Thousands in region lose power to storms

9/10/2001

Scattered power outages were reported yesterday as lines of thunderstorms rumbled across northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan.

About 6,000 Toledo Edison customers lost their electricity at one time or another, spokeswoman Jennifer Shriver said.

By 10:15 p.m., power had been restored to all but 1,200 customers. The customers still without power included a cluster of 300 along Crissey Road in Sylvania, Springfield, and Monclova Townships.

The line of outages started in southwest Toledo and extended west into Fulton County, Mrs. Shriver said. The area around Central Avenue and Centennial Road in Sylvania Township generated a flurry of calls to the utility beginning about noon.

In Monroe County, about 200 customers of Consumers Power experienced interruptions, spokesman Bill Bassett said.

“Lightning, wind, and trees are the culprits,” Mr. Bassett said. “A lightning strike on a tree, which then downs a wire, is enough to knock out power.”

Outages were spread across 15 locations in Monroe County. Lambertville was hit hardest, with 164 customers losing service.

Detroit Edison, which serves Monroe County, reported 100 customers without power at various times, spokesman Lew Layton said. On Saturday, that figure was 3,000.

Toledo Express Airport recorded 1.4 inches of rain between midnight and 8 p.m. The high was 82 degrees. At Metcalf Field in Lake Township, less than a half-inch fell during that time.

Thunderstorms are expected this morning, said John Dlugoenski, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, Inc., a private forecasting firm in State College, Pa.

A cold front that has been slowly moving northeast, pushing warm, humid air in front of it, is expected to be over Ohio today, Mr. Dlugoenski said.

The interaction of the cold air and warm, moist air has been creating all the instability,” he said. “We experience that in the form of thunderstorms.”

The cold air will bring cooler temperatures. The forecast calls for a high of 76.