This webpage will be updated as there's more information to share.
Friday, Feb. 24
8:30 a.m.—The Silicon Valley Connector shuttle service has been suspended today because of the Highway 17 road closure.
8 a.m.—Caltrans has closed Highway 17 in both directions from Granite Creek Road to the Santa Cruz/Santa Clara county line due to snow. No estimate has been shared for when the road will reopen. Motorists should check road conditions and plan for possible delays and congestion.
Thursday, Feb. 23
12:40 p.m.—The traffic lights at Bay and High streets have been repaired and are working normally.
8:45 a.m.—Campus shuttles are running regular routes, and Early Education Services is open.
8:30 a.m.—Some stoplights around campus may not be working properly. Motorists should drive carefully and, when encountering a nonfunctioning stoplight, treat it as a four-way stop. Power has been restored to Family Student Housing, Laureate Court and Ranchview Terrace.
Wednesday, Feb. 22
4:30 p.m.— The National Weather Service is forecasting heavy rains and strong winds in Santa Cruz beginning this evening and continuing into Friday. Additional rain is forecasted for the weekend. In addition, there is a likelihood of snow at lower-than-normal elevations, including some parts of the Santa Cruz mountains.
We encourage everyone in our community to be careful, given the likelihood of icy roads, falling trees, downed power lines, and other impacts on public safety.
UC Santa Cruz will continue to share important updates about campus operations through Slug Safe text messages and emails, on the campus homepage, and on social media (including Instagram).
Students living on and off campus, faculty, and staff may face challenges that disrupt their ability to learn, teach, and perform their job duties. Impacts could include closed roads and loss of power, internet access, and/or cellular service.
We encourage instructors to communicate with students about their plans. Students should be on the lookout for updates about instructional activities. Instructors should anticipate that some students may be unable to attend classes or midterms due to travel hazards and plan accordingly.
The Center for Innovations in Teaching and Learning and Online Education have created a document to help instructors plan for quick transitions among modalities. Additionally, Keep Teaching has helpful guidance about teaching during disruptive events.
Employees should do their best to remain in contact with their manager or supervisor. Managers are encouraged to be flexible with employees.
We encourage everyone to do their best to communicate and to be patient and understanding with one another, particularly during the next several days.
8:52 a.m.—Wifi service has been restored at the Coastal Science Campus.
7:52 a.m.—ITS is working to diagnose and resolve wifi problems at Family Student Housing, the Arboretum, and the Coastal Science Campus.
6:58 a.m.—All four dining halls (Porter College, College 9/John R. Lewis College, Crown College and Cowell College) are opening at 7 a.m. for breakfast. Campus shuttles are running as scheduled.
Power remains out at Family Student Housing and Early Education Services, which will be closed until at least noon.
Tuesday, Feb. 21
11:15 p.m.—Power has been restored to the residential campus, and classes can meet Wednesday as anticipated.
Given the wind-related impacts across Santa Cruz County, instructors are encouraged to communicate instructional plans for Wednesday classes with students, and students are encouraged to look for updates from instructors. Instructors should anticipate that instructional technology may not be entirely operational because of the power disruption.
The high winds have created a number of challenges across our region, with downed power lines, blocked roads, and spotty cellular and internet connectivity. We encourage everyone to do their best to communicate and to be patient and understanding with one another.
Employees impacted by the high winds should discuss with their manager any questions or concerns about being able to work as planned. Managers are encouraged to be flexible with employees.
9:45 p.m.—The residential campus remains without primary power. PG&E has not yet offered a restoration time. Power has been restored to the Westside Research Park and Coastal Science Campus.
Guidance about whether morning classes (8 a.m. to noon) will be held will be texted and emailed to the campus community at 6 a.m. Wednesday. Updates about the rest of the day will follow at 10 a.m.
If power is restored and classes can be held as scheduled, instructors should not rely on instructional technology to be entirely operational.
9:30 p.m.—Dining halls at College 9/John R. Lewis College and Porter College are open until 11 p.m.
7:54 p.m.—Power has been restored to the Westside Research Park and the Coastal Science Campus. Science Hill's standby and emergency generators are operational.
7:05 p.m.—Dining halls are open College 9/John R. Lewis College, and Porter for dinner and late night service. Oakes Cafe will remain open until 8 p.m. Crown Dining Hall will remain open serving meal "to go" only until about 8 p.m.
6:48 p.m.—Power is out at the residential campus, the Westside Research Park, and the Coastal Science Campus. PG&E has not yet offered an estimated restoration time.
Campus electricians are currently working to diagnose and resolve an issue with the cogeneration plant, which provides backup power to several facilities at the residential campus.
The campus will provide an update when it has more information to share about power restoration and the status of the cogeneration plant. The campus community is encouraged to exercise extra caution with the current outage and extreme weather conditions.
The National Weather Service has issued a High-Wind Warning for Santa Cruz County and much of the San Francisco Bay Area through 1 p.m. Wednesday. There is also a frost advisory from midnight Wednesday to 9 a.m. Thursday. The advisory warns of northwest winds 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph expected at higher elevations. Temperatures as low as 34 degrees will result in frost.
Forecast information, including any warnings, can be found on the National Weather Service Forecast Page. The service also offers regular wind and weather updates through its NWS Bay Area Twitter feed.
Be on the lookout for downed tree limbs and power lines. Extra precaution should be used when driving. Campus emergency personnel are monitoring conditions on and around campus and will respond as necessary. If you do see a downed power line, never approach it, even if it is not actively arcing or sparking. Report all downed wires to 911.
Information Technology Services recommends that all computers, scanners, and other electronic equipment be shut off and unplugged when not in use to protect devices from power surges.
