Video by Jeffrey Hastings/Frame of Mind Photo
MANCHESTER, NH –A quick-moving storm barreled through Manchester on Monday, leaving downed trees, branches and wires in its wake, and leaving thousands of Eversource customers temporarily without power.
According to the National Weather Service in Gray, Maine, winds peaked at 34 mph at about 3:13 p.m., accompanied by a thunder storm and brief but heavy rain.
Reports of trees and wires down around the city started coming in via emergency communications, including Sommerville, Clay, Jewett, and Amherst streets.
And a large tree in front of the Bedford Village Inn was toppled, according to Bedford Police, but no power outages were reported there.
A severe storm warning remains in effect until 8 p.m. for parts of New Hampshire, but it appears that the worst is over for Manchester. The good news: The storm brought some temporary relief from the oppressive heat. Bad news: Temperatures are expected to creep back into the 90s by Thursday and remain stagnant through Sunday.
And the other bad news, for farmers and gardeners: This will be the extent of the rain for now – at a time when New Hampshire could use a good soaking.
“Rainfall is 12.38 inches below normal for the year so far – by now you should have about 23.92 inches, but you’ve only had 11.54,” said NOAA meteorologist Tom Hawley.
He said the dry spell is not due to any particular weather pattern, just the unpredictable New England summer.
“They’ve been getting plenty or rain north of you. but Massachusetts and Connecticut are also dry,” Hawley said.
