Heavy rain and winds cause downed branches, flooding early Monday
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — A storm brought heavy wind and rain to Southern New England, knocking down trees and branches, and causing some flooding.
The storm began with rain showers and windy conditions on Sunday. The heaviest rain was expected around 4 a.m. Monday.
As of 4 a.m. Monday, about 5,000 Rhode Islanders were without power. That number was down to 889 as of 8 a.m.
At the storm’s worst, Rhode Island Energy reported over 80 active outages.
In Massachusetts, over 4,000 people were still without power as of 8 a.m.
The numbers of affected customers went up and down into Monday afternoon.
A downed branch in Cranston amid heavy wind and rain Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (WLNE)
In addition to heavy wind and rain, coastal flooding was a high concern. Waves were expected to be as high as 7 to 12 feet, and up to 20 feet offshore. Less than a foot of flooding was likely along the coast.
Concerns of potential hazardous conditions along the coast prompted the Block Island Ferry to cancel service Sunday evening and early Monday.
Southern New Englanders were encouraged to bring all holiday decorations inside, as winds were strong enough to lift unsecured objects, weaker trees, and branches.
A power line came down on Quaker Lane in Warwick, closing the road down for hours.
Cars were being turned away amid minor flooding in the area as crews worked to fix the issue.
Strong waves crash over the seawall at Narragansett Town Beach amid heavy wind and rain, Monday, Dec. 11, 2023. (WLNE)
According to the National Weather Service, the Conimicut Lighthouse saw winds as strong as 42 miles per hour at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The bulk of the damage from the storm came early Monday amid strong winds.
The National Weather Service reported downed branches and trees across Rhode Island and and southeastern Massachusetts.
A tree came down on a house on Tennyson Lane in Providence. No injuries were reported.
Officials reported 12 wind damage incidents in Rhode Island between midnight and 6 a.m.
The storm relaxed by Monday afternoon.
