The National Weather Service is predicting a major storm for this weekend, including the possibility for high winds and heavy wet snow.
According to the situation report from the Great Falls NWS office, “confidence continues to increase and forecast remains on track for a high impact, early season winter storm.”
Extreme impacts to agriculture, power infrastructure, travel and outdoor activities are likely, according to NWS, with near record cold with dangerously low wind chills for late September this weekend into early next week.
According to the NWS forecast maps, 8-12 inches of snow could fall in the Great Falls area between now and Monday.
The weather has cancelled some events, including the last Farmers Market of the season in downtown Great Falls, and caused other events to change locations around town.
The storm is expected to cause tree damage, which may cause power line damage and NorthWestern Energy is adjusting staffing in anticipation of the storm, the company said in a Friday release.
Report outages and damaged and downed power lines by calling the NorthWestern Energy Montana Customer Service line, 888-467-2669 or online.
Outage reports help crews and operators determine the size and cause of the outage, according to the release. Once the cause and impact is determined, the company calls in crews and dispatches them to repair any damaged equipment to restore power, according to the release.
Winter storm safety tips from NorthWestern Energy:
- Non-electric, unvented space heaters can be a hazard. Use them only in well-ventilated areas.
- If you use an electric generator, plug appliances directly into it. Never plug a generator directly into your home’s electrical wiring.
- Disconnect or turn off appliances you were using when the power went off. Leave one light on to tell you when service is restored.
- Avoid opening refrigerators or freezers. Food will stay frozen in a fully loaded freezer for 36 to 48 hours if the door is closed. In a half-full freezer, food will keep 24 hours.
- Stock up on non-perishable foods, heating fuel and medications.
- Fill your bathtub and spare containers with water in case your electric water pump or the local water system goes out.
- Have a flashlight, a battery-powered radio and fresh batteries handy.
- Prepare older family members, friends or neighbors who live alone for the weather.
- NorthWestern Energy reminds customers to make sure natural gas meters, as well as furnace and appliance vents, are free from snow and ice. Blocked vents could result in a loss of heat or buildup of deadly carbon monoxide in homes and other structures. Some furnace vents may be located on roofs.
- Safety starts with you, don’t take the risk of going into bad weather.
- NorthWestern Energy posts updates on outages on Facebook and Twitter, (@NWEinfo), and on the NorthWestern Energy Outage Map, where you can sign up for text updates on an outage.
- Use a flashlight. Avoid candles because of the fire risk.
- Never use wet or damp electrical items
If you have any questions, call the NorthWestern Energy Montana Customer Service line, 888-467-2669.
