Wind knocks out power for some MEA customers

MAT-SU — High winds sent linemen scrambling Tuesday and today, restoring power to Valley homes.

The National Weather Service predicted as of 11:30 a.m. that the winds, blowing at 25 to 35 mph in the Matanuska Valley, would taper off to 15 to 30 mph by late afternoon. The Mat-Su Borough also issued an air quality warning.

As of this afternoon, power was still out in just one area of the Matanuska Electric Association's service area — Trapper Creek.

"They kind of took the brunt of the wind damage up there," said Wes Lindsey, an MEA spokesman. "We had reports that there were over 300 trees down."

Lindsey said MEA's crews were out all night working in the wind and that the area from Willow to Trapper Creek was the hardest hit. The power company's Facebook page indicates that there were scattered outages, including many along Knik-Goose Bay Road. Lindsey said power had been restored to most of those places.

Anyone without should report it to 746-POWR (7697).