Floods and downed power lines plague residents

By Peter Casey Dec. 18, 2023

Wind and rain and flooding were the topics of the day as a storm brought high winds and periods of heavy downpours Monday.  The result was plenty of flooding in some of the usual spots around town with downed power lines, trees, and limbs causing most of the damage.  Eversource reported power outages to about 168 customers of the 8689 customers that Eversource serves in Winchester. 

Winchester Fire Chief Steven Osborne said most of the calls to his department were downed tree limbs and some caused power outages.  Osborne said Eversource has been very quick to respond, and they have been fantastic. “It’s been nothing crazy and no nightmare calls.   Eversource has been here and when we’d get another call they could respond right away because they were already here.”   

 There were reports of wires down on almost a dozen roadways in Winchester.  One utility pole with wires attached near Highland Avenue and Sargent Road snapped off after being hit by a tree and caused a power outage.   There were no reports of fire to Winchester Fire Department but one incident with wires down on Dunster Lanedid start a small fire in some leaves.

With the amount of rain in a short amount of time, flooding was seen on many streets.  Cross Street and Bacon streets both flooded under the train tracks.  Everett Avenue flooded near Cambridge Street.   Traffic slowed in spots on Main and Church Streets.  Winchester DPW boss Robert LaBossiere reported close to one-hundred calls for flooding or limbs down and most of the calls were for flooding and debris on the road.  He said flooding was in “any low areas with leaves in the catch basins.  The guys would get there and clear the catch basin until the water goes down.  Within forty minutes most of the water cleared.” 

As of early afternoon, it appeared most of the storm has passed by.