WESTFORD — A high wind warning and flood watch was issued by the National Weather Service on Monday for much of eastern Massachusetts, including Westford.
The high wind warning was issued around 5 p.m. Monday while the flood watch was issued around 3 p.m. Both are effective until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
According to the NWS, southerly winds between 20 and 30 mph are expected on Monday, with gust up 65 mph possible. This means that there is a risk for downed trees and power lines, which can cause damage to structures as well as power outages. The NWS recommends that all residents in the effected areas secure loose objects on their porches and yards and limit travel if possible, especially in high-profile vehicles due to the risk of wind impacting driving.
Periods of heavy rainfall from Monday’s storm, combined with excessive runoff from the snow that has been melting due to high unseasonably high temperatures in recent weeks may result in the flooding of rivers, creeks, stream and other low-lying or flood-prone locations, the NWS said.
The high winds, heavy rain and higher-than-average temperatures from Monday’s storm in Massachusetts are part of a much larger storm system, which has triggered severe weather in other parts of the East Coast on Monday.
Once the storm moves out of the area on Tuesday morning, temperatures are expected to dip back down into the mid and upper 30s, with low temperatures Tuesday night expected to drop down below freezing.
