With High Wind Warning There Is Potential For Power Outages, Property Damage
DENVER (CBS4)- With the High Wind Warning issued for the Front Range, Interstate 25 corridor and the plains on Wednesday, officials are asking people to be prepared. There is a potential for damaging winds, scattered power outages and blowing dust.
The fire danger will also be high. The Denver Office Of Emergency Management tweeted out "Stay safe!" along with a list of potential issues that may plague certain parts of Colorado on Wednesday.
The National Weather Service in Boulder urged those impacted in the High Wind Warning area to prepare on Tuesday. Those preparations include anchoring unsecured decorations and patio furniture. People are advised to avoid travel, avoid parking under or near trees.
Residents are also urged to avoid burning or any outdoor activity that may produce a spark.
According to CBS4 Meteorologist Ashton Altieri, the "storm will race across Colorado on Wednesday bringing a vicious combination of snow and wind to the mountains and hurricane-force wind to some areas east of the mountains."
He also said, "Many neighborhoods in the metro area will experience wind gusts up to 60 mph. Hurricane-force winds up to 80 mph are possible on the Eastern Plains. And in the foothills of Jefferson, Boulder and Larimer Counties, wind gusts could reach 100 mph for brief periods of time."
The records for wind are 147 mph for the Boulder area, at the NCAR Mesa Lab, and 97 mph for Denver, which was the DIA tornado that struck on June 18, 2013.
Xcel Energy also urged residents to prepare for the wind storm, stating that they have increased staffing levels and put plans in place to make sure that crews are able to respond to outages that may occur.
Additional Information from Xcel Energy:
Report your outage
Customers can help Xcel Energy get a jump on power restoration by reporting outages. Customers have several ways to report outages.
- Xcel Energy mobile app available on iOS and Android
- Online at xcelenergy.com/out
- Text 'OUT' to 98936 to report an outage, or text STAT to the same number to check the status of a power outage.
- Call 1-800-895-1999 and follow the prompts—the automated phone reporting system lets customers report outages in less than 60 seconds. Once the cause of the problem is identified, the system or an Xcel Energy representative will provide customers with an estimated restoration time.
Stay informed
If outages occur, it's important for customers to have access to the most recent updates about their power restoration. Customers can stay informed by visiting the Xcel Energy website or by downloading the mobile app available on iOS and Android. Additionally, the website hosts an outage map that displays information on the number of customers out and anticipated time for restoration. Customers can also stay informed by following Xcel Energy on Facebook and Twitter.
