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With the fourth Nor’easter of the month expected to hit the region on Wednesday, bringing sleet, freezing rain, snow and strong wind gusts, Central Hudson Gas & Electric is warning customers to be prepared for potential power outages.
Wind gusts are expected to reach up to 35 mph on Wednesday, with parts of the tri-state area getting upwards of 10 inches of snow.
Charles Freni, the Senior Vice President of Customer Services and Transmission and Distribution for Central Hudson said that the company is “assembling a field force of approximately 500 to address this storm, including 200 electric line contractors and mutual aid workers from New York and the Midwest, 140 tree workers and Central Hudson crews, together with hundreds of employees serving in support roles.”
Freni said that the current weather predictions “indicate the greatest impact to the southern portions of the Mid-Hudson Valley, although forecasts may change and all areas of the region could be affected.”
“The heavy snow and strong winds may bring trees and limbs down onto power lines, particularly as some trees have been compromised by the previous storms,” he said.
In advance of the storm, Central Hudson offered a series of advice for local residents:
- Pay attention to weather advisories, storm outage updates and/or shelter information;
- Keep handy a flashlight and fresh batteries;
- Have a battery-powered radio to remain informed of restoration efforts;
- Confirm adequate packaged or canned foods that require no refrigeration or cooking;
- Avoid opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer;
- Have a non-electric can opener;
- Keep an emergency supply of bottled water on hand for drinking and washing; and
- Fill bathtubs with water as an added reserve.
“We’ve all seen our share of severe weather this month, but be warned that this next storm may also bring conditions that could cause electric service interruptions," Freni added. “We’re preparing for this storm by readying all our employees, securing supplies and communicating with our customers.
“We continue to invest in the electric infrastructure and manage vegetation year-round to prepare for storms, however, severe conditions have the potential to cause service interruptions."
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