Snowbanks and parked cars narrowed the traveled way on busy Elm Street, January 21, 2019. Photo by J. Gregory Gerdel.
The season’s first big snowstorm is on its way, with forecasters saying a nor’easter will hit the Northeast starting late Thursday night, Dec. 15, and continuing into Saturday afternoon, Dec. 17. In Vermont, up to a foot of wet heavy snow could blanket the region, starting late tonight in the south and then moving north through tomorrow. In addition to dangerous travel on the roads, wet heavy snow causes greater problems because it can weigh down trees and lines.
In addition to GMP field forces, external crews are lined up to help restore power should the storm interrupt service.
“Our team is preparing for the forecast, and we will have our team ready to respond,” said Mike Burke, GMP’s vice president of field operations. “The weight of the snow will be heavy, with loading on trees and lines possible before the temperatures drop on Saturday. We urge people to be safe on the roads and stay alert to changing conditions that could be dangerous. People should always stay far away from any downed lines or trees as they could still be energized. Call us to help.”
Green Mountain Power recommends customers have some basics on hand including:
A charged cell phone
The GMP app on your cell phone
Flashlights with fresh batteries
Bottled water
More storm preparation tips are available on GMP’s website. The GMP app is a convenient way to report outages and track power restoration times as well as manage your GMP account from your cell phone. For medical emergencies, always call 9-1-1. You can also report outages by calling GMP at 888-835-4672, and through GMP’s online outage center.
