Hurricane Sandy, one of the largest storms to ever hit the East Coast, pummeled Massachusetts on Monday with punishing winds and dangerously high seas, flooding some coastal areas, and cutting power to some 385,000 homes.
The enormous storm, gaining speed as it roared north across the Atlantic, brought steady rain and sustained winds of 35 miles per hour through much of the day, with gusts nearly twice that strong.
Although Sandy’s landfall was in southern New Jersey, it cut a destructive path nearly a thousand miles wide, causing massive disruptions throughout the Northeast.
In Massachusetts, heavy winds toppled trees and power lines, closing roads and causing increasing power outages throughout the day. Heavy surf pounded the coast, forcing evacuations in some low-lying areas in advance of the evening high tide, when storm surges were expected to exceed six feet.
“All of our shoreline could be affected,” said Brian Legendre, fire chief in Westport, a coastal town next to Fall River.
Utilities warned that because of the storm’s strength and duration, power outages could last a few days. The high winds would make it too dangerous for some repairs to occur, Governor Deval Patrick said in an evening press conference. Utilities would be working through the night to restore power where they can, he said.
No injuries or serious damage was reported Monday amid the high winds. But the powerful late-season storm, which killed nearly 70 people in the Caribbean, brought the area to a near-standstill. As most people hunkered at home, schools, malls, and businesses were closed, major roads were half-empty, and public transit shut down.
Amtrak canceled its service along the Northeast Corridor, and several bus lines canceled service through Tuesday. At Logan International Airport, more than 900 flights were canceled.
The MBTA stopped running shortly after 2 p.m. amid mounting reports of downed wires and branches and concerns that flooding would make parts of the system impassible.
“Shutting down public transit is never ideal. But under the circumstances, the safety of our customers and our employees is paramount,” said Richard Davey, the state’s transportation secretary.
The closing was announced at 10 a.m., prompting a rush for the final trains. By noon, South Station was at rush-hour bustle as riders headed home.
Davey said that he hoped service would resume Tuesday morning but that crews needed time to survey the damage. By mid-afternoon, at least 15 trees or large branches had fallen on rail lines.
“We hope to run full service for tomorrow morning,’’ he said. “That would be our goal. But it is not guaranteed.’’
Patrick said he was “cautiously optimistic” that the T and commuter rail service would run Tuesday morning.
“In general, we think people can prepare for a normal work day tomorrow,” he said. Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino said schools and city offices would be open Tuesday.
Winds were expected to wane overnight, but a coastal flood warning was in effect until 1 p.m. Tuesday.
As Monday’s high tide approached under a full moon, Legendre warned that the “worst is yet to come.”
Forecasters warned that the state’s southern coast from Westport to Fairhaven might experience severe flooding, potentially more damaging than Hurricane Bob in 1991. Some 1,300 National Guard soldiers were deployed, mostly to the eastern and southern coasts.
As Hurricane Sandy moved toward the coast, the Category 1 hurricane packed winds up to 90 miles per hour, and forecasters said it could stand as the largest hurricane in New England history. Its air pressure — an indicator of the storm’s power — was the lowest ever recorded in the area.
“The lower the pressure, the more powerful the hurricane,” said Charlie Foley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Taunton.
Wind gusts of more than 60 miles per hour were reported in Brookline, Milton, Lawrence, Barnstable, Falmouth, and Fairhaven on Monday afternoon. Winds around 81 miles per hour were reported in Wellfleet just after 2 p.m., and a buoy off Cuttyhunk recorded a gust of 83 miles per hour.
In Waltham, about 25 families were forced to leave their homes when part of the roof was blown from two condominium buildings. One of the roofs was waving back and forth in the wind Monday night, and, at times, hanging about 10 feet over the edge of the building. Scraps of metal and wood littered the ground.
Despite the high winds, officials said the storm had not caused overwhelming damage.
Click here for latest information
Trending searches
4 day weather forecast, weather forecast for nyc, weather forecast in nyc, nyc weather forecast, weather nyc forecast, forecast weather nyc, weather forecast of nyc, 10 day weather forecast in nyc, 10 day weather forecast nyc, 10 day weather forecast for nyc, nyc weather 10 day forecast, nyc weather forecast 10 day, weather nyc 10 day forecast, weather forecast nyc 10 day, nyc 10 day weather forecast, weather in nyc 10 day forecast, weather for nyc 10 day forecast, weather forecast new york, weather forecast 10 days new york, 10 days weather forecast new york, weather forecast new york 10 days, weather forecast in new york for 10 days, new york weather forecast 10 days, 10 day weather forecast new york, weather 10 day forecast new york, weather in new york 10 day forecast, new york 10 day weather forecast, weather new york 10 day forecast, 10 day weather forecast in new york, new york weather forecast 10 day, new york weather 10 day forecast, weather forecast new york 10 day, 10 day weather forecast for new york, 10 weather forecast new york, weather forecast new york city, weather forecast for new york city, weather new york city forecast, weather forecast in new york city, new york city weather forecast, weather forecast new york ny, new york ny weather forecast, weather forecast new york new york, weather forecast of new york, new york new york weather forecast, weather new york forecast, weather forecast for new york, weather forecast in new york, new york forecast weather, forecast weather new york, new york weather forecast, nj weather forecast, weather forecast for nj, weather forecast in nj, weather forecast nj, weather nj forecast, 10 day weather forecast in nj, 10 day weather forecast for nj, nj 10 day weather forecast, nj weather forecast 10 day, weather nj 10 day forecast, 10 day weather forecast nj, nj weather 10 day forecast, weather forecast new jersey, new jersey weather forecast, weather forecast new jersey 10 day, 10 day weather forecast for new jersey, new jersey weather forecast 10 day, weather new jersey 10 day forecast, weather in new jersey 10 day forecast, new jersey weather 10 day forecast, 10 day weather forecast new jersey, new jersey 10 day weather forecast, new jersey forecast weather, weather forecast in new jersey, weather forecast for new jersey, hurricane sandy, hurricane sandy track, sandy, sandy hurricane, hurricane, hurrican sandy, huricane sandy, sandy storm track, storm, hurricane sandy news, sandy track, hurricane sandy cuba, hurricane coming to florida, track of hurricane sandy, youtube hurricane sandy, cat 1 hurricane, track hurricane, track of hurricane, storm track, hurricane sandy landfall, hurricane sandy tracking, sandy hurracane, sandy hurrican, where is hurricane sandy, latest possible path of hurricane sandy, hurrcane sandy, hurricane sandy update, sandy storm, where is hurricane sandy heading, storm track sandy, hurricaine sandy, hurricane sandy today, perfect storm, storm sandy, hurricane sandy 2012, east coast storm, the perfect storm, tropical storm sandy, hurricane sandy perfect storm, hurricane sandy east coast, huracane sandy, tracking hurricane sandy, track hurricane sandy, hurican sandy, hurricane sandy storm track, hurracane sandy, news on hurricane sandy, sandy perfect storm, east coast storm 2012, perfect storm sandy, harricane sandy, winter storm, hericane sandy, east coast hurricane, hurricane sandy video, perfect storm 2012, track sandy, hurrincane sandy, sandy the perfect storm, hurricae sandy, sandy huricane, what is a perfect storm, sandy storm news, frankenstorm, hurricane sandy new york, hurricane sandy nyc, hurricane sandy path, hurricane sandy nj, hurricane sandy new jersey, hurricane sandy ny, frankenstorm 2012, hurricane new york, new york hurricane, hurricane sandy fox news, hurricane sandy maryland, hurricane sandy in new york, hurricane sandy philadelphia, sandy new york, tracking sandy, hurricane sandy boston, hurriane sandy, hurricane in new york, hurricane sandy new york city, fox news hurricane sandy, hurricanesandy, new york hurricane sandy, hurricane sandy virginia, hurricane sandy youtube, hurricane sandy you tube, hurricane sandy snow, hurricane sandy live, latest news on hurricane sandy, super storm sandy, superstorm sandy, you tube hurricane sandy, hurricance sandy
No comments:
Post a Comment