March is known to come in like a lion — and it's living up to that old adage.
The National Weather Service's Pittsburgh office in Moon has issued a wind advisory for the region until 5 a.m. Wednesday. Winds are expected to be at a steady 20 to 30 miles per hour from the southwest to west into Wednesday morning, with gusts up to 50 mph possible.
NWS meteorologist Tim Axford said the highest gusts reported were 58 mph in Punxsutawney and 54 mph at the Allegheny County Airport.
Downed power lines and trees were being reported throughout Allegheny County and the region Tuesday night.
Winds apparently knocked out some traffic lights on Banksville Road in Pittsburgh and were helping to whip flames at a four-alarm fire Tuesday night in Swissvale.
Trees were reported down and blocking roadways on Vanadium Road at Borland Road in Scott; the 100 block of Glenfield Drive in Penn Hills; 1200 block of William Flinn Highway in Shaler; 200 block of Shellbark St in Jefferson Hills; and at Muse and Deaton Lanes in White Oak.
Wires joined downed trees on the 100 block of Aber Drive, also in Penn Hills, and on the 300 block of Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum.
Emergency responders were on the scene of downed power lines on the 42500 block of Ridge Road in Jefferson Hills; 100 block of McKelvey Avenue in Edgewood and on the 600 block of Liberty Way in Lincoln — which also resulted in a power outage for some residents in that area.
In Elizabeth Township, a transformer fire was reported afire on the 900 block of Schweitzer.
A downed power line on the 900 block of Old Mill Road in Indiana Township triggered a brush fire about 7 p.m. Tuesday, Allegheny County officials reported.
In Robinson Township, Allegheny County, Steubenville Pike near Campbells Run Road was reduced to two lanes from power lines that fell on the roadway about 6:45 p.m.
Early Wednesday morning, First Energy was reporting almost 6,500 customers without service, while 500 Duquesne Light customers reported service interruptions.
