Wind causes damage, knocks out power

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Strong winds overnight and into the morning left behind damage and knocked out power to thousands in the Austin area.

Crews were working in several Austin neighborhoods early Thursday morning, repairing dozens of power lines damaged by trees and limbs. About 4,000 Austin Energy customers lost power by 4:00 a.m. Austin Energy says power was restored to all customers by noon.

Just across the street from Richard Costilla's home, near Braker Lane and Dessau Road,  wind snapped a utility pole, bringing down the power lines with it.

"We were just asleep and all of sudden there's a snap. Next thing you know the lights went off," Costilla said.

Austin energy says crews made repairs in as many as 70 locations, mostly fixing fuses knocked out by tree limbs in the wind.

The wind helped spread a brush fire in northeast Austin. An orange glow and smoke came from behind a guardrail along Highway 183 between Loyola Dr. and Manor Rd.  Austin firefighters battled the flames in the gusty winds.

The strong morning winds left their mark along Highway 360, too. No serious damage--but a mess. High school freshman Kennedy Patch and her friends came out to decorate the trees along 360 to celebrate the beginning of their Christmas break. They got to re-decorate several other trees as well, picking up ornaments the wind blew off.

"There's a lot of trash, and we found the ornaments everywhere, not on the trees," Patch said

From the tinsel of a tree, to utility poles, to a brush fire--Thursday morning's wind marked its path.