Thousands of Colorado Springs residents were without electricity Monday after a windstorm ripped through the Pikes Peak region, according to Colorado Springs Utilities.
As of 7:30 a.m., wind gusts of 40-60 mph had contributed to multiple power outages, with about 10,000 customers affected, according to the utilities website.
The number of affected customers was down to around 6,700 as of 11:15 a.m.
Most of the outages have taken place west of Interstate 25, Utilities said. Broadmoor, Ivywild, Old Colorado City, Manitou Springs and Green Mountain Falls are among the hardest hit.
“Our electric troubleshooters and cable technicians are in full deployment to focus on power restoration efforts, and also our construction crews have been deployed as needed to assist with these restorations,” Utilities spokesman Jay Anderson said at a press conference held at 10 a.m. Monday at the Pikes Peak Regional Office of Emergency Management office, to address the regional weather response.
Winds were still too strong Monday for Utilities officials to respond to certain calls requiring bucket trucks, so crews are responding to many of the power outages remotely, he said.
A crew from Timberline Landscaping remove a downed fir tree in the yard of a home in the Skyway neighborhood on the westside of Colorado Springs Monday, May 6, 2024. Winds as high as 60 miles an hour hit the area early Monday morning. The homeowner said he heard the tree fall about 5:30 a.m. The house was mostly spared because the tree landed on top of a juniper tree instead of directly on the house. (The Gazette, Christian Murdock)
Downed lines and power outages have resulted in multiple school closures. The Cheyenne Mountain and Manitou Springs school districts have both canceled classes Monday. The Mountain Song Community School and The Colorado Springs School are also both closed. See a full list of closures and delays here.
Fires reported
At least two small fires had also been reported in the region, including one reported near Skyway Park Elementary School on Mercury Drive around 6:45 a.m. A pre-evacuation warning was also sent to residents in the lower part of Crystal Park neighborhood in Manitou Springs, due to a fire near 1150 Scrub Oak Drive. Officials said the warning had been lifted during the Monday morning press conference.
Colorado Springs police and fire departments have taken numerous emergency calls regarding the windstorm and have requested that residents do not call 911 to report outages.
Technicians are working to restore power, but safety concerns might cause delays in some areas, Utilities officials said.
Colorado Springs Utilities’ in-house wildland fire team is assisting the Colorado Springs Fire Department and other agencies who request help to cut tree limbs and is also responding to reports of downed power lines, downed trees and small grassfires, Colorado Springs Fire Department spokeswoman Ashley Franco said Monday morning.
The forecast
The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for Colorado Springs and surrounding areas as gusts range between 40-60 mph, with higher gusts expected west of the interstate through at least noon today.
Breezy conditions are forecast to continue through Tuesday, according to the Weather Service.
For updates on power restoration, visit www.csu.org.
Colorado Springs Airport
One incoming flight has been canceled and a handful of others delayed at the Colorado Springs Airport on Monday, according to Flight Aware. Arrival and departure updates can be found here.
Colorado Springs weather: High wind warning Monday, cooler
Colorado Springs Weather: windy conditions with fire danger and thunderstorms later this week
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