National Weather Service Says Storm Will Track Further West, increasing Wind Threat Across State
COLCHESTER, Vt. – The forecast for Tropical Storm Isaias continued shifting overnight, putting Vermont squarely in its path, and Green Mountain Power (GMP) is alerting customers to prepare. Forecasters say as the storm track moves to the west, the heavy rain threat is reduced for parts of southeastern Vermont, and the threat of strong winds has increased, bringing the stronger possibility of statewide impacts including outages due to downed trees and power lines, though the full impacts are difficult to predict with the continued changing track of the storm.
“We track multiple forecasts to prepare for weather events so we can respond safely and efficiently for our customers, and as we said yesterday, the forecast continued to change as the storm moves north, with an even more western shift overnight,” said Mike Burke, Chief of Field operations for GMP. “We want customers across Vermont to be alert, and prepared for outages,” he said.
Forecasters say tropical storm force winds of 50 MPH and higher are possible, with the storm reaching the southern part of Vermont first late this afternoon, and it is predicted to exit the state around midnight. Meteorologists say that tornadic thunderstorm activity has been seen with this storm as it moves across the mid-Atlantic states this morning.
Customers should be prepared for outages and stay away from any downed trees or lines. They can read GMP’s storm preparation and safety tips online and you can sign up for text alerts. Crews are following extra health and safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic, and GMP is also encouraging customers to maintain a distance of at least 6 feet from crews, following CDC social distancing guidelines. Call GMP for assistance at (888) 835-4672 and call 911 for a medical emergency.
Customers can also report outages online and through the GMP app.
About Green Mountain Power
Green Mountain Power (GMP) serves approximately 266,000 residential and business customers in Vermont and is partnering with them to improve lives and transform communities. GMP is focused on a new way of doing business to meet the needs of customers with integrated energy services that help people use less energy and save money, while continuing to generate clean, cost-effective and reliable power in Vermont. GMP is the first utility in the world to get a B Corp certification, meeting rigorous social, environmental, accountability and transparency standards and committing to use business as a force for good. GMP earned a spot on Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in the World list four years in a row (2017, 2018, 2019, 2020). J.D. Power’s 2018 and 2019 rankings put GMP among top utilities for customer satisfaction. In 2019 and 2020 GMP was named “One of the Best Places to Work in Vermont” by Vermont Business Magazine and the Vermont Chamber of Commerce, and was the winner of the Deane C. Davis Outstanding Vermont Business of the Year Award in 2019.
Kristin Kelly, Green Mountain Power
(802) 318-0872
[email protected]
We track multiple forecasts to prepare for weather events so we can respond safely and efficiently for our customers, and as we said yesterday, the forecast continued to change as the storm moves north, with an even more western shift overnight.
Mike Burke, GMP Chief of Field Operations