Power outages and downed trees follow Thursday morning storm
- Related coverage: Extreme weather around Ann Arbor: How are you coping with storms, power outages, record temps?
- Related coverage: Extreme temperatures expected to linger through Friday; heat warning now in effect
- DTE Energy: Ann Arbor area power expected to be restored by Saturday
This story was updated at 6:30 p.m. with estimates that power will be restored Sunday night for about 2,000 in an area south of Ann Arbor.
A thunderstorm early Thursday morning resulted in power outages and scattered downed trees across Washtenaw County.
Tree damage from Thursday's storm. This tree is on Yost Boulevard on Ann Arbor's east side.
Lucy Ann Lance | From Facebook
About 5,000 DTE Energy customers are without power in Ann Arbor and Pittsfield Township, with the areas of concentration near I-94 and the Scio Church Road; east of Stone School Road from Eisenhower south to Textile; and along South Industrial.
Other areas affected by power outages this morning - since about 5 a.m. - are areas of Dexter, Chelsea and Manchester.
A total of about 15,000 DTE Energy customers in the county were without power as of 1:30 p.m. according to DTE spokesman Len Singer, power is expected to return to normal by late Saturday. According to the DTE Energy outage map, about 2,000 customers south of Ann Arbor face an estimated restoration time of Sunday night. The outages are the result of approximately 30 downed power lines in the county.
Debris from Thursday morning's storm still awaited cleanup by mid-afternoon in some areas, like these branches near the PNC Bank on West Eisenhower in Ann Arbor.
Angela Cesere | AnnArbor.com
Singer said crews are working 16-hour shifts around the clock in order to restore power to the region as quickly as possible. A total of 210,000 people are without power in Southeast Michigan, with the greatest concentration in Oakland County.
To report power outages, DTE is asking customers to use their website as the company’s phone lines are currently tied up.
The outage follow a line of storms that went through the county and beyond, resulting in an estimated 200,000 customers without power in Metro Detroit, including an area near Metro Airport and many properties in Oakland County.
Emergency crews were responding to calls of downed trees on Thursday morning, too. Affected areas include Pontiac Trail and Earhart Road. Barton Park also was closed at about 8:15 a.m. due to power lines near the road.
The storm took place during the last hours of an excessive heat watch that had been issued for the area until 8 a.m. Thursday.
That watch has been upgraded to a warning that also has been extended until 9 p.m. Friday, as forecasters warn that the extreme heat affecting the area will continue.
With the heat warning, officials say:
* High temperatures will reach the upper 90s to around 100 degrees.
* Overnight temperatures will only cool to the middle and upper 70s.
* High humidity will result in heat indices from 105 to 110 both today and Friday.
This story will be updated.
Comments
Ann English
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 6:33 p.m.
From the photos provided, I get the impression that limbs big enough to disrupt traffic fell on roads I use much more frequently than the ones I used yesterday. Or PARTS of those roads. So not every residential road escaped such limbs. The bright side is that those that didn't break off during the storms still provide much-needed shade.
DonBee
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 12:10 p.m.
Soft Paw - You will not find overhead lines in Manhatten either, but in the Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy, Sweden, Norway and most of the European countries, when you get out of the cities, you see overhead lines. Europe has NOT gotten rid of overhead lines, not by a long shot. They have done more undergrounding than the US has. If you check on the internet you will find reliablity in Europe "on average" is no better than reliablity in the US. I can't find detailed numbers anywhere on the internet that compares small cities to small cities in Europe and the US. The cost of the electric network in your bill is roughly 25% of the bill down from roughly 1/3 20 years ago. As the cost of energy went up the power companies were told to hold the line on costs for the distribution network. If you want it all undergrounded, it will triple the cost of the network - So you will see a roughly 50% rise in your bill. Are you willing to pay that? OBTW - that is not a one time fee - that is forever.
Soft Paw
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 1:37 a.m.
Power lines strung between poles are obsolete, ugly, and fail whenever a storm occurs. Most European countries got rid of them years ago. Maybe we could afford to also if we had a few less wars.
Bertha Venation
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 4:30 p.m.
Don't apologize Viv... .I'm with you 100% honey!
Bertha Venation
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 4:27 p.m.
When I lived in Alexandria, VA. All of our power lines were buried. It was really nice. I've tried to get Comcast and DTE to bury the lines from the pole to my house, but they said: "No." I'd like to learn how to do this if anyone has any pointers. Thank you,... Bertie
vivian
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 2:25 p.m.
Sorry--just crabby because of the heat, I guess.
vivian
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 10:26 a.m.
Or less overpriced public 'art' that not only doesn't inspire but doesn't even do what it's designed to, maybe? ~ $750 K could fund the burying of a lot of wires, I would guess.
MRunner73
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 9:33 p.m.
Power came back to the Ann Arbor-Saline RD/Main Street area around 1:00 PM. Cable was out until mid afternoon and now it is back.
Harry Hunter
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 9:09 p.m.
How many of out local DTE crews got sent to Ohio earlier this week to help them out?
ranger007
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 3:12 a.m.
The news said 100 crews were sent but called them back and they showed back up sometime yesterday.
Rusty
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 8:11 p.m.
Did that brief storm this afternoon cause a lot more power outages? It seems like the outage areas shown on DTE's map in Washtenaw county have gotten quite a bit bigger throughout the day than they were this morning.
Ann English
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 7:59 p.m.
Epengar, When you said that trees don't fall in an instant, you reminded me of one Dexter tornado video, where an evergreen tree next to Mast Road fell down away from the video camera. If there had been no note in the video about how many minutes and seconds into it the tree would fall, most of us viewing the video would have missed it. If trees don't instantly fall in a tornado, they don't in less severe storms either.
Epengar
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 2:55 p.m.
Trees don't necessarily fall in an instant. I think the early morning storm did a lot of damage, and the afternoon storm gusts, especially coming from a slightly different direction, knocked down damaged limbs.
justcurious
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 9:32 p.m.
In order to repair power in some areas they need to shut off power in other areas. That happened to us this morning. We did not lose power due to the storm but did later for repairs.
Alan Goldsmith
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 7:03 p.m.
"To report power outages, DTE is asking customers to use their website as the company's phone lines are currently tied up." Great idea--oh WAIT. My POWER IS OUT.
Ann English
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 6:43 p.m.
I think you mean that when your power is out, so is your Internet connection. I wonder if they mean use their website from a different area, where you are networked. From the DTE map, it looks like power has returned to the Mallett's Creek Library. What did you do, Alan, find an open library with a working Internet connection, in order to reach annarbor.com?
Phil K.
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 10:20 p.m.
And yet you can get to Annarbor.com to complain....
Arieswoman
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 6:08 p.m.
Gee, maybe my new "smart meter" will report any outages?
AMOC
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.
As a matter of fact, the smart meters do indeed report outages without customer intervention. The power companies can then tell exactly which houses do and don't have power, and also which ones have backup generators in operation (which means the repair crews must take special precautions.
belboz
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:28 p.m.
DTE outage map tells me what I already know - we are out of power. How about DTE publish some expected repair times? Then it might actually be useful.
belboz
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 8:32 p.m.
Yes, but until just recently, they hadn't published any progress or repair times. Looks like they now have estimated times, with many for Sunday. So, I take back my recreational whining. I also got a phone call with an automated progress update, so things seem to be kicking into gear.
Epengar
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 7:04 p.m.
If you click on any outage area on the map, you get more information, including the estimated restoration time.
David Cahill
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:06 p.m.
It turns out that the Dryseitl fountain at City Hall doesn't work unless there is water from that property in its storage tanks. So the recent dryness is one reason (in addition to broken equipment) that it doesn't work. With this recent rain to fill its tanks, maybe someday the Dryseitl fountain will actually perform properly! Oh, right, maybe the sun will rise in the west, too. 8-)
Epengar
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 7:04 p.m.
I rode past the fountain on my way home from work Tuesday, and there was water running through the sculpture then. Maybe the thundershower that morning recharged the tanks.
Roaring_Chicken
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:05 p.m.
It's God's judgment on Weather.com for buying up our beloved Wunderground ... Warming up for that asteroid impact in December!
mrk
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:01 p.m.
I hear there is a tree or large branch down on I-94 near State St.
the leprachaun
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:58 p.m.
no power east side of saline
xmo
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:33 p.m.
I just love it when people decide to have power outages to save the planet! Thank you all for doing this. Sorry about the global warming, I had a BBQ Tuesday Night which must have given off too much CO2 which cause the hot weather and bad storms! Next time I will use a Microwave.
leaguebus
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.
But on TV the coal that generates the electricity is clean! LOL
tdw
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:06 p.m.
xmo....no you can't do that either you silly goose.That uses electricity.You MUST use a solar oven ! geeze some people
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:47 p.m.
Now you are making me feel guilty for using my Weber nightly. Guess I'll stick to sushi.
Epengar
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:06 p.m.
If you have a smartphone or other mobile device that can access web pages, you can report outages to DTE Energy, and get updates on repairs, here: mobile.dteenergy.com If you have an Android phone or iPad/iPhone/iPod Touch, they offer a free app that lets you report and check status, and also view their map of outages: http://www.dteenergy.com/residentialCustomers/problemsSafety/outageCenter/mobile.html You can also view their outage map from any computer connected to the web: http://dteenergy.com/map/outage.html
Epengar
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 7:07 p.m.
The map only updates once every 15 minutes. It has worked for me in the past, but I've only had a couple of outages since they started the map.
Audion Man
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:22 p.m.
Our apartment complex lost power around 9:45 a.m. We reported it with their handy app. But... It has never shown up on the outage map. So, I do not know how accurate/up to date that map is...
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:23 p.m.
Great site. Thanks.
Tru2Blu76
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.
Heat energy increases the severity of storms. Another unforeseen consequence of global warming - well, not unforeseen by actual climatologists, just unforeseen by global warming deniers who are, after all, not real scientists. :-)
Hunterjim
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 1:24 a.m.
Tough winter.
Hunterjim
Fri, Jul 6, 2012 : 1:23 a.m.
Spent many summers just like this. Enjoy the heat it might just be a thought cold winter.
Superior Twp voter
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 11:36 p.m.
Gag.
KMHall
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 9:55 p.m.
"....not unforeseen.." is right and you don't need a to be a scientist to understand what we've done to the planet. The warnings have been out there for years but to make corrections would have interrupted our lifestyle. God and Mother Nature will make the interruptions instead.
MRunner73
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 9:43 p.m.
To Tru...like a lot of your comments but not on this topic. Tobhall, forget MIT them and ALL universites are funded by pro global warming. I am an Atmospheric Scientist employed locally and I just looked at the correlationship with 1988. Actually, the summer of 1987 was a hot one and was a good lead up the heat/drought summer of 1988. Thus, 2011 was a good lead up to 2012. The warm signal June 2011 has persisted. This also happend back in 1920-21, 1990-91 as precendents. Also know that the 1930s had the most number of days at or above 100. The 1950s was the second most active. This is NOT related to the CO2 build up. By the way, sea level has not increased the past 50-60 years and I've seen data plots on that. Come one, fallas, try to keep and open mind. One more fact: it has been a good and wet summer in the British Ilse, hence this warming (USA) is not global.
SEC Fan
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 7:15 p.m.
@Tru, Actually, I am a "scientist". Are you? If not, well, then wouldn't your argument also apply to you?
bhall
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 6:29 p.m.
Scientific evidence clearly shows warming of global average air temperatures and ocean temperatures. We can also see changes in the distributions of animals and plants. For years, scientists have been saying that rising global temperatures will mean more severe storms, droughts in some places, hotter and longer lasting heat waves, and greater risk of wildfires. Clearly, those predictions are correct. Unfortunately for us, warming is estimated to increase faster than anticipated. MIT recently doubled its expectation to 10 degrees F by 2100 if no action is taken. Such temperatures would be very, very dangerous.
shepard145
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 5:54 p.m.
Amusing to see ADHD global warming hystics need to be continually reminded that the fact that the earth's temperature has always changed, or even that human activity effects it some ultra miniscule fashion does not mean we CONTROL the planet's weather. Most writing here who want to claim the "debate is over" don't even know the questions to ask, let alone debate them!! LOL
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:26 p.m.
To all global warning believers: please shut down your computers... ....signing off
Jimbo
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:20 p.m.
http://news.heartland.org/newspaper-article/2000/10/01/father-global-warming-partially-recants
Steve
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:10 p.m.
@ L.C. Burgundy Climate scientist Kevin Trenberth: "...as time goes on, we always expect to set new records, but there should be an equal number of highs and lows. And in the 1950s and the '60s and '70s, that was the case. But by the time we got to the 2000s, the ratios of highs to lows was about two-to-one and this year so far it's running at about a ratio of ten-to-one. And so clearly this is just not natural variability anymore."
WalkingJoe
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:56 p.m.
@Tru2Blu76, may one ask if you are a real scientist?
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:39 p.m.
"...I don't want to get into a debate..." Then why are you? "...just because you don't like Al Gore..." I didn't say I don't like him, I said he was not scientist.
L. C. Burgundy
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 3:10 p.m.
You can't really draw conclusions about global climate based upon a tiny sample of the planet over a tiny sample of time. Note that the current heat wave is comparable to ones that occurred 1995, 1988, and were downright frequent during the 1930's. The longest 90+ heat wave in this area actually occurred in August and September of 1953!
ThaKillaBee
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:50 p.m.
The difference is that Al Gore isn't out there promoting the active denial of scientific evidence. I don't want to get into a debate, but just because you don't like Al Gore doesn't mean what he says isn't true.
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 2:19 p.m.
After all, neither is al gore.
Kristina Birk
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 1:51 p.m.
No power in Ypsi Township either, at Whittaker near 94. DTE estimate for restore is 8 PM.
djacks24
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 8:59 p.m.
I'm east of there down Textile and to my knowledge our power didn't even flicker.
grimmk
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 1:58 p.m.
Wow, I'm north of that by Prospect and we have power. The lights did flicker a bunch of times. I hope it's sooner than 8pm!
dexterreader
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 1:10 p.m.
As a Dexter resident, this storm was a bit of a "deja-vu" event. There were sustained high winds and lots and lots of rain. I, too, welcome the rain, but can do without the wind! Guess it was just Mother Nature providing her own "fireworks" to end the holiday!!
Bertha Venation
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 1:02 p.m.
Guess Mother Nature really showed me! My garage is separate from the house with no pedestrian door, but an automatic opener. Boy, what a site the neighbors got when they saw my big butt trying to get through the garage window. Alas, never made it. Good news, I'm getting MUCH better mileage now. :)
Bertha Venation
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:47 p.m.
My pleasure, DMB.. Afterall, us old folks like to feel useful, you know! :)
DNB
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 4:44 p.m.
Thanks for a good laugh! :D (After losing power today for 7 hours, I needed one)
justcurious
Thu, Jul 5, 2012 : 12:29 p.m.
Many trees are down across power lines according to the scanner. We have power here but so many do not. It will take time to repair everything. I do welcome the rain however. We are so far behind on rainfall.