More than 20,000 without power in Vermont

BURLINGTON, Vt. (AP) -- At least 20,000 power outages are still being reported across Vermont as strong winds buffet the state causing more damage than did the remnants of Superstorm Sandy.

The state's largest electric utility, Green Mountain Power, says it could be Christmas Eve before power is restored to all the customers who are currently in the dark.

GMP Spokesman Jeremy Baker describes the damage as extreme.

Most of the outages are in Rutland and Addison counties, but outages are reported in all 14 Vermont counties..

The National Weather Service said a gust of wind of 73 miles per hour was recorded in the Nashville of Jericho just after noon. Earlier Friday a gust of 86 mph was recorded at the top of Mount Mansfield, Vermont's tallest peak.