Bitter cold temperatures coupled with whipping winds left nearly 12,000 customers in the Alleghenies without power.

Outages were reported in Cambria, Indiana and Somerset counties. In the Lorain section of Johnstown, a downed tree left about 6,000 customers without power for about an hour. Problems at a substation were behind other outages in Geistown, Richland and Dale.

As of noon, Penelec officials said there were still about 369 people without power in Ralphton, Somerset County. Penelec said anyone without power should call 1-888-LIGHTSS to report it.

No outages were reported in Centre and Blair counties, but the cold temperatures affected local service organizations.

The Blair County Senior Services Center canceled its Meals On Wheels program Monday due to concerns about volunteers making deliveries in the cold. Those who receive the service should have received a notice.

Another concern with the cold weather is for animals. An Altoona K-9 enforcement officer said there is no tolerance for anyone who keeps their pets out for more than an hour on a day like today.

The penalty for anyone caught leaving their dogs out for an extended period of time can range from a $300 fine to jail time, depending on the circumstances.

For complete weather coverage 24 hours a day, visit our weather page.

There, you can also get PennDOT's latest road conditions and more.

Also, don't forget to send us your severe winter weather photos as part of our community slideshow.