Northern Nevada experienced hurricane-level winds Wednesday morning, causing widespread power outages across the region. NV Energy has initiated Public Safety Outage Management (PSOM) in seven of the eight zones identified for potential power shutoffs due to the high wind forecasts.

On Wednesday, more than 15,000 customers were without power at one point. As of Wednesday afternoon, more than 9,000 customers are still without power in northern Nevada. The utility said crews began patrols starting at 3 p.m. because the peak of the winds has passed. If damage is found during the patrol, restoration for customers in those areas may be postponed until Thursday, November 21.

The company emphasized that safety is its top priority. “Proactive outages are an important defensive measure to protect the community and environment from wildfires,” NV Energy said.

In response to the outages, NV Energy, in partnership with Storey County, opened a Customer Resource Center at the Storey County Fire Department Station 2 in Virginia Highlands. Offering customers drinks, snacks and other resources, the center will be open until 6pm on Wednesday, November 20 and reopen from 7am to noon on Thursday, November 21, as needed.

Douglas County also has a warming center located at the Douglas County Community Center in Gardnerville, open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. Residents with issues such as finding lodging options can contact Douglas County’s inbox at [email protected] for additional information.

A wind advisory has been issued for the Reno, Sparks and Carson areas, as well as Lake Tahoe, effective Wednesday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. The advisory, issued by the National Weather Service in Reno, warns of southerly winds ranging from 20 to 35 mph, with gusts possibly reaching 55 mph. The advisory extends to Mono County in California and the Greater Reno-Carson City-Minden region, as well as Mineral and Southern Lyon counties in Nevada. The wind advisory includes a red flag warning, which indicates increased fire danger.

The weather service warned that the gusty winds could blow around unprotected properties, causing tree limbs to fall and causing some power outages. Additionally, there is a risk of wind knocking down burned trees in the Davis Fire burn area.