High winds that accompanied rainstorms yesterday morning caused power outages for approximately 1,400 Baltimore Gas and Electric Co. customers in Howard County, including Bollman Bridge Elementary and Patuxent Valley Middle schools.

Most of the power losses were caused bywinds blowing trees across electrical wires, BG&E; spokeswoman Peggy D. Mulloy said. Some 16,000 customers lost power in the company's central Maryland service area, she said, with Carroll County hardest hit.

At Patuxent Valley Middle School, the power outage, which lasted from 11:15 a.m. to 12:15 p.m., caused no disruption in the school program, Assistant Principal Barry Beerman reported through the school system's public information staff.

Bollman Bridge Elementary Assistant Principal Maria McNelis said pupils and teachers coped calmly with the one-hour power outage. "It was kind of a day as usual," she said.

Work crews had restored power to all but about 100 customers inHoward County by 2 p.m., BG&E; spokesman Art Slusark said. He said service was expected to be restored to all customers by midnight last night.