A high wind warning covers much of the Shasta Valley in Northern California, including stretches of Interstate 5 and the communities of Weed, Gazelle, Grenada and Montague. The National Weather Service in Medford expects south winds of 25 to 40 mph during the warning, with gusts up to 70 mph.
The warning runs from 10 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 12, through 1 p.m. Friday, Nov. 13, Pacific time. A separate wind advisory starts at 10 a.m. Thursday and runs until the warning begins. Gusts could reach 50 mph during the advisory. Forecasters expect some of the strongest winds Thursday afternoon and again late Thursday night into Friday morning.
Driving through the Shasta Valley
The weather service says the winds could bring down trees and power lines, and it expects widespread outages. Drivers of trucks, RVs and other tall vehicles could have particular trouble. Roads that run east to west are exposed to crosswinds from the south.
Caltrans' Interstate 5 report listed no Siskiyou County restriction at 3:44 a.m. Pacific Thursday. That status can change as the wind picks up. Check the report again before leaving. Caltrans District 2 also lists highway cameras at Yreka and on other stretches of I-5 near the Oregon state line.
The weather service urges residents to secure loose outdoor items before the wind strengthens. If you are towing a trailer and have flexibility, check the warning and road conditions before committing to an overnight drive through the valley.
