Strong afternoon winds tore through the region Friday, cutting power to thousands, snapping tree limbs, and pushing utility crews into emergency response mode. Channel 11 meteorologist Adis Juklo clocked gusts near 54 mph in the city as the front barreled through.
By 2:30 p.m., utilities were showing just how widespread the outages had become. Duquesne Light Company reported a little more than 10,000 customers without service and nearly 2,900 affected in the 15212 and 15214 ZIP codes, according to WPXI. FirstEnergy companies listed roughly 4,700 customers across their western Pennsylvania territory. WPXI also shared a county-by-county breakdown showing outages in Allegheny, Butler, Armstrong, Greene, Lawrence, Mercer, Washington, and Westmoreland counties. For live maps and restoration estimates, customers can check the Duquesne Light outage map and FirstEnergy outage center.
Wind advisories and local hazards
The National Weather Service kept wind advisories and related hazard products up across portions of the region as the system moved through, warning that strong gusts could bring down branches and damage power lines. That kind of setup raises the odds of power cuts and potentially dangerous, live downed wires along neighborhood streets and major roads. For the latest advisories, briefings, and updates, residents can head to the National Weather Service Pittsburgh page.
How to report outages and stay safe
Officials are urging residents to report outages through Duquesne Light outage tools or by calling the utility’s outage line, and to steer clear of any downed or sagging wires, staying at least 30 feet away. The City of Pittsburgh’s emergency guidance stresses treating all downed lines as energized, contacting 911 for immediate hazards and Duquesne Light for non-emergency reports, according to the city’s emergency updates. Officials also urged neighbors to look in on older residents and anyone who relies on electrically powered medical devices while crews work to restore service.
