High winds leave path of destruction, power outages

Thousands were left without power in the Mon Valley and surrounding areas.

High winds moving through southwestern Pennsylvania on Monday knocked out power to thousands of customers across the Mon Valley and surrounding counties, as utility crews worked through difficult conditions to assess damage and restore service.

As of 1:15 p.m., West Penn Power reported slightly more than 1,000 customers without power in Fayette County, with the largest outage centered in the Republic area.

In Washington County, the utility reported slightly more than 1,000 customers without power, with the largest outage affecting California, Pa.

Westmoreland County appeared to be the hardest hit, with approximately 3,000 customers losing electricity, including major outages in West Newton, Hempfield and Delmont.

Earlier in the day, West Penn Power reported more than 2,200 customers without power in Jefferson Hills and more than 700 outages in Elizabeth as wind gusts brought down tree limbs and power lines across the region.

In Allegheny County, Duquense Light reported 4,556 customers without power across 99 active outage events, according to the company’s outage map updated Monday afternoon. Duquesne Light said crews were working to safely assess damage caused by severe winds, with restoration estimates to be posted once assessments are complete.

Wind-related damage was also reported at the local level.

The Charleroi Fire Department responded to an incident in the 300 block of Cherry Alley where a porch roof was blown off by the wind. Crews evaluated the damage and secured the surrounding area to ensure safety. Charleroi Public Works, Charleroi Regional Police, and Bujanowski Towing assisted at the scene.

In West Newton, local businesses also reported significant impacts from the outages. Bloom Brew posted shortly after 1 p.m. that roughly 1,700 structures were out of service in the area, prompting the business to shut off online ordering. The business initially shared an estimated restoration window of 3:30 to 5 p.m., but later posted an update confirming power was restored before 3 p.m.

West Penn Power said crews are continuing restoration efforts despite challenging conditions.

“Crews are actively working through tough weather conditions to restore service to customers without power due to today’s high winds,” the utility said. “The high winds could slow restoration efforts, as crews cannot safely work in buckets when wind speeds exceed 40 mph.”

The utility urged residents to treat all downed power lines as live and dangerous, advising the public to call 911 to report hazards and to stay at least 30 feet away from any lines or debris they may be touching.

According to the NWS, windy and cold conditions will persist into Tuesday, with highs near 30 degrees and a slight chance of snow showers. Snow chances increase Tuesday night into Wednesday as colder air settles into the region, with light accumulations possible.

Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing for much of the rest of the week, with overnight lows dropping into the teens.