Power Outages Linger After Two Central New York Tornadoes And 80 MPH Winds

Electrical crew members are working around the clock to bring power back to Upstate New York residents, primarily those in the Capital Region. Though straight winds at times hovered around 80 miles per hour near New York Mills, no tornadoes were reported in the Utica area, according to the National Weather Service.

However two reported tornadoes touched down in Schoharie County near Summit and East Jefferson and Schenectady County near Rotterdam according WIBX Meteorologist, Jennifer Narramore.

Heavy winds caused extensive damage to homes and properties, as well as power outages. According to the National Grid, at its peak strength, the storm knocked out power of up to 63,000 homes in the Upstate New York region. Schenectady is currently the most affected area of this storm, with 859 National Grid customers without power, and over 400 in the Albany area, with an estimated restoration time scheduled around 3 P.M. for Friday, May 31, 2013.

Both electrical work and tree work is the main focus this week in getting residents their power back. Over 100 utility poles were knocked down or sustained structural damage during the storm, causing crews to work well into the early morning to bring electricity back to communities, officials with the power company said. As of Friday, May 31, 2013 roughly 85 percent of homes affected by the storm have full power back in their homes.

Those who are still without power can contact the National Grid to report outages by visiting their website at https://www1.nationalgridus.com/ReportorCheckOutage-NY-RES, or by calling 1-800-642-4272.

(story by WIBX intern Marc Barraco)