Icy Conditions, Heavy, Wet Snow May Cause Service Interruptions, Central Hudson Warns

Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corp. has advised customers to prepare for possible service interruptions as a winter storm is expected to bring heavy snow and freezing rain to the region.

A look at projected snowfall totals through Friday night, Feb. 4.
Photo Credit: *AccuWeather.com*

Nicole Valinote

02/03/2022 2:00 p.m.

The winter storm is expected to move through the Hudson Valley from the night of Thursday, Feb. 3, through Friday, Feb. 4, bringing a mix of freezing rain, sleet and snow.

Related - Mix Of Freezing Rain, Sleet, Snow Will Be Followed By Sharp Drop In Temps, Dangerous Icing

“We are keeping a close eye on the incoming storm and how it may impact our customers,” said Ryan Hawthorne, vice president of Electric Engineering and Operations. “We are preparing for the possibility of electric service interruptions and have called in mutual assistance crews from Indiana who are expected to arrive tomorrow. We expect to have a field force of more than 380 line and tree workers ready to respond safely and efficiently if outages do occur.”

The company said while the storm's track remains uncertain, significant ice could weigh down trees and cause them to fall onto power lines.

Hawthorne said residents should remain 30 feet away from downed powerlines and assume that all downed lines are live.

The company said customers can do the following to prepare for the storm and possible service interruptions:

Pay attention to weather advisories, storm outage updates and/or shelter information. Visit hudsonvalleyweather.com for the latest forecast information.
Charge electronic devices in order to connect with Storm Central, Central Hudson’s outage information and reporting site
Keep handy a flashlight and fresh batteries
Have a battery-powered radio to remain informed of restoration efforts
Confirming adequate packaged or canned foods that require no refrigeration or cooking
Avoiding opening a refrigerator unnecessarily during outages, so that food lasts longer, an unopened refrigerator can keep food fresh for four hours
Have a non-electric can opener
Keep an emergency supply of bottled water on hand for drinking and washing
Filling bathtubs with water as added reserves

Customers who need electricity to operate life-sustaining equipment can call the company at 845-452-2700.

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