Jan. 13—Update, 9:30 p.m.: Thousands of people in the Anchorage and Mat-Su areas were without electricity on Sunday night after a powerful storm battered the region with high winds and rain. Gusts of more than 100 mph were reported at some higher elevations, and people continued cleaning up debris and downed trees and limbs across the area.
As of 9:30 p.m., Chugach Electric reported scattered outages affecting around 8,000 customers from Girdwood to East Anchorage. Matanuska Electric Association reported around 4,000 customers without power as well, mostly in the Eagle River and Peters Creek area, but also in the Matanuska and Susitna valleys.
High winds pounded the region overnight and early Sunday, including many locations in the city that recorded gusts of 60 mph or greater. gusts of more than 100 mph were recorded at Bear Valley and Arctic Valley on the Anchorage Hillside. A gust of 117 mph was recorded at Alyeska Resort in Girdwood. Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport saw a gust of 62 mph. (See full list of peak gusts below)…