ComEd is monitoring weather conditions and preparing for a major storm that is forecasted to hit its service territory Tuesday and expected to last through Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has issued a blizzard watch and hazardous weather outlook for the Chicago area, with wind gusts as high as 50 miles per hour and wind chills as low as three below zero Tuesday night. The impact of these powerful winds could result in outages across ComEd's northern Illinois service territory.

Extreme weather can create unsafe conditions that could delay restoration efforts. In preparation for the storm and its potential impact to the electrical system, ComEd is calling in extra crews for emergency repairs and increasing staffing at the customer care centers.

"High winds and snow build-up can cause extensive damage to the power lines. While we can't prevent outages during such intense weather, our crews are mobilized and prepared to work around the clock to restore power as safely and quickly as possible," said Anne Pramaggiore, ComEd president and chief operating officer.

In addition to crews, ComEd will have its external affairs team available to assist communities that may be experiencing outages.

For updates on the storm restoration process, customers can visit ComEd.com Storm Center.