BETHLEHEM, Pa. — Strong winds are sweeping through the Lehigh Valley Monday night into Tuesday, causing thousands of power outages.
In Bethlehem alone, more than 1,000 customers temporarily lost power. The winds also brought many reports of downed trees and wires in the area.
While some power has been restored, the winds are still powerful.
“Well the power went out about 5.30. And it just, it blinked, and then that was it,” said Ronald Patton, Bethlehem resident.
According to PPL, more than 1,100 customers in Bethlehem lost electricity at around 5 p.m. Monday as winds intensified.
“We just get the flashlights out. But you know, I’m hooked up for a generator system, but I gave my generator away. But I guess I’ll have to go back to it and prep, be a prepper,” Patton said.
In addition to outages, emergency crews responded to many reports of downed trees and wires.
“I went and I found all the battery-operated candles and lights and things that I’ve acquired over the years, and then we just had a family game night,” said Tina Hemmerle Merena.
Power was restored for hundreds of homes at around 7:30 p.m., as crews worked to make repairs.
“It was so much fun. It was really fun to try and figure out what to do with the fam and the friend from France. When we didn’t have any digitals or electronics to rely on,” said Hemmerle Merena.
PPL officials warn these winds can bring down tree limbs, blow around unsecured objects, and cause additional outages. They say crews remain on standby and encourage customers to report outages and sign up for alerts to stay informed.
Officials are urging drivers to watch out for debris or downed lines and to secure loose outdoor items as these windy conditions continue.Â
