ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Wind gusts that smacked the Rochester area on Wednesday knocked out power to tens of thousands of customers, uprooted trees, damaged property and prompted pleas to avoid unnecessary travel.
Rochester Gas & Electric crews are still working around the clock to restore power to the nearly 100,000 customers that were still without electricity. An estimated 2,400 wires were downed by the wind.
Shelters were opened at the David Gantt Community Center in Rochester, the Greece Community Center, Gates Town Hall, West Irondequoit High School, Cross Creek Church in Macedon, Wayne County and York Town Hall in Livingston County.
Monroe County lifted its unnecessary travel warning as of Thursday morning, but reminded people to still follow any town travel restrictions. Commuters should expect longer travel times and treat all non-functioning traffic signals as four-way stops.
A top gust of 81 miles per hour was recorded Wednesday at the Greater Rochester International Airport. That's approaching the highest speed ever recorded – 89 mph in 1998.
See the devastation caused by the severe windstorm in our photo gallery below: