The northeaster passing over the Vineyard during the weekend brought strong winds and heavy rains that caused some coastal flooding and sporadic power outages.
Many of the low-lying parts of the Island, including Dock street in Edgartown and Five Corners in Vineyard Haven, were inundated. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation closed Beach Road from Five Corners to Martha’s Vineyard Hospital Saturday morning because of the floodwaters, and advised travelers to take alternate routes.
As of Sunday morning, the National Weather Service reported more than four inches of rain had fallen on the Island.
There was no major damage reported as of Saturday morning, and Eversource was dealing with a small number of power outages throughout the week across the Island. Some boats did break their moorings and washed up on shore.
The National Weather Service had placed the Vineyard under a high wind watch and expected the Island to get as much as six inches of rain. The Vineyard had one of the highest reported gusts in Massachusetts, with a gust of 60 miles per hour recorded at the airport early Saturday morning.
Forecasts predict rain and gusty winds persisting into Monday. The Steamship Authority had stopped running ferries on Friday and suspended all service on Saturday. Many businesses announced that they would be closing altogether or early.
Even the West Tisbury Farmers’ Market, which is normally held rain or shine, was canceled Saturday.
The Martha’s Vineyard Striped Bass and Bluefish Derby continued on through the storm, though several popular fishing areas were inaccessible when the Trustees of Reservations closed oversand vehicle access to parts of Chappaquiddick. Those trails remained closed Monday due to flooding.
By Sunday morning, the Steamship Authority had restarted service. All traffic from the Oak Bluffs terminal was moved to Vineyard Haven due to the ongoing wind.