TOP PHOTO: This tree is across Rogers Lane at the Country Club in east La Follette.

LAFOLETTE, TN (WLAF) – “We’re getting hammered,” said LUB General Manager Kenny Baird. A Wind Advisory is living up to its billing with sustained winds of 20-30 miles per hour and gusts as high as 50 MPH and a shade higher. Baird is referencing all the power outages as a result.

“More than 10% of our nearly 23,000 customers are without power. If this wind doesn’t let up, it’ll be Sunday, at least, before we can get everyone back on,” said Baird.

Tree lands on big rig in south La Follette.

Several crews with the Campbell County Highway Department have been out all day. “We’ve had trees down all around Campbell County; Davis Chapel, Cedar Creek, Long Hollow, Stinking Creek and more,” said Tony Malone, Assistant Road Superintendent with the Campbell County Highway Department.

At this hour, 1,095 customers are without power alone in the Royal Blue area with all outages totaling 2,596. “There is a broken transmission pole at Caryville,” said Baird. LUB is looking at rerouting by feeding the substation from neighboring Plateau Electric out of Scott County.

This cracked utility pole is at South 11th Street and West Hemlock Street.

The wind advisory runs until sunset (8pm). After it expires, wind gusts will slowly ease up to less than ten miles per hour by 5am Sunday. “This could end up being worse than the one (storm) the first of March,” said Baird. (WLAFNEWS PUBLISHED – 04/01/2023-4PM)

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