Forceful winds cause power outages around Winnipeg, impacting thousands

September 30, 2024 Canuck

Close to 7,000 hydro customers in Winnipeg and surrounding area were without power on Monday morning due to strong wind gusts causing havoc.

“Our crews are responding to several power outages in and around Winnipeg caused by high winds causing trees to make contact with power lines,” a Manitoba Hydro spokesperson said in an email to CBC News.

“We have brought in additional staff to expedite repairs.”

An estimated 5,700 customers were without electricity through most of the morning hours. Shortly before 11:30 a.m. that number had declined to 4,800.

That included about 1,400 in the Norwood area, 1,200 in the Inkster-Faraday neighbourhood and about 1,200 in West St. Paul.

In St. Malo, about 55 kilometres south of the city, there are 1,100 affected by outages.

And there are several other smaller outages scattered across the province, the spokesperson said.

Anyone who comes across a downed power line is urged to stay at least 10 metres away and call 911, the spokesperson said.

Manitoba Hydro’s outage map shows all of the areas dealing with power problems.

Wind warnings

Environment Canada has also issued wind warnings for other parts of the province, where gusts are hitting 90 km/h.

The area under the warning includes the entire southwest corner of the province, from the western edge of Winnipeg all the way through the Saskatchewan border. The warning stretches up the western shore of Lake Manitoba and into Red Deer Point on Lake Winnipegosis.

The wind comes in the wake of an intense low-pressure system moving through central Manitoba from Saskatchewan. The peak gusts are possible throughout the afternoon before winds diminish in the evening, according to Environment Canada.

At the other end of the province, the situation is similar.

Environment Canada has also issued a wind warning for the Churchill area, where a low pressure system will bring “severe winds” between 70-90 km/h to the Hudson Bay coast beginning Monday evening.

The strongest winds are expected to persist until the pre-dawn hours of Tuesday morning, but gusts up to 70 km/h will continue for most of Tuesday, the alert states.

Windy conditions, albeit with gusts below warning criteria, are expected for the remainder of the work week.

Just west of Churchill, in the Tadoule Lake region, the wind is being accompanied by heavy rain. Environment Canada has issued a rainfall warning for the area with accumulations expected to be 60-75 millimetres before tapering off Monday evening.

Localized flooding in low-lying areas is possible, the alert states.

Strong northerly winds gusting to 80 km/h will also develop on Monday, ushering in cooler temperatures.

View original article here Source