POUGHKEESPSIE – Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation advises residents to be prepared for the potential of severe thunderstorms on Monday afternoon and evening, with the possibility of strong wind gusts and lightning.
Current forecasts are calling for a cold front to move into the area starting on Monday afternoon that has the potential to bring powerful thunderstorms, large hail and wind gusts of up to 65 miles per hour in some areas. These storms could break limbs and topple trees onto power lines, causing service interruptions.
“We are closely monitoring conditions and have our crews prepared to respond if outages do occur,” said Ryan Hawthorne, Vice President of Electric Engineering and Operations at Central Hudson. “We have also secured approximately 50 additional mutual aid line workers to expedite restoration efforts if needed. We also ask customers to exercise extra caution as these storms can create hazardous conditions.”
Residents are also advised to stay at least 30 feet away from downed power lines and remember that lines may be entangled and hidden in fallen trees and limbs. Residents should also assume all downed lines are live.
