Storm Leaves 500 Without Power In Southwest Minneapolis

Tuesday nights storms left hundreds in Minneapolis and thousands in the Twin Cities without power.

According to Xcel Energy's outage map, at least 500 of its customers in Southwest Minneapolis are without power this morning. Service, in many cases, is not scheduled to resume until 11 p.m. Wednesday night, the map says.

The outages may also effect your morning commute. Scores of traffic lights North of Lake Street, and likely others across the city, were out Wednesday morning, slowing traffic measurably.

If your power has gone out, items in your freezer will stay safely cold for 48 hours if you do not open the door, according to the FDA. Items in refrigerators will only stay safely cold for four hours. You can prolong the life of your food by putting bags of ice (best placed inside a casserole dish) in the freezer, alongside refrigerated items you want to keep from spoiling.

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