Strong winds from Monday’s storm forced a tree onto power lines, causing a power outage for residents in the area of Jewel Drive and South Dale Drive, as well as the commercial area around Lowe’s home improvement store, 120 Airport Road and Sam’s Club, 305 Airport Rd.

Clare Bills, public information officer for the city of Ames, said a tree fell at 403 Jewel Dr., leaving the area without power. The downed power lines also took out the substation by the Veterinary Medicine building.

Employees of Lowe’s were checking out customers for about an hour before power was restored using flashlights to write transactions by hand.

Bills said city workers were able to restore 75 percent of the power lost within one hour. However, she said workers were still trying to restore power to most residents’ homes.

—Tom Barton