Jessica Mathews / news@whmi.com


Hundreds of Consumers Energy line workers are working to restore power around the clock after a severe thunderstorm with damaging winds swept across Michigan this morning.

Additional crews were called in to join the restoration efforts throughout the day.

Officials said the storm continued to grow in intensity right up until it knocked over trees and power lines in several communities, especially in West Michigan in Muskegon and Oceana Counties, along Lake Michigan’s shoreline.

Over 155,000 customers were initially affected. As of 4pm, power was restored to more than 40,000.

Consumers Energy said most customers should get power back by noon Thursday, with all customers in the hardest-hit areas restored by the end of the day Thursday.

Meanwhile, DTE Energy had some scattered outages across its service territory. More than 1,200 were reported in Livingston, Oakland, and Washtenaw Counties.

The outages come less than a week after storms left thousands in the dark for days in suburban Detroit, and throughout the WHMI listening area.

Photos: Consumers Energy