Article Summary –
More than 140,000 households in Colorado lost power due to strong winds that fueled fires and downed trees. Roughly 55,000 of these outages were preemptive measures taken by Xcel Energy due to wildfire concerns and the outages are expected to last until noon on Sunday. Five million people across Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming were under high wind warnings, and parts of Colorado and Utah were under a red flag warning for a heightened risk of fire danger due to strong winds, warm temperatures, and low humidity.
Power Outages and High Wind Warnings Impact Over 140,000 Households in Colorado
Powerful winds causing fires and tree damage left over 140,000 households without electricity in Colorado. Along with Colorado, millions across the West were under high wind warnings or fire danger alerts.
The majority of the Colorado power outages, stated by Xcel Energy’s website, affected residents of Boulder County, Denver, and Fort Collins.
Xcel Energy Preemptively Cuts Power Amid Wildfire Concerns
On Saturday, Xcel Energy proactively disrupted power supply to approximately 55,000 customers due to wildfire threats. The company anticipated these outages to continue until Sunday noon for power line inspections.
High Wind Warning Issued for Multiple States
More than five million people across Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Wyoming were under a high wind warning. The National Weather Service stated winds up to 40 mph along with gusts reaching 80 mph could topple trees and power lines.
Due to the risks of rapid fire spread from strong winds and dry conditions, parts of Colorado and Utah received a red flag warning according to the Weather Service. This warning indicates elevated fire danger due to warm temperatures, very low humidity, and strong winds.
Interstate 70 Shutdown and Power Failures
High winds led to a temporary shutdown of part of Interstate 70 in Kansas due to crashes and low visibility as stated by the state’s Department of Transportation on social media.
Furthermore, power failures and tree damage were expected due to the high winds, forecasters said.
Extreme Winds Recorded in Colorado
In Colorado, extreme winds exceeding 90 mph were documented in parts of Boulder County, as per the National Weather Service. Boulder city experienced wind gusts of up to 63 mph.
On the same night, a one-acre wildfire was being fought near Estes Park in Colorado’s National Forest. With no significant growth, the only immediate risk was to power poles, the local Forest Service stated.
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