|UPDATE 2|
BOSTON — A nor’easter that battered the Atlantic coast with hurricane-force wind gusts left more than a half-million homes and businesses without power in New England and forced the closure of bridges, ferries and schools in the region Wednesday.
Utility workers labored to restore power as the storm’s winds and rain, which were felt as far north as Nova Scotia, diminished throughout the day.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported about 425,000 power outages after gusts as high as 94 mph (151 kph) blew tree branches laden with wet, heavy leaves onto power lines. Utilities reported about 90,000 customers without power in Rhode Island, 17,000 in Maine, 15,000 in Connecticut and 6,000 in New Hampshire.
Officials advised against travel in southeastern Massachusetts because of wind, toppled trees and downed power lines. The highest gust of the storm was recorded at 94 mph at a ferry dock on the island of Martha’s Vineyard, it said.
Dozens of schools canceled classes. In Connecticut, power lines came down on a school bus headed to Middletown High School. No injuries were reported. Six students were on the bus, which continued its route after emergency responders removed the power lines.
In Rhode Island, authorities closed the Newport Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges amid wind gusts as high as 70 mph early Wednesday, then reopened them shortly afterward to most vehicles. School buses were still not permitted to cross.
Ferry service to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket islands was suspended Wednesday.
One driver was killed and another injured when a tree limb fell on two passing vehicles in Morris Township in northern New Jersey, authorities said.
The body of a kayaker who disappeared off New York’s Long Island was recovered near the Bronx after being spotted in the water by a helicopter search crew, Coast Guard officials said Tuesday. Laurence Broderick, 45, had been reported missing early Tuesday.
|UPDATE 1|
BOSTON — A nor’easter that barreled up the U.S. coast with hurricane-force wind gusts has left 425,000 people without power in Massachusetts and forced the closure of bridges, ferries and schools in the region on Wednesday.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency reported the widespread power outages Wednesday morning as areas along the coast experienced wind gusts of 80 mph to 90 mph. About 90,000 people lost power in Rhode Island, according to National Grid.
The National Weather Service in Boston reported that travel is not recommended early this morning in southeast Massachusetts because of the hurricane-force wind gusts, numerous downed trees and power outages. The highest wind gust of the storm was recorded at 94 mph at a ferry dock on Martha’s Vineyard, it said. Winds are slowly diminishing throughout the day.
The Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority closed the Newport Pell and Jamestown Verrazzano Bridges due to wind gusts of 70 mph early Wednesday morning, then reopened them shortly after to most vehicles. School buses were still not permitted to cross. Ferry service to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket was suspended Wednesday. Dozens of schools canceled classes.
The storm brought heavy rain and gusts late Tuesday and intensifying into Wednesday. The early nor’easter arrived before many trees have shed their leaves for the winter, increasingly the likelihood of power outages as branches covered in wet, heavy leaves blow onto transmission lines.
The storm, which is expected to be felt as far north as Nova Scotia, drenched the mid-Atlantic on Tuesday.
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BOSTON — A powerful nor’easter began barreling up the U.S. Northeast coast Tuesday, with officials warning it could bring intense flooding, hurricane-force wind gusts and widespread power outages.
New York and New Jersey issued emergency declarations ahead of the storm, which was forecast to gather strength through the day as it swept toward New England.
Parts of New Jersey had been soaked by more than 5 inches of rain Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service, leading to flooding in some areas. Strong winds were forecast to buffet the area through Wednesday, bringing the potential for widespread power outages, officials said.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy delayed the opening of state offices until 11 a.m. because of the wind and rain, calling the day “a wash out.” The storm prompted Rutgers University to move classes online for the day, while some other colleges and school districts canceled instruction.
In New England, officials warned of possible flooding and power outages as the storm headed north. The worst of it was expected to hit late Tuesday through Wednesday morning, lashing the region with high winds and heavy rain.
Wind gusts as high as 75 mph were forecast on Massachusetts’ Cape Cod, with sustained winds as high as 45 mph. The National Weather Service warned that waves off the state’s coast could reach 19 feet.
The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority suspended its ferry service Tuesday and Wednesday. In Salem, which hosts one of the nation’s largest Halloween festivals through October, the town canceled ferry service to Boston, urging visitors to take a commuter train instead.
The early nor’easter arrives before many trees have shed their leaves for the winter, raising the risk for power outages as branches weighed down by wet leaves come in contact with transmission lines. Eversource, a power company that serves Connecticut and other New England states, warned widespread outages were possible through Wednesday.
The storm has already disrupted some flights, and federal officials warned about possible delays or cancellations across the region.
Seven flights were diverted from New York City’s airports to Albany on Monday night because of heavy rain, according to officials at Albany International Airport. All but one of the flights had left Albany by early Tuesday.
In the waters off New York’s Long Island, the U.S. Coast Guard and local police searched Tuesday for a kayaker who did not return from a trip Monday night. He left a few hours before heavy rain started falling.
The storm arrives just weeks after the remnants of Hurricane Ida inundated the Northeast and caused deadly flooding. At least 50 people from Virginia to Connecticut died as rainwater trapped cars on submerged waterways and flooded subway stations and basements.
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