Rocky Mountain Power prepared for strong winds that could cause power outages

SALT LAKE CITY — With strong winds anticipated throughout much of the state this weekend, Rocky Mountain Power said crews are standing by, prepared for whatever damage may come. "Wind is one of those trouble factors with weather," said Tiffany Erickson, spokesperson for the utility.  Erickson said the utility has meteorologists that track inclement weather and how it could impact systems. Wind is one of the leading factors when it comes to power outages. Erickson said they're anticipating an increase in outage reports throughout the weekend.  "It could be anything from hitting lines together to actually having debris go into lines to trees going into lines and so wind can be a big problem," she said. "We really want to make sure that as a company, we forecast for those events."The KSL Weather team is forecasting winds out of the south through tomorrow with gusts that could reach 60 mph to 75 across the state and even 100 mph along the mountain ridge tops. Powder Mountain announced it would be closed for night skiing on Friday, March 1, and closed for day skiing on Saturday, March 2. Strong winds are expected as high as 100 mph in the mountains and 50-60 mph across the Wasatch Front. Rocky Mountain Power is asking customers to be patient but also be prepared. Make sure to store or secure loose items like patio furniture, trampolines, trash cans, and debris that could take off at a moment's notice. It's also a good time to build an emergency preparedness kit or restock it. Make sure to include flashlights, extra batteries, and first aid supplies just to name a few. Also, keep your phones charged in case you need to report an outage or are trying to track when the lights might come back on. "One of the other things we ask customers to do is go in and make sure that your information is updated in our system so that if there is an outage, we can push notifications and updates to those customers," she said. To report an outage, call 1-877-508-5088 or text OUT to 759677.  For more information, click here.

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