How do I know when PG&E will cut my power?

Carlos Lama of Bayside Cafe, which was among businesses to lose power due to PG&E's public safety power shutoff, uses an LED lamp and light from his phone at the counter of the restaurant in Sausalito, Calif., Wednesday, Oct. 9, 2019. Pacific Gas & Electric has cut power to more than half a million customers in Northern California hoping to prevent wildfires during dry, windy weather throughout the region. (Alan Dep/Marin Independent Journal via AP) less Carlos Lama of Bayside Cafe, which was among businesses to lose power due to PG&E's public safety power shutoff, uses an LED lamp and light from his phone at the counter of the restaurant in Sausalito, Calif., ... more Photo: Alan Dep, Associated Press Photo: Alan Dep, Associated Press Image 1 of / 74 Caption Close How do I know when PG&E will cut my power? 1 / 74 Back to Gallery

Find SFGATE's live updates on the PG&E shutoff here, and check out outage maps here.

Before high winds pick up around Northern California, PG&E is preparing to shut off power for approximately 596,000 customers to mitigate wildfire risk in Northern and Southern Sierra, North Bay, Bay Area, Santa Cruz mountains, North Coast and Kern County.

Shutoffs will start Tuesday. So, how do you know if and when PG&E is shutting off your power?

Update your contact information to receive alerts

The utility company will notify customer at 48 hours, 24 hours and just prior to shutting off power. Alerts will be sent through automated calls, texts and emails.

"The cadence and frequency of notifications will depend on the forecasted gusty winds and dry conditions, combined with a heightened fire risk, and how quickly those threats change, among other factors," says PG&E.

To update your contact information with PG&E, you can call 866-743-6589. Even if you think PG&E has your information, it's good to check in to make sure they have your specific address on record and not only your zip code.

If your landlord is the account holder, they will receive the alerts and you will want to make sure they know to be in touch with you.

Use PG&E's planning tool, maps and new website

PG&E launched a new website dedicated to providing shutoff updates and information: You can visit it here.

Here, you will also find a tool that allows you to type in your address and learn in advance if your residence will be impacted.

Outage maps will be posted on the website closer to the event.

(Note: The PG&E website has crashed in high-traffic situations.)

Follow social media and news reports

PG&E is also relaying shut-off information to media outlets and posting updates on social media. Most counties are sharing this information on their official county Twitter and Facebook accounts as well. If you're active on social media, it's helpful to follow these accounts.

Watch the weather

PG&E meteorologists are closely monitoring weather conditions to make decisions on where and when power outages may occur. They're considering numerous factors to determine the severity of fire risk including "Red Flag Warning" issued by the National Weather Service, low humidity levels (generally below 20 percent), forecasted sustained winds (generally above 25 mph and wind gusts in excess of approximately 45 mph, depending on site-specific conditions such as temperature) and the moisture content of the surrounding landscape.

PG&E posts regular weather forecasts on its website. The National Weather Service website and Twitter accounts are other resources: Follow the Bay Area NWS Twitter account at @NWSBayArea.

Amy Graff is a digital editor for SFGATE. Email her at agraff@sfgate.com.

Full PG&E shutoff coverage:

- Here's when and where PG&E will shut off power starting Tuesday

- Tuesday wind event will trigger another round of power shut-offs

- Stuck in the dark? Here’s where to find power in the Bay Area during the PG&E outage

- Here’s why PG&E doesn’t put more power lines underground

Amy Graff is a digital editor with SFGATE. Email her at agraff@sfgate.com.