UPDATE: Over 105,000 without power.

Consumers Energy crews have started the work of helping homes and businesses that lost power in a storm that brought damaging winds across Michigan early Thursday.

Crews from outside the state are expected to arrive in Michigan later today.

Since 2 p.m. Wednesday, over 135,000 customers have been affected, first by a line of thunderstorms followed by high winds.

As of 11:30 a.m. Thursday, over 105,000 homes and businesses were without power. Full power restoration for the entire state could take until Sunday.

“Over 1,000 Consumers Energy employees and contractors are part of our effort to restore power, and we are committed to getting the lights back on for everyone as soon as possible,” said Mary Palkovich, Consumers Energy’s vice president of energy delivery. “We appreciate people’s patience as we work to restore power, especially as they celebrate the Christmas holiday.”

The public is encouraged to check regularly for updated restoration information at the online outage map at www.ConsumersEnergy.com/outagecenter, where outages can also be reported and power outage information is available.

Palkovich reminded customers to stay at least 25 feet away from downed power lines and anything they are touching and to immediately call 9-1-1 and Consumers Energy at 1-800-477-5050.

Customers who call Consumers Energy to report a power outage are encouraged to use the utility’s automated reporting option, available at 1-800-477-5050. The service provides restoration information for each substation and circuit.

Consumers Energy officials also offered the following advice:

Be alert to crews working along roads. Drivers should slow down or stop and wait for oncoming traffic to clear so they safely can go past workers on roadsides.

If using a generator, contact a licensed electrician to ensure that it is properly connected and make certain it is isolated from the company’s electric distribution system. Never use a generator in an attached garage, basement or near any air intakes, and never fuel a generator when it is running.

In some cases, the mast which holds the electric service wires to a customer’s home or business may have been damaged or torn away. Crews will reconnect the wires to a home, but only a licensed electrician can repair or replace a mast or a cable.