Crews restoring power to thousands after storms that caused fires, widespread damage
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11:30 a.m. Wednesday:
Around 135,000 Xcel Energy customers were affected by power outages after overnight storms in Minnesota and Wisconsin, the company said in a statement Wednesday.
Xcel says crews have restored power for more than 70% of those customers Wednesday morning.
At 11:30 a.m., the company’s outage map shows that about 20,000 upper Midwest customers are without power. Click here to see Xcel’s most recent numbers.
“When it comes to restoring power, top priority is given to situations that threaten public safety, such as live downed wires. Repair priority is based on what will restore power to the largest number of customers most quickly, such as transmission lines or feeder lines that serve large amounts of customers,” Xcel said.
In addition to Xcel outages, Minnesota Power is working to assist fewer than 100 affected customers who are still without power.
The National Weather Service reported much of the state received much needed rain, with parts of Wisconsin seeing more than two inches of rainfall.
A downed tree after storms hit Minnesota Aug. 3, 2022. (Courtesy: Randall Kurtz)
Meanwhile, the Twin Cities area saw up to an inch of rain in some places.
8:15 a.m. Wednesday:
Xcel reports nearly 38,000 customers still without power, down from an hour ago. Minnesota Power says 68 customers are still in need of power.
Send us your storm damage photos and keep updated with the latest power outage numbers with the links in previous updates below.
7 a.m. Wednesday:
Minnesota Power has restored power to nearly 2,000 customers, with less than 100 outages remaining at 7 a.m. Wednesday.
Xcel Energy still reports nearly 42,000 customers without power.
Click here to view the latest outage numbers for all major utility companies.
Click here to send us your photos of storm-related damage for the chance to be included in a gallery that will be posted later in the morning.
The initial version of this story can be read below.
6 a.m. Wednesday:
Storms caused power outages, fires and damage across Minnesota and western Wisconsin overnight, and utility companies are reporting tens of thousands of customers are still without power Wednesday morning.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS noted that outages peaked at upwards of 77,000 in and around the metro around 2 a.m. after storms moved out early Wednesday morning.
As of 5:30 a.m., Xcel Energy reports over 44,000 customers still without power, and Minnesota Power reports over 2,000 people still affected.
CLICK HERE to view current outage numbers for all major utility companies.
Click here to send us your photos of storm-related damage from Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. A gallery of viewer-submitted photos will be inserted below.
The National Weather Service says some showers may linger Wednesday morning before skies clear for the day.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS Chief Meteorologist Ken Barlow says Wednesday is expected to be breezy, less humid and warm. Temperatures will drop for a clear and comfortable night of 50s and 60s.
The next round of storms is not expected until the weekend, Barlow says.
CLICK HERE for the latest forecast.
This tree pulled up ground and concrete as it fell on a viewer’s driveway. Credit: Randall Kurtz 
A Hopkins viewer said this boulevard tree landed only a few feet from their mother’s bedroom. Credit: Rosalie Berra This Waconia treehouse toppled during the storm. Credit: Janette Frisinger A tree fell on a house in Brooklyn Center. Credit: Twitter/@bcpolicemn A tree fell far across one viewer’s yard and landed on a roof. Credit: Lindsey A tree fell far across one viewer’s yard and landed on a roof. Credit: Blake Hellquist Planes were blown over by high winds in Menomonie, Wisc. Credit: Shannon Klaus Planes were blown over by high winds in Menomonie, Wisc. Credit: Shannon Klaus A tree was uprooted by storms in St. Paul Park. Credit: Vicki Louis Wheelock from Hopkins observed many downed trees blocking streets. A Prior Lake family woke up to find the storm moved their trampoline into their pool. Credit: Beth Abdelmaksoud
