ROANOKE, Va. (March 6, 2025) – Appalachian Power crews are preparing to respond to potential power outages in Roanoke and surrounding areas as strong winds move through the region on Thursday.
Frequent wind gusts of 40-45 mph are expected across Southwest Virginia, with the strongest winds anticipated in far southwest Virginia, where gusts could reach 50 mph. In Roanoke and the New River Valley, wind speeds are expected to be slightly lower but could still cause damage to power lines.
“We are always monitoring the weather for events that could damage our electrical facilities and cause power outages,” said Jason Baker, vice president of distribution for Appalachian Power. “With forecasts of damaging winds today, our employees and contractors are equipped to respond to emergency storm restoration work.”
Crews in affected areas will respond as soon as the storm passes, and workers from unaffected regions will be deployed to assist as needed.
Customers in Roanoke and across Southwest Virginia can stay updated on outages in their area by signing up for Appalachian Power outage alerts at appalachianpower.com/alerts. A real-time outage map is available at appalachianpower.com/outages.
