Wind Knocks Out Power To Over 300,000 In Michigan Ontario Quebec

More than 300,000 customers lost power on Christmas Eve as fierce winds whipped Michigan and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec.

Over 100,000 homes and businesses in Michigan were still without power at 10 p.m. ET, and predictions say some will be without electricity until Sunday.

Hydro-Québec said about 60,000 customers had no power at 11 p.m. And Hydro One said it was still working to restore power to about 39,000 customers in Ontario at 11 p.m. Sustained winds approaching 60 mph wash waves over Ludington North Breakwater and the base of the Ludington North Breakwater Lighthouse in Ludington, Michigan, on Thursday. At its peak Thursday morning, the total number of customers without electricity approached 300,000. The winds calmed by Thursday night, but utilities said some customers were likely to remain in the dark until Sunday in some areas of Michigan. h/t nbcnews

The failures were mainly caused by downed tree branches, Hydro One said Thursday night.

Consumers Energy said it had called in more than 1,300 employees and contractors from four states to help restore electricity.