BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — This week Western New York is preparing for one of the first blasts from old man winter this season, but snow and rain are not the major concerns this week.
High wind warnings have been issued across the area with gusts upward of 50, 60 and 70 miles per hour expected.
National Grid and NYSEG says they has extra crews pre-positioned to respond during the storm in your neck of the woods.
"We don't have the luxury of leaving anything to chance. We would rather over prepare for an event like this and that's our strategy going into this," Ken Kujawa, regional director of National Grid, said.
These winds are abnormal because they are not coming from off Lake Erie, rather they are coming from the southeast. This could pose a threat to trees that are used to winds from the west and southwest. The ground is soft because there hasn't been a deep freeze, so trees are not anchored into the ground as strongly.
Places below the escarpment in Chautauqua County could see the most damage, but the entire region is being monitored closely.
"Because we bring them in right away, as soon as we start to realize power outages, those crews can hit the ground running so we can minimize the amount of time our crews are without power," Kujawa added.
Make sure anything outside of your home is secured so it doesn't fly away in the gusts. The storm will start rocking the region Tuesday morning, so it is important to charge cell phones, portable chargers and other devices beforehand. National Grid encourages people to use battery operated lights instead of candles and to make sure you are using a generator safely.
"Open your main breaker for the safety of our crews that are restoring power. Locate the generator as far from your house as possible. Close your doors, close your windows, do not operate the generator in any enclosed space including an attached garage," Kujawa added.
Visibility on the roads could be limited at times because of blowing rain or snow, so take it slow if you're out and about.
"Driving rain could cause some visibility issues, not like a blinding snow, but it could be windy. Your car could get buffered around in the wind. High winds, use caution. Wet roads, use caution. Combine those two, just use extra caution while driving," Buffalo Public Works Commissioner Nate Marton continued.
The New York State Thruway Authority says empty tractor trailers and tandem trucks are banned on the Thruway from Syracuse to the Pennsylvania state line.
The City of Buffalo is keeping its garbage pick-up schedule this week. Any changes to the schedule will be announced through BuffAlert.
If you experience a power outage and have service from National Grid, call 1-800-867-5222.
If you experience a power outage and have service from NYSEG, call 1-800-572-1131.