More than 1,000 individuals experienced power disruptions in Fort Erie and Port Colborne due to winds reaching speeds of up to 110 km/h in the Niagara Region. Canadian Niagara Power Inc., the electricity provider for these areas, reported that at least 1,114 customers were affected by outages by midday on Monday. The company’s website indicated that hundreds were still impacted in the early afternoon, but power had been restored to most customers by Monday evening.
Inclement weather conditions were cited as the cause of the outages by the company in updates shared on their Facebook page, urging residents to report outages by calling 1-800-278-WIRE (5394). Alectra also reported outages in Hamilton and Niagara, with 126 customers in Stoney Creek without power in the morning and over 1,000 customers experiencing outages in St. Catharines later in the day.
Kristine Carmichael, director of corporate customer service for Canadian Niagara Power, mentioned that crews were actively addressing the outages in Fort Erie and Port Colborne. She advised customers to exercise patience and avoid downed power lines, as most outages were caused by trees falling on the lines.
Environment Canada issued a weather warning for strong wind gusts ranging from 90 to 110 km/h, along with a snow squall warning for Hamilton due to near zero visibility during intense snowfall. The agency also forecasted strong wind gusts of 80 to 90 km/h for Hamilton, Burlington, Brantford, and the Niagara Region, noting that the winds would gradually ease by the evening.
Concerning the ongoing weather conditions, Environment Canada advised the public to prepare for potential local utility outages, property damages, and secure loose objects due to the strong winds. Additionally, a snow squall watch was issued for Brantford, warning of near zero visibility and expected snowfall amounts of 10 to 20 cm, potentially leading to hazardous travel conditions and road closures.