High winds are dropping trees and causing power outages and traffic problems in the Fort Wayne area this morning.
As of 10:59 a.m. EST, Indiana Michigan Power reported on its website that 517 of its customers in Allen County had no power. Another 130 I&M customers in Whitley County also had outages.
The Whitley County Emergency Management Agency reported that much of Columbia City lost power:
POWER OUTAGE – Much of Columbia City is without power right now. Crews are working on the problem. DO NOT CALL… http://t.co/3aasbekpCx
— Whitley County EMA (@WhitleyCo_EMA) November 24, 2014
The Indiana Department of Transportation reported that trees blocked westbound lanes of U.S. 24 in extreme southwestern Allen County, near the intersections of Homestead Road and West Hamilton Road.
ALLEN CO: US 24 WB @ W Hamilton blocked by tree. Officers on scene & INDOT crews en route to clear the tree. May wish to seek alt routes.
— INDOT Northeast (@INDOTNortheast) November 24, 2014
ALLEN CO: Strong winds have downed another tree on US 24 just W of Homestead Rd into WB lane.
— INDOT Northeast (@INDOTNortheast) November 24, 2014
The official anemometer at Fort Wayne International Airport recorded a gust of 57.5 mph (50 knots) at 11:09 a.m. EST.
The northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for much of northeastern Indiana, northwestern Ohio and one county of southern Lower Michigan at 10:33 a.m. EST. The warning remains in effect until 7 p.m. EST.
The high wind warning indicates that gusts to 60 mph are possible today. These could cause additional fallen trees and utility poles and cause additional power outages. Gusts could also blow light and high-profile vehicles off roads.
The Indiana Toll Road has banned travel by all triple trailers, long double trailers (high profile only) and all high profile, over-sized permit trucks between the 31 (Valparaiso) interchange and the 144 (Angola) interchange until 7 p.m., according to a report from South Bend TV station WSBT.