High winds and downed power lines have left hundreds of residents in the dark across Northwest Montana, according to Flathead Electric Cooperative spokesperson Wendy Ostrom Price.
As of 5:45 p.m. Monday afternoon, more than 200 people were without power from Bigfork to Libby, down from 2,500 earlier in the afternoon. The largest power outages were in West Valley and southeast of Bigfork. Price said crews were working to get power restored as fast as possible, but noted that strong winds are expected to last throughout the day and night. The National Weather Service in Missoula has issued a high wind warning until 12 a.m. Tuesday.
“With winds of this magnitude, outages like this come with the territory,” Price said. “Our goal is to restore power as quick as we can to as many people as we can.”
Price said area residences should check the cooperative’s outage viewer online for the latest information and to never touch a downed power line.