Nevermind that last month was the warmest November in 53 years. Yesterday, the region packed enough weird weather into one day to last us the rest of the year.
Rain. Wind. Unprecedented warmth. Tidal flooding. And to keep us on our toes, in the forecaster's crystal ball is a chance of snow tomorrow.
Just before dawn, an early-morning storm brought driving rain and strong wind gusts that knocked out power to thousands around the state, including more than 6,600 in Newburyport alone at one point, due in large part to a line down on Greenleaf Street. More than 700 people in Amesbury lost power when a transformer caught fire at the west end of Lions Mouth Road.
According to National Grid spokesman David Graves, Newburyport's troubles were mirrored in communities across the state, after a storm moving up the East Coast left behind a trail of downed lines and darkened homes.
"We have issues in a lot of places," Graves said. "It's all weather-related."
With the power out at Newburyport High School, where the plumbing is tied into the electrical system, students were dismissed at 9:15. By then, the sun was out, and the air was warmed up, and the teenagers took over the downtown breakfast eateries.
Ray Whitley, a local weather watcher for the National Weather Service, recorded 1.13 inches of rain from the cloudburst.
But the real story yesterday was the warmth, he said.
Temperatures reached 69 degrees at 11:09 a.m. — smashing the record of 60 degrees for Dec. 3, set in 1982.
"The temperature is the real winner today," Whitley said.
This followed on the heels of the third-warmest November since 1956, as temperatures reached 4.4 degrees above normal for the month, Whitley said.
But just when it seemed the water was going away, high tide rolled in around 12:30 p.m. Cars drove through 3 inches of water on Newman Road in Newbury. By yesterday afternoon, the receding high tide left large puddles in the parking lot of Brown's Seabrook Lobster Pound on Seabrook Beach, and on Beach Road in Salisbury, beach parking lots were flooded.
Salisbury Department of Public Works director Don Levesque said while there was flooding, no streets were closed. "The areas affected are high tide areas that are prone to tidal events," Levesque said, noting 11th and 12th streets and Beach Road were the most affected. "Other areas like March Road get hit, but those other areas have drainage systems and leaching basins, so it takes time, but the water does go down."
Levesque said the DPW almost had to shut down Beach Road due to flooding. Areas like 11th and 12th streets are mainly residential areas where people know how to handle floods, Levesque said.
"We came close on Beach Road," he said. "The residential streets, residents know what to do — drive slow, etc. It wasn't bad in most cases."
As for snow tomorrow, the jury is out, though the National Weather Service is currently predicting clouds, but little precipitation. Whitley said it all depends on how close the system gets. Some models show the storm getting pushed out to sea.
As we've come to expect, local weather is unpredictable every day.
"It's one of those things," Whitley said. "We may see something and we may not."
Staff writers Katie Farrell Lovett, Katie Curley-Katzman, Lynne Hendricks and Will Courtney contributed to this report.
Lower-hassle Screening to Be Tested at Airports
Raw Video: Dog Rescued From Icy Colo. Water
Helmet Camera Captures Calif. Fire Rescue
Worker Tells 911: Powell 'exploded the House'
Triple Win: Santorum Takes Minn., Mo., Colo.
Injured Marine Inspired by Homecoming
No Rape Charges Against Son of NYPD Commissioner
Egypt's Ruling Generals Play Risky Game With US
Former Komen Exec Defends Funding Cut
Skip the Coffee Cup and Inhale Your Caffeine Fix
Calif. Gay Marriage Ban Ruled Unconstitutional
Jury Selection for Ex-UVa Athlete Enters 2nd Day
Cab Driver Helps Wis. Family Escape House Fire
Staff Removed at LA School During Abuse Probe
Runaway Goat Leads Police on Wild Chase
