WALTHAM, MA - National Grid is prepared for a summer storm to impact Massachusetts Thursday afternoon through Thursday evening, bringing strong winds, severe thunderstorms, and heavy rain into the region, in addition to high temperatures forecasted through Saturday evening.

The primary concerns associated with this storm are gusting winds, severe thunderstorms, and high amounts of rainfall, which could cause flash flooding. Strong wind gusts have the potential to damage trees and knock down power lines, causing outages across the region. The storm is expected through Thursday evening, with the potential for a cold front to cause inclement weather lasting into Saturday, and calmer weather is anticipated for Sunday.

In addition to the storm, temperatures will remain upwards of 90 degrees until Saturday evening, causing an increased risk of heat-related illness, heat cramps, exhaustion, and heat stroke for vulnerable populations and those spending prolonged periods of time outdoors.

"National Grid has been monitoring the forecasts closely for multiple days. We have secured additional crews and personnel across Massachusetts ready to respond as quickly and safely as possible to any impact this storm may bring," said Tanya Moniz-Witten, Vice President for Electric Operations for New England.

National Grid is preparing for this storm by securing nearly 350 field-based crews and about 1,100 personnel as part of the company's emergency response operations. This includes overhead line, forestry, contractors, underground, damage assessment, wires down, transmission, and substation workers.

The company has been preparing for the storm and continues monitoring the weather and communicating with local officials, first responders, and life support customers.

The company offers the following tips and reminders: 

Customers Should Stay Connected:  

• Report power outages at www.nationalgridus.com or call 1-800-465-1212.
• Use your mobile device to track outage information and storm-related safety tips through National Grid’s mobile site, accessible at www.ngrid.com/mobile.
• Like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter and Instagram; we post all the latest storm and restoration updates.
• Track outages and estimated restoration times at www.nationalgridus.com/outage-central
• To stay connected during storms and outages, text to 64743 using any of the below commands.
• REG to sign up for text alerts
• OUT to report an outage
• SUM followed by your town, county, or state to get a summary of outages in your area
• HELP for the complete list of commands 

Stay Safe: 

• Never touch downed power lines, and always assume that any fallen lines are live electric wires. If you see one, report it immediately to National Grid or your local emergency response organization. 
• Power problems can sometimes interrupt public water supply systems or disable well pumps, so it’s an excellent idea to keep a supply of bottled drinking water handy, as well as some canned food. 
• People who depend on electric-powered life support equipment, such as a respirator, should let National Grid know. To register as a life support customer, call the company’s Customer Service Center at 1-800-322-3223. 
• Check on elderly family members, neighbors, and others who may need assistance during an outage.   

Electric Safety:

• If you use a generator to supply power during an outage, be sure to operate it outdoors. Before operating generators, disconnect from National Grid’s system by shutting off the main breaker located in the electric service panel. Failure to do this could jeopardize the safety of line crews and the public. 
• If you lose power, turn off any appliances that were on when the power went off, but leave one light on so you will know when power is restored. 

Gas Safety

• If you suspect a natural gas leak:
• Get Out - All occupants should leave the house immediately. Do not use the telephone or light switches for any reason.
• Call Us – After leaving the house and reaching a safe environment, call the National Grid 24-hour gas emergency numbers:
• New England:1-800-233-5325
• Stay Out - Do not return to your home until National Grid tells you it is safe.

Heat Safety

• Know the signs of heat-related illness. Heavy sweating, muscle cramps, and a fast pulse aren’t just signs of being warm. They are symptoms of heat-related illnesses like heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Know the signs and pay extra attention to children, seniors, and other vulnerable groups when the temperature and humidity rise.

Reminder: It’s not safe to work in an elevated bucket during periods of increased wind gusts. Our line workers begin restoration work only when conditions are deemed safe. 

About National Grid

National Grid (NYSE: NGG) is an electricity, natural gas, and clean energy delivery company serving more than 20 million people through our networks in New York and Massachusetts. National Grid is focused on building a smarter, stronger, cleaner energy future — transforming our networks with more reliable and resilient energy solutions to meet state climate goals and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.