GRU monitors polling locations for power outages as Gainesville falls under tornado watch

While the city remains under a tornado watch, Gainesville Regional Utilities is monitoring polling locations for city commission elections. Strong winds are likely to cause power outages.

GRU placed 36 polling sites on a list of critical customers to increase response time in case of power outages while residents vote. The tornado watch will continue until polls close at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Under the watch, weather conditions are favorable for tornado development, according to the National Weather Service in Jacksonville.

In case of an outage, ballot equipment can be battery-operated until polls close, said TJ Pyche, the director of outreach for the Supervisor of Elections.

The Gainesville area is still on track for severe weather from about 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., said Jason Hess, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Severe weather can include damaging winds from 50 to 70 miles per hour, one-inch hail and isolated tornadoes. The stormy weather will clear by Wednesday, he said.

During a tornado watch, Gainesville residents should plan to seek shelter in case of a tornado warning, which is issued when tornadoes are imminent, he said.

As of 10:05 a.m., 83 Gainesville Regional Utilities customers reported power outages in northwest Gainesville, north of West University Avenue from South Main Street to Northwest 34th Street, and in southwest Gainesville, west of Interstate 75, according to the GRU’s power outage map.

GRU spokesperson Sarah Barnes said a broken pole and tree took down a transformer on Northwest 10th Avenue. Broken poles take four to five hours to replace, she said. She said more outages are likely.

“The looks of the storm are not good,” Barnes said. “With wind and the storm, it’s likely.”

Contact Amanda Rosa at arosa@alligator.org. Follow her on Twitter at @AmandaNicRosa.

Staff writer Christina Morales contributed to this report.