Fierce overnight storms tore through the Mid South late Monday and snapped the lights off for thousands, leaving more than 7,100 Memphis Light, Gas & Water customers without power on Tuesday morning. Outages were clustered around Mud Island and the Vollintine Evergreen neighborhood, and crews were scattered across the city trying to get everyone back online.
Thousands Still In The Dark On Outage Dashboard
MLGW’s outage dashboard showed roughly 7,100 customers without power across Shelby County by mid-morning. The utility’s map registered 7,167 outages at 10:10 a.m., 7,122 at 10:30 a.m., and 7,130 at 10:50 a.m., according to MLGW.
Mud Island, Vollintine Evergreen Take The Biggest Hit
Local reporting said the worst of the damage was concentrated in two pockets. Mud Island and the Vollintine Evergreen area together appeared to account for about 5,469 customers without power. FOX13 Memphis reported the neighborhood breakdown on Tuesday morning.
Crews Fan Out Across The City
MLGW said crews were out assessing damage and making repairs across Memphis, prioritizing safety and critical facilities while they worked through the outage list. Customers were urged to report outages and check restoration estimates online. The utility’s outage page lists its electric outage hotline for customers who need to report service interruptions and shows the most up-to-date restoration status. MLGW recommended callers use (901) 544-6500 for outage reports.
The Storm System That Slammed The Mid South
Forecasters had already flagged an enhanced risk of severe thunderstorms across the Mid South as the system moved through, and the National Weather Service in Memphis warned that multiple storm modes were possible overnight. National coverage described the same system as part of a broader multi-day severe weather pattern stretching across parts of the central and southern United States. National Weather Service Memphis and Weather.com both posted outlooks ahead of the storms.
Grid Work Helps, But Weather Still Wins Rounds
MLGW has been pursuing grid modernization and tree trimming in recent months, steps local reporting tied to a decline in long outage events earlier this year. Still, analysts and utility officials say severe wind, lightning, and falling trees remain the biggest drivers of fast-moving, multi-neighborhood outages. Action News 5 reviewed the utility's outage data in February.
If your power is out, report the problem to MLGW at 901-544-6500 and monitor the outage map or the utility’s official channels for restoration estimates and safety information. We will update this story as MLGW posts new restoration times and as forecasts change.
