Big wind has Xcel customers bracing for power shutoff; schools to close

The National Weather Service in Boulder says there is growing confidence that a high-impact wind event will hit Northern Colorado and the mountains on Dec. 17.

Downdraft winds will create a critical fire hazard and are increasingly likely to cause Xcel Energy to shut down power in the area.

As a result, many schools will be closed on December 17.

High wind warnings, watches and red flag warnings are in place for much of the state.

The National Weather Service says expect damaging winds to knock down trees and power lines, widespread power outages and rough travel, especially for high-profile vehicles.

The warning states that any new fire under these conditions will likely cause the fire to grow rapidly.

The NWS advises people to avoid outdoor activities that could cause burns or sparks and to secure loose objects.

What to expect around Fort Collins?

The Fort Collins area is under a high wind warning from 11 a.m. to midnight on Dec. 17, and a red flag warning from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

West winds are expected to be between 30 and 50 mph, with gusts up to 80 mph expected in Fort Collins, Boulder and Denver’s western suburbs.

According to forecasts, the strongest winds will peak in the 70-85 mph range, with gusts of 50-70 mph remaining relatively common.

• In the mountains and hills above 9,000 feet, the weather service has high confidence in winds of 75 to 85 mph.

• In the foothills and lower elevations west of Interstate 25, there is a moderate confidence in winds above 75 mph.

• Winds of up to 60 mph in the evening on the plains provide moderate to low confidence.

The strongest wind is expected to be in the afternoon.

According to the NWS, weaker winds are expected on December 18, with stronger winds expected on December 19.

Xcel may preemptively cut power: Here’s who it might affect

Xcel Energy says it’s likely to proactively shut off power Starting at 10 a.m. on Dec. 17 due to strong winds that increase the risk of damaging power lines and outages.

This will affect 50,000 customers in Boulder, Clear Creek, Jefferson, Larimer and Weld counties; which is less than initially expected.

However, Xcel’s website notes that unplanned outages may also occur due to high winds.

In Larimer County, Xcel’s service area is a patchwork but includes parts of entire communities such as Fort Collins, Loveland, Windsor, Timnath, Laporte, Wellington and Berthoud.

Xcel said it may take several hours or days for power to be restored because crews must inspect and/or repair lines before power can be restored.

Xcel said it would make a decision on the closure no later than the morning of December 17.

Customers can check the power on status Xcel’s power outage map.

It was announced that schools were closed

Xcel serves many schools in the area, and districts have announced school closures or alternative programs.

In the Poudre School District, the following schools will be closed: Bethke Elementary School, Timnath Elementary School, Timnath Middle School, Red Feather Lakes Elementary School, Stove Prairie Elementary School and Livermore Elementary School. All athletics and events at these schools will also be canceled.

All other PSD schools will remain open.

In the Weld RE-4 region, which includes Windsor and Severance schools, elementary schools will be closed, while middle and high schools will operate on an alternative schedule:

• Schools will be closed for students in kindergarten through fifth grade and there will be no AlphaBEST program.

• Secondary schools will open at 11.25 and high schools will open at 12.10. Lunch will be provided as a package. There will be no after-school practices, events or activities.

Colorado State University campuses are not expected to be affected by Xcel’s shutdown. A social media post from CSU Police & Safety.

Will Fort Collins Utilities or PVREA have preventive closures?

Other electricity providers in Larimer County are not planning proactive outages. But one of them said wind-caused outages were still possible.

Municipal utilities serving Fort Collins and Loveland, whose power lines are buried, say they don’t expect any outages. Both receive wholesale electricity from the Platte River Electric Utility.

PRPA is monitoring the weather closely but is not planning a preemptive shutdown, communications officer Maia Jackson told the Coloradoan.

PRPA has a strong vegetation management program, so “the risk of our transmission lines causing fire remains low,” Jackson said.

There are also protection systems installed to monitor the operation of transmission lines and automatically turn on sections of transmission lines that encounter fault conditions, Jackson said.

Fort Collins Utilities noted: Electricity infrastructure is buried underground and PRPA’s investments in resilience mean “the risk of outages from wind is significantly reduced”, he said.

City of Loveland Utilities It says 87 percent of the energy infrastructure is underground, and the remaining system uses protection measures that reduce the risk of fire damage.

The Poudre Valley REA provides electricity to parts of Larimer and Weld counties, including areas such as Red Feather Lakes, Livermore, Poudre Canyon, Berthoud and Windsor.

PVREA says it does not foresee planned outages, but high winds could cause unexpected outages.

Links to select Northern Colorado power outage maps:

The Coloradoan will provide updates on outages as needed.

This article first appeared in the Fort Collins Coloradoan: Colorado weather and wind forecast prompts school closures