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Science
Strong Winds Rip Through Bay Area
Powerful winds in the Bay Area are mellowing after gusting up to 75 miles per hour early this morning. The winds toppled trees, knocked out power, closed streets and rattled houses throughout the region.
"It kept you up; it kept me up," said National Weather Service forecaster Steve Anderson, who is based in Monterey. "I think I have three hours of sleep, as well as I think half of the Peninsula, kept awake last night from the roaring winds."
Anderson explained the strong wind was caused by a "tight pressure gradient" which is kind of like when you put your thumb over a garden hose.
"When you have the water on, water spilling out the hose, the velocity is not very fast," he said. "But if you put your thumb over the top and there's only a small portion of the hose where the water comes out, the water will come out much faster."
Spring winds this strong blow through the Bay Area every three to five years.
