SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) -- With a powerful storm aimed at the Bay Area, local residents and government officials are preparing to deal with torrential rain and strong winds.

The National Weather Service says the storm could knock out power in many places across the region and create the possibility of mudslides in the Santa Cruz Mountains.

The U.S. Coast Guard is urging boaters to stay off the waters.

"Our largest concern involves inexperienced mariners who may not be familiar with operating in these types of environments with the winds, the sea and the incoming rain," Coast Guard Lt. Jeremy Pichette told KRON 4's Reggie Kumar.

KRON 4's Will Tran found a stead demand for sandbags in Redwood City where residents are concerned about the threat of rising waters. Sandbagging is also going on in San Anselmo where memories remain strong of rising flood waters that spilled over into the streets of downtown during a similar storm on New Year's Eve in 2005.

Stay tuned to KRON 4 and KRON4.com for continuing coverage of the approaching storm.

List of Sandbag Locations:

Alameda County:
- Maintenance & Operations Department, 951 Turner Ct., Hayward
- San Miguel Fire Station, 20336 San Miguel Ave., Castro Valley
- Cull Canyon Fire Station, 19780 Cull Canyon Rd., Castro Valley
- Public Works Operations Building, 4825 Gleason Dr., Dublin.

San Mateo County:
- Grant Corporation Yard, 752 Chestnut St., Redwood City;
- Public Works Services building, 1400 Broadway St., Redwood City
- Princeton Corporation Yard, 203 Cornell Ave., Princeton-by-the-Sea
- Pescadero Corporation Yard, 1000 Pescadero Creek Rd.
- Pescadero High School, 350 Butano Cutoff Rd.
- La Honda Corporation Yard, 59 Entrada Way

San Francisco:
- Dept. of Public Works Corporation Yard, 2323 Cesar Chavez Street

(Copyright 2009, KRON 4, All rights reserved.)