MICHIGAN, USA — Consumers Energy is preparing for a winter storm heading towards Michigan that is expected to begin Wednesday afternoon. The weather event will bring snow, freezing rain and strong winds.
Consumers is expecting to see power outages, downed wires and other safety hazards due to the storm.
Crews are staying in areas that are expecting the greatest damage. Officials are also preparing trucks with essentials to assist in any restoration efforts.
To prepare for the storm, Consumers Energy recommends you do the following:
- Limit travel time as much as possible.
- Be alert to crews working on the roadside.
- Charge all electronic devices. It’s advised to have an emergency battery or charging station available for use during an outage.
- Have an emergency kit that includes flashlights and extra batteries, water, canned food and blankets both at home and in the car if travel is necessary. Be prepared with enough medication, baby supplies and pet food if applicable. A battery-operated radio is also a good idea.
- Unplug sensitive electronics like TVs, computers and printers. Turn power strips off.
You can view the Consumers Energy outage map here. To see the latest updates on outages in your area, you can download the Consumers Energy app, as well.
Consumers Energy reminds residents to always stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and anything they are touching. To report a downed line, call 800-477-5050.
See the latest winter forecast here.
Stay up-to-date on the latest forecast models and weather warnings by following 13 ON YOUR SIDE on Facebook, subscribing to our YouTube channel, downloading our weather app (available to download for free in the App Store or Google Play Store) and streaming us live on 13+, available for free download on Roku and FireTV.
►Make it easy to keep up to date with more stories like this. Download the 13 ON YOUR SIDE app now.
Have a news tip? Email news@13onyourside.com, visit our Facebook page or Twitter. Subscribe to our YouTube channel.
