High winds as part of a Midwest storm caused scattered power outages in Michigan and made it more difficult for firefighters to extinguish blazes.
Around 4,000 Indiana-Michigan Power customers were without power as of Thursday morning, Nov. 12. Most of the homes and businesses in the dark were in Berrien County, Mich. and St. Joseph County in Indiana.
Utilities had warned about the possibility of outages, with gale warnings in effect for the Great Lakes region and wind gusts on land approaching 50 mph.
The high wind warning in effect for the 95.3 MNC listening area will expire at 10 p.m. The wind is expected to be strongest in the mid-morning through the early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service.
Winds of 25 to 40 mph, along with gusts of 50 to 55 mph, are predicted, NWS says.
The weather conditions could also make it dangerous for high-profile vehicles to drive on north-south roadways, NWS says. High-profile vehicles include those with high centers of gravity, like SUVs, vans and trucks.
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The weather service issued gale warnings for the Great Lakes region. Lake Michigan waves along parts of western Michigan could be in the 10 to 15 feet range on Thursday.
The weather service says flooding and beach erosion is possible along the lakeshore from Lake Michigan waves.
The Associated Press contributed to this story.
