Powerful winds topping 50 mph knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses Monday across parts of New England.
The wind gusted to 72 mph in West Bethel, 57 mph in York, 55 mph in Rumford and 53 mph in Portland, Maine, and 54 mph in Nashua, 53 mph in Concord and 52 mph in Manchester, New Hampshire, according to the National Weather Service. Atop New Hampshire’s Mount Washington, a gust of 123 mph was recorded.
At the peak Monday afternoon, more than 90,000 homes and businesses were without power in New England, including about nearly 40,000 apiece in both Maine and New Hampshire, officials said.
The powerful winds were preventing utility workers from using bucket trucks to restore power, said Kerri Theriault, Central Maine Power’s director of electric operations. “We will continue to make progress wherever and whenever we can, as quickly as possible,” Theriault said.
The good news was that the strong winds were short-lived. The National Weather Service said calmer weather was expected by Monday evening.
