MINNEAPOLIS — Thousands of metro residents remain without electricity after heavy rains and strong winds rolled through parts of Minnesota early Sunday, leaving a path of downed trees and powerlines.
Xcel Energy said tens of thousands of residents lost power in the wake of that violent weather, adding that emergency crews remain on the job working to restore services. According to Xcel's online outage map, more than 9,000 people were still without electricity as of 8:45 p.m. Monday.
According to a statement from Xcel, most customers should have power at some point Monday night, but work is still scheduled to continue on Tuesday. The company said most of the 1,300 outages are in the western metro, with others impacting customers elsewhere in the area and some in western Wisconsin.
Xcel Energy reminded customers to avoid downed power lines, which may be obscured by downed trees and limbs.
Across the state, people shared pictures of flashing lighting and the damage this powerful storm left behind.
This photo from Eagan shows a splintered tree.
The Director of Saint Paul's Public Works department posted on X on Sunday that cleanup is underway in the city.
If your power is out, here are some things to keep in mind:
Do not use a generator inside the house.
Sunday is forecast to be a hot and humid day and it's tempting to use a generator to power an A/C unit. According to the CDC, never use a generator, pressure washer or any gasoline-powered engine inside your home, basement or garage or less than 20 feet from any window, door or vent.
Keep your refrigerator or freezer closed as much as possible.
A freezer full of food will keep cold and safe for 48 hours (24 hours if half-full) without power if you don't open the door and a fridge will stay cool for around four hours with the door closed.
Make sure your water is safe.
Water filters can fail in a power outage. If you aren't sure if your water is clean and safe, don't use it to drink, wash dishes, brush your teeth, wash and prepare food, wash your hands, make ice, or make baby formula. Instead, use bottled, boiled or treated water for drinking, cooking and personal hygiene.
Xcel Energy recommends building an emergency kit in case of power outages that includes the following items:
- Xcel Energy phone numbers - 1-800-895-1999 for residential or 1-800-481-4700 for business
- Battery-powered radio or television
- Flashlights
- Batteries
- Backup phone chargers
- A phone that does not require electricity
- Non-electric alarm clock
- Bottled water and nonperishable food
- Manual can opener
- First aid kit
- Extension cords (for partial outages)
- Manufacturer's instructions on how to manually open power-operated doors (e.g., garage doors)
If your home is too hot to be comfortable due to a power outage or other factors, you can always find a community cooling center until your home power is restored.