Preparing for severe spring weather

While scientists are debating how wind might affect the spread of the coronavirus, Chief Meteorologist Scott Dorval is watching the wind forecast very closely so it doesn’t create a different issue for you during this pandemic.

NOW THAT SPRINGHAS ARRIVED THEPOTENTIAL FORSEVERE WEATHER ISINCREASING.

WITHMANY OF US HAVINGSTOCKED UP OURFREEZER WITH SOMEEXTRA ITEMS, THELAST THING WANT ISA POWER OUTAGE TOSPOIL OUR SUPPLIES.WHILETHUNDERSTORMWINDS CAN TAKEDOWN SOME POWERLINES, IDAHO POWERENSURES THATLONG-DURATIONOUTAGES ARE NOTTHAT COMMON."ON AVERAGE, THEAVERAGE IDAHOPOWER CUSTOMER ISWITHOUT POWERFOR FEWER THANTWO HOURS PERYEAR.

SOMETIMES INTHE CASE OFEXTREME WEATHEROUTAGES CAN LAST AFOR SEVERALHOURS."MOST OF OUROUTAGES ARESIGNIFICANTLY LESSTHAN TWO HOURS"IDAHO POWER SAYSIF YOU DOEXPERIENCE ANDOUTAGE THATFROZEN FOOD CANLAST FOR HOURSESPECIALLY IF YOUHAVE A DEEPFREEZER OUT IN THEGARAGE WHERE IT ISCOOLER.BUT REGARDLESS OFYOUR SET-UP HEREIS ONE THING THEYRECOMMENDBESIDES JUSTKEEPING THEFREEZER DOORCLOSED..."WE DO ENCOURAGEPEOPLE TO KEEP ABLOCK OF ICE INTHERE... OBVIOUSLYWITH FOLKSSTOCKING UP RIGHTNOW THOSE THINGSMIGHT BE FULLALREADY.

BUT IFYOU'VE GOT ROOMKEEP A BLOCK OF ICEIN THERE, THAT WILLHELP TO KEEPTHINGS COLDEREVEN IF THE POWERGOES OUT"WHILE THERE IS NOSEVERE WEATHER INMY FORECAST RIGHTNOW, IF OUTAGES DOOCCUR DURING THISCOVID-19 PANDEMIC,IDAHO POWER WILLBE READY TORESPOND.AS AN ESSENTIALSERVICE,DESIGNATEDESSENTIAL SERVICEWE ARE STILL OUTWORKING HARD TOPROVIDE SAFERELIABLE POWERFROM AN OUTAGERESTORATIONSTANDPOINT WE AREOPERATINGBUSINESS AS USUAL"FOR A FULL LIST OFOUTAGE TIPS ANDHOW YOU CANPREPARE YOU CANGO TOIDAHOPOWER.COM/OUTAGETIPSHERE IS A LOOK ATTHE WEATHER WEARE EXPERIENCINGIN THE VALLEY...ACROSS THE STATEAND AROUND THENORTHWEST.THE SATELLITE