Power outages expected due to heavy wet snow fall

DULUTH, Minn. – FOX 21 Chief Meteorologist Rusty Mehlberg is predicting snow, sleet, freezing rain, and rain to fall across our region Tuesday (Jan 17) evening into Wednesday (Jan 18) morning.   These storms very likely will cause at least scattered power outages.

Stay safe – Ways to be prepared for an outage:
• Keep a “Lights Out” kit in an accessible place with at least one flashlight, a battery-powered radio and extra batteries.
• Use candles or camping lanterns with caution.
• Turn off televisions, stoves, microwave ovens, stereo equipment and other appliances except your refrigerator and freezer.
• Leave at least one light on so you’ll know when power has been restored.
• Do not go near any low or downed wires as injury or death could occur. Always assume downed power lines are energized.

Snow will fall along and north of Highway 2, which will be wet and heavy with snowfall rates of 1 to 2+ inches per hour at times.  Winds will become very strong, with gusts ranging from 40 to 60 mph.  The snow and wind will continue Wednesday, slowly improving throughout the day and become isolated showers with a breeze Thursday.

The North Shore will see the worst conditions with 16 to 24+ inches of snowfall and the highest wind gusts. The rest of the Arrowhead will see 10 to 20 inches of snowfall, with the Twin Ports, Rainy River Basin, and Bayfield Peninsula seeing 4 to 12 inches of snowfall. The Iron Range and South Shore Showbelt regions will see 1 to 5 inches of snowfall with minor ice accumulation.

Minnesota Power has line crews and equipment positioned and ready to respond.  Minnesota Power says with the potential for heavy, wet snow and strong winds, this storm may lead to power outages.

Travel could be difficult at times and may lead to extended power restoration times.  The safety of crews and customers is our top priority for Minnesota Power.

The predicted high winds could blow trees and tree branches onto power lines. People are urged to stay away from downed power lines and not attempt to remove tree branches that may have fallen on lines. Always assume that downed wires are energized and can cause injury or death.