High Winds Disrupt Power On Prince Edward Island

Maritime Electric outages largely restored on gusty Boxing Day

Up to 1,400 customers were without power during outage peak

CBC News · Posted: Dec 26, 2020 11:10 AM AT | Last Updated: December 26

Winds of up to 80 kilometres per hour are expected on P.E.I. Saturday. (John Robertson/CBC)

A special weather statement has now ended for Queens County, P.E.I.

The statement called for wind gusts of up to 80 kilometres an hour, with the potential of being even stronger over exposed areas.

More than 1,400 Maritime Electric customers were also without electricity for a portion of Boxing Day.

More than 1,400 customers were without power for a portion of Boxing Day. (Submitted by Maritime Electric)

The majority of the outages were in Cavendish, Mayfield and North Rustico. Dunstaffnage, New Glasgow, Suffolk and Toronto were also affected.

As of 4:30 p.m. Saturday, around 40 Maritime Electric customers in the Winsloe area were still in the dark.

The Confederation Bridge imposed restrictions on high-sided vehicles Saturday morning because of the winds, but those restrictions were lifted early in the afternoon. The bridge is now open to all authorized traffic, according to its website.

Charlottetown also marked its warmest Christmas in recorded history on Friday with the temperature reaching 13.2 C.

According to Environment Canada, the previous record was set in 1996 at 12.4 C.