The extreme weather conditions that rolled across much of southwestern Manitoba wreaked havoc on powerlines and poles, downing hydro services for thousands of people.
Luckily, severe snow storms seem to be behind us for the season, but it may not mean the end of power issues.
We spoke with Manitoba Hydro's Bruce Owen, who explained that the snow melt and wet conditions can still cause outages, but not from physically knocking the poles down.
"We also see at this time of year, pole fires. The accumulation of moisture, the freezing, and the thawing particularly in older or cracked insulators create a situation where the electricity travels and grounds itself through the pole and lights it on fire."
He also mentioned that the best way to be ready in extreme weather conditions is to have a plan and a pre-packed kit ready.
"A flashlight, blankets, bottled water, and some dried food or canned food that you don't have to heat. The key to this having something you know is there. Should it be a spring rain or a late fall snowstorm, the key is that you can stay warm, and have a supply of materials readily at hand."
The power issues that plagued much of the southwest corner of the province were all resolved by the weekend, but with the tumultuous conditions that frequent Manitoba, preparing for any situation is key to keeping safe when the weather turns.
