage to prevent foods from spoiling. Blue Ice from your picnic cooler also works well in the freezer. 
  • Secure outdoor furniture: Deck furniture, lightweight yard structures, and decorative lawn items should be secured as they can be blown by high winds and damage overhead power lines and property. 
  • Use generators safely: Customers with standby electric generators should ensure they are properly installed by a licensed electrician in a well-ventilated area. Improperly installed generators pose a significant danger to customers, as well as crews working on power lines. If using portable generators, be sure they are in a well-ventilated area. 
  • Turn off appliances: If you experience an outage, unplug or turn off all electrical appliances to avoid overloading circuits and to prevent fire hazards when power is restored. Simply leave a single lamp on to alert you when power returns. Turn your appliances back on one at a time when conditions return to normal. 
  • Safely clean up: After the storm has passed, be sure to safely clean up. Never touch downed wires and always call 8-1-1 or visit 811express.com at least two full business days before digging to have all underground utilities safely marked. 

Winter Driving Tips from PG&E 

  • Streetlights: At night, the streets will be much darker than usual and will look different. Follow all posted speed limits – or drive a bit slower. Use turn signals when changing lanes and especially at corners with crosswalks.
  • Traffic Signals: If traffic signals are out or flashing red, come to a full stop at every intersection, and proceed as you would at a four-way stop.
  • Keep emergency gear in your car when you’re traveling in areas with snow and ice, including:
    • Cell phone
    • Flashlights
    •  Jumper cables
    • Sand or kitty litter (for traction)
    • Ice scraper or snow brush
    • Blankets
    • Warning devices (such as flares or reflectors)

If your vehicle comes in contact with a downed power line (Tips from PG&E):

  • Stay inside! The safest place is in your car. The ground around your car may be energized.
  • Honk the horn, roll down your window and yell for help.
  • Warn others to stay away. Anyone who touches the equipment or ground around the vehicle may be injured.
  • Use your mobile phone to call 911.
  • Fire department, police and PG&E workers will tell you when it is safe to get out of the vehicle.

If there is a fire and you must exit a vehicle that has come in contact with downed power lines (Tips from PG&E):

  • Remove loose items of clothing.
  • Keep your hands at your sides and jump clear of the vehicle, so you are not touching the car when your feet hit the ground.
  • Keep both feet close together and shuffle away from the vehicle without picking up your feet.

Gas Safety Tips (Carbon Monoxide Poisoning Prevention) from PG&E 

  • Customers who smell gas should vacate the premises immediately, call 9-1-1 and then PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.
  • If you smell gas, do not use anything that could be a source of ignition, including candles, cell phones, flashlights, light switches, matches or vehicles, until you are a safe distance away.
  • Never use cooking devices such as ovens or stoves for home heating purposes.
  • Make sure water heaters and other natural gas appliances have proper ventilation.
  • Never use products inside the home that generate dangerous levels of carbon monoxide, such as generators, outdoor grills or propane heaters.
  • Install carbon monoxide detectors to warn when concentration levels are high.

Portable Generator Safety Tips from PG&E 

  • Be sure that the power needs of the device (electric load) are supported by your generator and does not exceed the manufacturer’s specifications.
  • Position your generator where its exhaust can vent safely to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning and death.
  • Only use extension cords that are properly sized for your generator to prevent overheating. The American Wire Gauge (AWG) chart can be utilized to determine which extension cord is right for you. AWG measures extension cord thickness; keep in mind that the thicker the cord, the smaller the AWG rating will be.
  • Keep cords out of high-traffic areas so they don’t present a tripping hazard.
  •  Never run cords under rugs or carpets where heat can be generated or where damage to a cord may go unnoticed.
  • More information on electric generator safety is available on PG&E’s website at www.pge.com/backuppower.

Permanent-standby Generator Safety Tips from PG&E 

  • Installation requires a licensed electric contractor or other qualified professional.
  • Ensure electricity from your generator does not flow or “backfeed” into PG&E’s power lines. The most common way to prevent backfeeding is to install a “double-pole, double-throw transfer switch” along with your permanent standby generator.
  • Any additions or adjustments to your house wiring should be inspected by your city or county building department.
  • Once installation is complete, call PG&E at 1-800-743-5000 to let us know about your backup system. 

FOOD SAFETY DURING & AFTER A POWER OUTAGE

MEDICATIONS

The Prescription Drug Guide (PDF) provided by California Health and Human Services, is available in English and Spanish.

If you were unable to evacuate with your medications, a pharmacy should be able to assist you in obtaining your medication. To find an open pharmacy during an active emergency, visit the RxOpen website (as suggested by CalHHS), which has maps that include open and closed pharmacies.

UTILITIES

Call 9-1-1 if…

  • a power line is down
  • you smell natural gas or propane, which indicates a possible gas leak
  • for any other possibly life-threatening situation

A natural gas leak or a propane leak can be extremely dangerous. This includes any size of propane tank, including small ones used with barbecues. Report gas leaks immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then call your provider.

Never touch downed wires. If you see a downed power line, assume it is energized and extremely dangerous. Do not touch or try to move it—and keep children and animals away. Report downed power lines immediately by calling 9-1-1 and then call your electricity provider.

Most of Nevada & Placer counties

Roseville Electric in Roseville, Placer County

Tahoe Truckee

  • PG&E, 800-743-5002
  • Liberty Utilities, 844-245-6868
  • Southwest Gas, 877-860-6020
  • Truckee Donner Public Utility District, 530-587-3896

OTHER UTILITIES

  • Water – contact your water agency when able.
  • Wells & septic systems – When power goes out, so do well pumps, and septic systems that have a pump. People with wells should have plenty of water on hand for drinking, flushing toilets, etc. Prepare in advance and find resources by doing an internet search on terms such as “wells and power outages.”
  • Land line, cell phone, and internet outages – contact those service providers when able.

FAMILIES

In response to the recent storms, flooding, mudflows, and other hazardous conditions in California, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network (NCTSN) has developed resources to help families and communities navigate what they are seeing and hearing, acknowledge their feelings, and find ways to cope together. Resources include:

Psychological First Aid

The NCTSN also has resources for responders on Psychological First Aid (PFA; En Español). PFA is an early intervention to support children, adolescents, adults, and families impacted by these types of events. PFA Mobile and the PFA Wallet Card (En Español) provide a quick reminder of the core actions. The PFA online training (En Español) course is also available on the NCTSN Learning Center. PFA Handouts include:

Other resources include:

RECOVERY

2023 WINTER STORMS RECOVERY

  • Recovery information from Cal OES (California Office of Emergency Services) including FEMA info for counties covered by federal disaster declaration, tax relief info, contractor info, philanthropic efforts, and more.

TREE WORK & CONSTRUCTION NEEDS

  • NEVADA COUNTY – People can search for and contact independent contractors through the Nevada County Contractors Association. At “Find a Contractor” search on “tree service.” Or seek recommendations from family and friends, do a web search, etc.
  • PLACER COUNTY – People can search for and contact independent contractors through the Placer County Contractors Association. At “Business Directory” under “Find a Contractor” select specialty “tree removal.” Or seek recommendations from family and friends, do a web search, etc.
  •  There are no established nonprofit or County programs to assist individual property owners with tree cleanup and tree removal after a storm or wildfire. If widespread need becomes profound, steps may be taken to arrange some kind of assistance, such as green waste disposal events.

INSURANCE CLAIMS

  • If you get storm damage to your home or property, contact your insurance company as soon as possible.
  • You may find helpful information at the California Department of Insurance (CDI) website.
  • UNITED POLICYHOLDERS is a non-profit consumer organization and trusted resource helping disaster survivors with insurance issues for more than 30 years. They offer free webinars, and you can view recordings of prior ones on topics of relevance to your situation. Questions? Email info@uphelp.org

TAX FILING

Californians impacted by winter storms are now eligible to claim a deduction for a disaster loss and will have more time to file their taxes. Learn more at https://www.gov.ca.gov/2023/01/13/tax-relief-for-californians-impacted-by-storms.

HOW TO HELP

DONATIONS

People can contact local food banks and American Red Cross to make cash donations.

VOLUNTEERING

Volunteer opportunities in Nevada County will be posted on the Connecting Point Volunteer Hub as available. Please note that most American Red Cross (ARC) volunteers must be trained and approved in advance of any incident.

AMERICAN RED CROSS

The American Red Cross (ARC) is always accepting donations and in need of new volunteers to help respond to wildfires. Many ARC volunteer opportunities require advance training.

HOME SHARING

HomeShare American River is a nonprofit housemate-matching service that serves to quickly take advantage of housing resources. Match agreements can include exchanges of lower rent for affordable in-home services for “hosts” (and thus informal employment for “guests”). 530-746-8681. Service area includes Nevada County and Placer County.

CALIFORNIA PROCLAMATION OF A STATE OF EMERGENCY

1/4/23 – Governor Gavin Newsom proclaimed a state of emergency throughout California to support the ongoing response to recent winter storms. The proclamation supports a wide range of emergency relief efforts.

FEDERAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION

TRUSTED INFORMATION SOURCES

PLACER COUNTY

  • Placer County’s website: www.placer.ca.gov
  • Placer County’s Twitter feed; @PlacerCA
  • Placer County’s Facebook here
  • More social media links are provided by Placer County here

PLACER COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

LOCAL RADIO STATIONS

West of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KAHI AM 950
  • KFBK AM 1530
  • KGBY FM 92.5
  • KNCO AM 830

East of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KOH AM 780
  • KOWL AM 1490
  • KRLT FM 93.9

LOCAL TELEVISION STATIONS

West of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KCRA Channel 3
  • KXTV Channel 10
  • KOVR Channel 13
  • KMAX Channel 31
  • KTXL Channel 40
  • KQCA Channel 58

East of the Sierra & Donner Summit

  • KOLO Channel 8
  • KRNV Channel 4
  • KTVN Channel 2

NEVADA COUNTY

NEVADA COUNTY OFFICE OF EMERGENCY SERVICES

  • Ready Nevada County Dashboard with current info. here
  • NCOES Twitter: @NevCoOES here

NEVADA COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE

  • NCSO Twitter: @NevCoSheriff here

In the event of a disaster, Nevada County Office of Emergency Services recommends the following trusted information sources (aka trusted news sources).