Will The Power Stay On In Amarillo During Cold Front?

When weather hits the Amarillo area, one of the things we worry about is the power staying on. We rely so much on power to be able to operate things, keep devices charged, etc. that when it goes out, we panic.

It's not because we can't watch Netflix or anything like that. Our main concern becomes how are we supposed to keep things charged during these weather events? How are we supposed to stay warm if the furnace won't turn on?

There are a lot of different assumptions as to why the power goes out with these weather events. We have a tendency to think the power goes out because of too much snow, high winds, etc. While those are all reasons the power COULD go out, there's one thing we have a tendency not to think about.

Cold weather in general. The power lines are setup to be able to handle a certain temperature, just like anything or anyone else. However, if those lines get too cold, it can shut them down, just like a person.

With much colder weather getting ready to set in here in Amarillo over the weekend, Xcel Energy has been busy at work addressing things, checking things, and doing everything they can to make sure the power stays on. No one wants a repeat of 2021.

According to Xcel, they've been busy checking heaters and doing everything they can to make sure things are operational and in place for when that weather comes in. The highs are expected to be in the high teens and low 20's, which those lines can typically handle.

It's those overnight lows that can really become an issue. Saturday's overnight low is expected to be 7 degrees, then dipping to 5 degrees on Sunday, then Monday being the lowest of them all overnight at a stunning 2 degrees.

With temperatures not expected to get back above freezing until Wednesday by the projections given, this could cause long term power outages if they aren't prepared. it sounds like Xcel is on top of things and we can expect the power to stay on, but make sure you stay prepared in the case that it does go out.

Charge your phones fully and keep them charged up as long as you can in case of power going out. If you have portable chargers, be sure those are fully charged as well as a backup option. Battery operated heaters are out there and not a bad thing to have on hand.