High Winds Force School Delays and Power Outages in North Country Monday morning’s severe high winds led to school delays across parts of the north country, with several districts postponing openings to ensure student safety. South Jefferson Central School announced a two-hour delay for its morning session, canceling AM pre-kindergarten and AM BOCES classes. Watertown, a community with many students who walk to school, also postponed its start time by two hours, following similar decisions by other local schools. The weather disruptions extended beyond education, as National Grid’s outage map showed widespread power failures shortly after 5:15 AM. The affected areas spanned from lower Jefferson County through the Gouverneur region, impacting hundreds of households. By 9 AM, the number of customers without service had significantly decreased, with the affected population in the north country dropping below 500. Meteorologist Kris Hudson of 7 News noted that the high winds caused trees and power lines to fall, exacerbating the outages. The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for Jefferson and Lewis counties, effective for the entire day until 8 PM that evening. The most intense winds were expected in the early morning hours, with gusts reaching up to 60 miles per hour. Authorities urged residents to remain cautious and avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.#national_weather_service #national_grid #south_jefferson_central_school #watertown #kris_hudson
