Wind warnings end after power knocked out for thousands across P.E.I.

Three schools had to closeand the opening time was delayed for others as thousands of homes and businesses on P.E.I. began Thursdaywithout power because of an overnight windstorm.

Power outages were behind the decision to close Englewood Elementary,Mount Stewart Consolidated, and DonaghRegional for the day, officials said early Thursday.

Other schools began classesone hour than usual.

RCMPwerereceiving reports of trees down on roads, and urged drivers to be alert and watch for obstructions and water on the pavement.

Before 5:30 a.m. AT, Maritime Electric, the province's main utility, was reporting about 3,500 outages. At 6:45 that peaked at almost 9,000.Maritime Electric crews had restored all but about 100 customers by 4p.m. AT.

Maritime Electric spokesperson Kim Griffin said she expects the outages are due to trees or large branches that fell on utility lines.

Most of the outages are in Queens County in central P.E.I., with some scattered outages in Kings County to the east. The largest pockets of outages are focused in three main areas: the North Shore around Mount Stewart, the South Shore around Crapaud, and Charlottetown.

At 5 a.m. Charlottetown Airport was reporting steady winds of 54 km/h with gusts to 75. Winds had been blowing from the south at that strength since about 2 a.m.

Wind warnings have been dropped in all three counties. By 9 a.m. winds had diminished at Charlottetown Airport to 30 km/h with gusts to 50. They are forecast to continue at that strengthinto Friday morning.

Confederation Bridge closed to all traffic just before 5 a.m., with sustained wind speeds of more than 120km/h measured on the Northumberland Strait. The bridge has since reopened to all traffic.

Northumberland Ferries has cancelled its first two round-tripsailings for the day on the Caribou-Wood Islands run.

The day started mild, at about 11 C, but winds shifting to the west brought colder air and the temperature had fallen to 4 C by 9 a.m. it is expected to drop further to 1 C by afternoon.