A downed power line on Route 422 has shut down traffic between the Mitchell Hill exit and Bonniebrook Road in Summit Township, leaving a number of tractor-trailers stranded for the time being. Lick Hill fire crews are redirecting traffic around the fallen power line, which was reported about 11:30 a.m.

Blustery weather is keeping first-responders in Butler County busy this morning, with widespread power outages reported as well as downed wires and utility poles across the county.

The weather has already caused one local school district to issue this warning about student transportation Wednesday: "Due to downed trees and power lines within the boundaries of the Butler Area School District, some students may be arriving home later today."

According to the county's major utility companies, West Penn Power and Central Electric Cooperative, nearly 2,000 customers are currently without power. The areas with the most affected households are Jefferson Township, Middlesex Township, Oakland township and Penn Township.

Maleski, the manager of communication and public relations, said their crews are catching up, but the wind storms that have the county under a wind advisory until 8 p.m. are producing new outages by the minute.

“We had it down to 700, and within the last hour 155 more went out,” Maleski said. “It's a transitioning situation as the day progresses.”

Within one five minute period 50 homes reported outages, according to Maleski.

“Right now we have 23 lineman, and we have all hands on deck,” he said. “And, of course that doesn't include the support personnel.”

Maleski said the majority of outages are due to downed power lines, typically caused by fallen trees.