Severe Storms Cause Widespread Outages Across Ohio And Michigan

Severe storms have wreaked havoc across Ohio and Michigan, causing widespread power outages, temporary closures of businesses, and raising concerns about flooding as heavy rain continues to fall.

On Thursday morning, April 3, 2025, severe storms swept through Ohio, leaving thousands without electricity and disrupting daily life. In Lancaster, the Barrel and Boar restaurant faced a temporary closure due to a power outage caused by a tree falling on a power line behind the establishment. Crystal Morningstar, the general manager of Barrel and Boar, expressed the frustration felt by many, stating, "This tree in his backyard took out our whole entire existence of power." According to AEP Ohio's outage map, the downed line impacted more than 100 people in the area.

Just as news crews arrived, AEP Ohio crews managed to restore power to the restaurant. Morningstar noted the timing, saying, "Literally right when you pulled. I have been here since 7:45 this morning and I have absolutely no power. We've been trying to get everything up to par so we can open later today for dinner." Nearby resident Chad Littrell described the storm's intensity, recalling, "We saw lightning and we heard the thunder off in the distance. And all of a sudden it got really wild. The wind chimes went crazy, everything starting blowing off porch. You could hear snapping and breaking and then we knew it was time to go to the basement."

As the storms rolled through, AEP Ohio reported having 2,000 crew members statewide working tirelessly to restore power. Matthew Bennett, Director of Operations at AEP Ohio, emphasized their commitment to restoring electricity, saying, "Our employees really do take great pride, in not only the everyday work creating reliability, but especially when the storms roll through. They understand what families are going through who are at home with no power. They really want to get out there and restore the power. If we didn’t have to make them rest for 8 hours, we wouldn’t. They want to be out there and want to get everyone’s power restored as quickly as possible."

However, challenges remain. Bennett noted that central Ohio could experience several more days of heavy rain, complicating restoration efforts. "It definitely can slow the restoration process," he explained. "There are roads this morning that are closed due to water, which is another safety issue and it's going to be a thing over the next few days. Our crews are going to restore your power as quick as possible but they are going to do it safely. They are going to slowly handle those water areas we have specialized equipment to get to those hard-hit areas in the state. It just might take a little bit more time with the rain and the rising waters."

Meanwhile, in Owosso, Michigan, heavy rain on Friday, April 4, 2025, has compounded recovery efforts for residents still grappling with the aftermath of last weekend's storms. Officials are warning of potential flooding, power outages, and even tornadoes as the new storm system moves in. Owosso Public Safety Director Kevin Lenkart stated, "If we feel that if there's a severe thunderstorm warning or tornado warning, we would alert our residents via social media." He noted that the river in town has already risen several inches and is expected to continue rising with more rain.

Lenkart also cautioned that power outages are likely, advising drivers to treat every stoplight as a four-way stop sign and to avoid touching live wires. Consumers Energy is working tirelessly to restore power, with spokesman Matt Johnson stating, "Our focus is on spending whatever we need to spend to restore power and give people's lives back to normal." However, he warned that the new storm could exacerbate issues, potentially affecting areas as far north as M-55.

Johnson added, "So tonight, we'll observe the damage, we'll do damage assessment in the daylight tomorrow and through our outage map and our outage app, you'll be able to get ETR information that's up to date on new outages." As the situation develops, officials urge residents to stay indoors, stay informed, and report any downed power lines immediately. Consumers Energy encourages those who lose power to check their outage map and app for the latest restoration updates.

The ongoing weather challenges in both Ohio and Michigan highlight the importance of preparedness in the face of natural disasters. As communities come together to support each other during these trying times, the focus remains on safety and restoration efforts. With more rain on the horizon, residents are advised to remain vigilant and heed warnings from local authorities.