Strong Storms Cancel Weekend Events, Knock Out Power to Biz and Homes

Strong thunderstorms knocked out power to large swaths of the Lake Minnetonka late Friday afternoon, causing the cancellation of several weekend events.

The Wayzata Art Experience was cancelled both Saturday and Sunday due to widespread power outages in the northern lake area. At least 17 downed power poles were reported, and the entire city of Wayzata was without power into Saturday morning.

Also cancelled was Wayzata Woofstock—a celebration of man's best four-legged friend. Woofstock organizers plan to reschedule the event, although exactly when has not yet been announced.

The Wayzata Public Library also lost power and is one of several branches in Hennepin County expected to remain closed through Monday.

"City crews continue to work round the clock to clear debris from roadways and to operate city wells and sewer lift stations with generators in the absence of electricity," a Saturday post on the City of Wayzata's Facebook page read. "These items are priority at this time to ensure safe travel for the public, operation of key city infrastructure, and helping to restore power to neighborhoods and city facilities."

Residents from throughout the area shared power outage updates and damage reports on Lake Minnetonka Patch's Facebook page Friday and Saturday. 

The Wayzata City Council has scheduled an emergency meeting for 8 a.m. Saturday to discuss response to the storm and assess any ongoing issues.

Xcel Energy announced on Twitter late Saturday night that it had restored power to more than 400,000 customers as of 7 p.m. Workers are still working to restore power to the other 111,600 customers as soon as possible, the tweet said.

Events weren't the only things put on hold due to Friday's storms. Businesses throughout the area—from the new Chipolte on Hwy. 7 just south of Grays Bay to Gianni's Steakhouse in Wayzata—were forced to close their doors due to no power. Chipolte remained closed Sunday evening, although other businesses and residential neighborhoods were beginning to see power restored.

More:

• Pin What You Saw or Experienced on Our Patch Storm Map
• Lake Minnetonka Communities See More Widespread Power Outages
• Trees Down, Power Out: How Hard Did Storm Hit You in Lake Minnetonka Area?