High winds, cold temperatures forecast for weekend: Here’s how to prepare

With cold temperatures and high winds forecast for the Pittsburgh area this weekend, power outages may be on the horizon.

High winds Tuesday afternoon left about 41,000 FirstEnergy customers without power in Western Pennsylvania, the power company said in a post on its website. Power was restored to homes Wednesday and late Thursday night through the help of more than 5,000 FirstEnergy employees — including line workers, hazard responders, forestry crews, contractors and safety personnel.

But winds are expected to pick up again around 4 p.m. Friday, said WTAE meteorologist Brian Hutton.

“With stronger winds today, power outages are certainly possible,” Hutton said. “They would be most likely against the mountains and into the Laurel Highlands where winds will be strongest.

“A better chance for power outages is likely Saturday as winds stay up through the entire day, marking nearly 36 hours where wind gusts could reach or exceed 45 mph across both (Westmoreland and Allegheny) counties.”

The Laurel Highlands area — which includes part of Westmoreland, Somerset and Fayette counties — may see gusts up to 60 mph, Hutton said.

Little to no snow accumulation is expected for the weekend, he said, but there may be a light snowfall after midnight Friday. A low of 21 degrees and a high of 35 is forecast for Saturday, according to the National Weather Service. Sunday may see temperatures ranging from 25 degrees in the morning to 15 degrees at night.

FirstEnergy and Duquesne Light said on social media they plan to continue staffing extra employees to prepare for the high winds and cold temperatures.

Power has been restored to 97% of the 373,000 customers who lost power in this week's storm thanks to the efforts of 5,000+ utility personnel. While we continue working to restore service, we're preparing for a new system expected this weekend. More ▶️ https://t.co/wHX6zqiRNh pic.twitter.com/V6Ka8PSOqu

— FirstEnergy Corp. (@firstenergycorp) January 11, 2024

Tips to prepare for, address power outages

• Keep flashlights, fresh batteries, nonperishable food, bottled water, a first aid kit and any necessary medications on hand.
• Know how to open your garage door manually.
• Use surge protectors to protect electronics.
• Look for alternate sources of heat, like a wood-burning stove or fireplace. Outdoor camp stoves and grills can be used to cook food. You can also use towels to block drafts from entering your home through cracks in windows and doors. Black blankets can help insulate windows as well.
• Stay at least 30 feet away from downed or low-hanging power lines. Call 911 only if the power line is downed.
• If you lose power, check your circuit breakers and fuses. If no breaker is tripped and no fuse is blown, the problem may be isolated to your home. If your neighbor’s power is also out, report the outage.

Reporting outages

You can report outages to FirstEnergy online by visiting www.firstenergycorp.com/outages. You can also call 1-888-544-4877 or text “OUT” to 544487. If you have not yet signed up for text messaging with FirstEnergy, first text “REG.”

To receive updates on the outage, text “STAT” or visit the company’s interactive outage map.

To report outages to Duquesne Light on the DLC Mobile app, by visiting duquesnelight.com/outages-safety/report-outage or by calling 412-393-7000. Outages already reported can be found on Duquesne Light’s outage map.

You can also find FirstEnergy and Duquesne Light on X and Facebook for severe weather updates.