Northeast Winds Topple Trees, Power Lines from Mass. to Maryland

Usually snow and ice are the culprits this time of year in the Northeast for problems with the weather.

Wednesday, though, proved to be Mother Nature offering a different problem for residents. Winds, in some cases exceeding 60 mph, blew down trees and power lines from Massachusetts to Maryland. Widespread damage was reported, and officials say it could be nearly a week until some customers have their power back. In Massachusetts, a wind gust of 66 mph was recorded late in the morning atop the Blue Hills in Milton.

One fatality was reported in New York where a man was killed in his car by a falling tree.

According to Connecticut Light & Power, more than 100,000 homes and businesses were dealing with not having electricity Wednesday afternoon. To make matters worse in Connecticut, some residents were still without power as the result of a weekend ice storm that downed lines.

The high winds also caused problems in New York and New Jersey not only for residents and business owners, but also a number of commuters. Train service between Connecticut and New York was disrupted due to the winds.

According to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, tractor-trailers, rec vehicles and motorcycles were prohibited from crossing the George Washington Bridge in New York as a result of the weather.

A ferry traveling from Monmouth County (N.J.) to the southern end of Manhattan reportedly battled high waves, but there were no reports of damages or injuries.

Flights were delayed at a number of Northeast airports, including Boston’s Logan Airport and all three airports serving the New York/New Jersey area.