Residents Without Power in Mentor, First Energy Reports

UPDATED 9:40 P.M.

Residents in Northeast Ohio are beginning to see the impact of Hurricane Sandy as high winds cause power outages across the area and huge waves on Lake Erie.

At 9:40 p.m., First Energy reported up to 1,300 without power in Mentor due to high winds.

And if you find yourself without power, it may be some time until it's restored, according to FirstEnergy.

Spokesman Mark Durbin told Patch that these outages are generally due to high winds brought on by Hurricane Sandy, but added that crews are in a tough spot when it comes to repairs.

"We are currently in a situation where, until the wind stops blowing, we’re not going to have a good handle on restoration time," he said. "If crews can safely make a repair we will do that, but we’re not sending crews up in bucket in 60-mile-per-hour winds."

Some repairs can be done from the ground, he stressed.

He added that if you have an outage, it's very important to report it. 

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for all of Northeast Ohio effective until 4 p.m. Tuesday.

These winds will be sustained at 30 to 40 miles per hour with gusts of up to 65 miles per hour, the NWS predicts.

Residents can check current outages on FirstEnergy's website.

Crews have been sent from Ohio to the East Coast, where damage is expected to be more severe and widespread, Durbin said, but crews in Northeast Ohio are fully equipped to respond the storm.

More coverage: Hurricane Sandy in Northeast Ohio

“We would not have sent those crews if we didn’t think we had adequate staffing here to deal with outages,” Durbin added.

Durbin stressed that customers should call 888-544-4877 if you have an outage — even if you think someone else will call — to help the company accurately track and respond to outages in the area.

This message was also included on the company's website:

The Illuminating Company is experiencing widespread power outages due to severe weather in our service area. Depending on the severity of the storm's impact on the electrical system, power outages could last up to seven to 10 days. Crews are assessing the situation and will begin service restoration work as soon as it's safe to do so ...  If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, hang-up now and call 9-1-1. Remember to treat all downed wires as live and dangerous. Customers should immediately report downed wires to the Illuminating Company or local police or fire department.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for all of Northeast Ohio effective until 4 p.m. Tuesday.

More coverage: Hurricane Sandy in Northeast Ohio

These winds will be sustained at 30 to 40 miles per hour with gusts of up to 65 miles per hour, the NWS predicts.

In addition, a lakeshore flooding warning is in effect until 8 p.m. Tuesday. Waves on the lake could reach up to 22 feet high and the lake will rise three feet over normal levels. 

A flood watch is in effect for all of Northeast Ohio as we face steady and sometimes heavy rain through Tuesday evening.

All warnings in effect for Northeast Ohio, 6 p.m. Monday:

• High Wind Warning, noon Monday to Tuesday at 4 p.m.
• Flood Watch, late Sunday night to Tuesday evening
• Lakeshore Flood Warning, noon Monday to Tuesday at 8 p.m.
• Flood Warning, Cuyahoga River at Independence, Chagrin River at Willoughby and Grand River at Painesville

Are you seeing storm damage? Check out our photos and upload your own here.