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'I'm around multiple trees, that's definitely worrying me' | MLGW customers anxious about latest severe weather threat

Gusty winds and rain could impact trees and power lines are vulnerable from the February 3rd storm, when more than half of MLGW customers were in dark at some point.

MEMPHIS, Tennessee — The possibility of more widespread power outages Thursday so soon after the ice storm has some MLGW customers on edge.

That's especially true for families who spent days in the dark and are just now getting back to normal, including Tequila Nelson and her family in Frayser.

The community is still cleaning up debris nearly two weeks after that winter storm, and with gusty winds and rainfall possible around vulnerable trees and power lines, she's understandably nervous another outage may happen again.

"This month has really not been my favorite month," Nelson said, who spoke with ABC24 Wednesday afternoon as wind gusts moved limbs just feet from her home.

"You can see the roots and that really concerns me, because if that all - it's going to be all the over the house and probably the next door house based on the size of the tree," Nelson said.

The mother of four is again worried about Mother Nature. One power outage in February was enough.

"A lot of people are around trees and that was the major problem of Memphis, Light, Gas and Water not getting the power on, due to trees," Nelson said. 

RELATED: How MLGW is preparing for more possible outages Thursday

We first caught up with Nelson February 4th, who was without power with her family bundled up in coats and blankets.

She said the five days in the dark cost her family physical and financial pain, with nearly $600 lost unexpectedly. 

RELATED: Memphians deal with damage, struggle to stay warm and fed as city remains crippled by power outages

"Everything, the power, the heat, not having food, the food spoiling. You have to replace the food. You have to have money to replace that food," Nelson said.

Ahead of another severe weather threat, Nelson also weighed in on comments Tuesday from MLGW President JT Young. 

He laid out lessons learned and promised improvements, including better information sent to the customer care team and tweaking the utility's broader damage assessment strategy.

RELATED: 'We did not live up to our mission' | MLGW President lays out lessons learned, promises to Memphis City Council after winter storm

"I pretty much want to see it," Nelson said. "It's easier said than done. So I definitely want to see the crews that they so-called that are out here in the Memphis area. So I would rather see it be actually done than said."

Impact Ministries in Frayser - at 2025 Clifton Avenue - has an ongoing food pantry ready to provide food and shelter if the power goes out again Thursday, just like it did after the ice storm.

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