Lodi tempest topples trees
Drought-weakened trees felled by fierce winds and rain
The first tree fell around 3 p.m.
As winds began picking up, more trees started falling.
One fell on northbound Interstate 5 near Turner Road. Another fell on northbound Highway 99 near the Peltier exit. Over the next few hours, trees fell at Kile and Thornton roads, Highways 88 and 12, Highway 12 and I-5, Jahant and Elliott roads, northbound 99 near the Collier exit, East Jahant and North Jack Tone roads, and beyond.
One fell on Crescent Avenue in Lodi at 3:31 p.m.
“There was a truck parked at the corner of Avena and Lodi when a tree from a residence on Lodi Avenue fell over onto the truck,” Lodi Police Sgt. Rick Garcia said.
The driver was unharmed, but there was no word on the truck, he said.
Trees weren’t the only casualties. Power poles and cords were ripped down all over the area. The area saw intermittent power outages, with the Lodi Electric Utility scrambling to keep up.
PG&E spokeswoman Karly Hernandez reported 3,660 customers without power in the Lodi area around 7:30 p.m., with most of the outages concentrated north of the city in Woodbridge and east of the city near Lockeford. Hernandez said that a toppled tree that brought down power lines was responsible for most of the outages in the Woodbridge area, where 1,700 customers were without power.
California Highway Patrol dispatchers were too busy responding to road hazards — more downed trees — to answer questions.
The howling winds were expected to last until 8 or 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Falling trees are dangerous, but not entirely unexpected when it’s windy, said Jeff Hood, director of Lodi Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. But the wind wasn’t the only problem.
“The trees aren’t very healthy right now after years of drought, so they’re more susceptible to falling over in these kinds of situations,” Hood said.
Drought doesn’t just leave trees thirsty. It can also causes roots to shrink, and even cause the longer roots to die. Large root systems require water to maintain. That, plus the soggy ground can be a deadly combination for trees, Hood said.
Parks staff made the decision to close Lodi Lake Nature Area when the winds began picking up, because some of the trees looked like they could go down, too, he added.
If winds continue tonight into Friday morning, parks employees may delay reopening the park until conditions are safer.
“We made it through the last storm in pretty good shape. I’m just worried about the combination of a lot of rain and a lot of wind,” Hood said.
Things should be calmer today, but the relief will be shortlived, according to Frank Straight, a senior meteorologist with private forecasting service Accuweather.com.
Another bout of high-intensity winds are expected overnight, he said.
“You’re getting a one-two punch of Pacific storms right now,” he said. He advised Lodi residents to secure loose items like trash cans or lawn furniture indoors, or with a tether. Drivers should take great care on the roads, which will likely be slippery, he added.
A third and fourth storm could head into Lodi on Sunday and Monday, but they should be less intense.
“Once we get past Monday, you’re looking at generally calmer weather through next week,” Strait said.