Wind gusts could top 50 and 60 mph in parts of New York as a multi-day storm pushes in with snow, rain, and ice.
National Grid warned that gusts “could approach 70 mph” as heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain move across Upstate New York from Sunday evening through Tuesday morning.
NYSEG and RG&E said forecasts show moderate icing Sunday evening into Monday morning in eastern parts of the state, plus hazardous winds Monday into Tuesday. They also warned that parts of Western and Central New York could get significant lake effect snow.
RG&E told customers it expects strong winds to develop Monday night, with “possible gusts of over 50 miles per hour in some areas,” along with a mix of snow, rain, wind, and ice over the next several days.
Crew staging ramps up across the state
NYSEG and RG&E said they have prepared for several days and will stage 170 additional contract line crews across the state. The companies said that includes 80 crews in the Lancaster division and 50 in the Rochester area. They said crews will work until power returns for all customers.
RG&E also told customers it will stage 170 additional contract line crews statewide, including 50 extra in the Rochester area, to respond quickly if outages happen.
National Grid said it has increased staffing and extended evening and overnight shifts. The company said it has secured external resources and activated its emergency response plan.
“And with many customers preparing to celebrate the New Year later this week, our focus remains on our ability to deploy our crews to safely and swiftly restore service should the weather cause interruptions,” Kyle Bentley, National Grid New York’s vice president for electric operations, said.
How to get outage updates
RG&E urged customers to sign up for My Account outage alerts to get automatic texts, emails, or voice messages if the power goes out. The company said customers can also use its mobile app to check outage status, report an outage, and view outage lists and maps.
NYSEG and RG&E also told customers to download the NYSEG or RG&E app for updates and outage reporting.
National Grid said customers can text “REG” to 64743 to get personalized outage alerts and text “OUT” to 64743 to report an outage. The company also directs customers to its Outage Central website and mobile app for real-time outage information.
Safety reminders before and during outages
NYSEG and RG&E told customers to keep flashlights, radios, drinking water, and non-perishable food on hand. They also urged people to fully charge phones and tablets and fill their car’s gas tank.
The companies told customers to stay at least 30 feet from downed power lines. They also said drivers should stay inside a vehicle if a downed wire touches it, unless fire or another danger forces them out.
National Grid told customers to use flashlights instead of candles during outages and to check on elderly neighbors and family members. The company also warned people to treat every downed line as live and to avoid standing water near wires because water can carry electricity.
Generator and life-support guidance
National Grid said customers should run generators outdoors to prevent deadly carbon monoxide buildup. The company also told customers to shut off the main breaker before using a generator to disconnect from National Grid’s system.
RG&E told customers that anyone who uses electrically powered life-sustaining equipment can enroll in its program at 800.743.2110 to get updates if an outage lasts longer than 24 hours.
National Grid said customers who depend on electrically powered life support equipment should register by calling 1-800-642-4272. In a medical emergency, the company said customers should dial 911.
Emergency numbers
RG&E told customers to call 800.743.1701 for a life-threatening electricity emergency, or 911. The company told customers to call 800.743.1702 or 911 for a natural gas emergency or if they smell gas.
NYSEG told customers to call 1.800.572.1131 to report downed power lines or other hazardous situations. RG&E told customers to call 1.800.743.1701 for the same issue.
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