Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Although the greater Boston area wasn't hit with lots of rain, the area did experience strong winds that caused damage throughout Back Bay.
Downed trees and wires, damaged cars and damaged property. Those were just some of the issues Hurricane Irene caused in Back Bay one year ago today. Browse through the gallery to remember some of the scenes throughout the neighborhood last year. Did you escape the storm with little to no damage? Or were you not so lucky? Share your Back Bay Hurricane Irene stories here.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
This weekend will go down in history as the most over-hyped weekend of the century.
Was Hurricane Irene a dud? Well, here in the greater Boston area, I would say yes. Although people did lose power and some areas experienced flooding, which is never a good thing, the overall storm did not seem to match the hype it had received from the traditionally over-hyped media. Actually, I would like to refer to this weekend as the “over-hyped weekend of the century.” See, even I can hype it up some more. Hurricane Irene had the honor of sharing the weekend with the over- hyped fight between Ronnie and The Situation on Jersey shore. For months, gossip websites such as TMZ and Parez Hilton teased us with tidbits about The Situation being rushed to the hospital because of a fight with Ronnie. In reality, he knocked himself out by …
Monday, August 29, 2011
For many, it was business as usual during Hurricane Irene.
Despite the pouring rain and strong winds, Diane Palmer drove from her house in Belmont to attend the 11 a.m. Sunday service at Old South Church. "And that's about when the tree fell down," she said. Palmer was one of about 50 people in the service. She didn't hear anything inside, but when she left was surprised to see Hurricane Irene had tossed a large trunk onto the sidewalk in front of the church. It was an incredibly old Hawthrone tree that fell, said Helen McCrady, Old South Church administrator. "It's been with the building since it was built [in 1874], she said. "It's sad." Old South also lost another tree on the other side, by Gordon Chapel, but there was no damage to ongoing repairs to fix an crack that formed in the historic …
Out-of-pocket costs often higher for hurricanes than other kinds of damage.
There was a 65-foot tree that fell in the Boston Common, another downed tree blocking the sidewalk by the Old South Church, and lots of debris and smaller branches littering the streets. But residents in Back Bay were fortunate throughout Sunday's storm - unless, of course, one of those branches landed on your house or car. Hurricane deductibles Massachusetts residents whose property is damaged by Hurricane Irene may discover they’ll be paying more for repairs than expected. The Associated Press reports that most homeowner insurance policies include a deductible that’s typically $500 to $1,000, but out-of-pocket expenses for hurricane damages can be much higher. “In 18 states on the East and Gulf coasts, insurers are allowed to include …
Sunday, August 28, 2011
Thankfully, only a few broken trees are the main storm damage in Back Bay.
Got your own storm photos? Or storm stories? Email them to me at cate.lecuyer@patch.com to have them featured on the site.
Hurricane Irene in Boston.
Stick with Patch as we report on the hurricane's toll , and your neighbors check in with localized damage reports.
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Sunday, August 28, 2011
With Irene bearing down on the area, Patch will live blog throughout Sunday to keep residents up to date with new alerts, warnings and other news from local officials, the state's emergency management agency, the National Weather Service and more. More importantly, we'll receive reports from Patch editors in our neighborhoods as we all weather the storm. Most of all, we want to hear from you. Tell us about any damage in your neighborhood. Are there trees down? Is the street flooded? What are you doing while you wait out the storm. Your reports and your stories are critical information for your neighbors. Keep 'em coming! If you can't see our live blog, please go to http://www.coveritlive.com/ and keep up with Patch updates there (or …
Irene is here now, but Back Bay began to feel her power Saturday afternoon.
Add your storm photos and videos to this article by clicking the "Add photos & videos" link underneath the graphic to the right. Get live coverage of Hurricane Irene with our up-to-the-minute blog. Let us know what's happening in your neighborhood. Leave a comment below telling us about how Irene has hit your neighborhood, or email cate.lecuyer@patch.com. Stay up-to-date if you lose power by downloading the Patch iPhone app. The city's web site offers dozens of tips on how to prep your home and sign up for mobile/phone alerts regarding emergencies. Click here for MBTA Advisories.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Public transportation shut down since 8 a.m. today.
T service is expected to resume on Monday, after being shut down at 8 this morning due to the expected storm. "The MBTA apologizes for any inconvenience, and asks for the public's patience and understanding as we combat the effects of this storm," read a statement posted on the MBTA's website. The suspension of service will allow MBTA personnel to focus all efforts on making sure the transit system is "up and running" at the start of Monday's commute, the statement said. Buses will be on stand-by to assist in any evacuations necessary during Sunday's storm. For full details and updates on MBTA service, click here.
Friday, August 26, 2011
The National Weather Service is urging New Englanders to be prepared for what could be the first hurricane in 20 years.
New England hasn't had a hurricane landfall in 20 years and meteorologists at the National Weather Service (NWS) are telling people to take Hurricane Irene seriously. "It's not something to be ignored," meteorologist Benjamin Sipprell said Friday morning, urging residents to be prepared for whatever the storm brings. The National Weather Service has issued a Hurricane Watch for the Boston metro area. And Gov. Deval Patrick has declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm, putting 2,000 National Guard troops on standby. Power outages possible as trees bend in the wind New Englanders would be wise to stock up on water, battery-operated radios, lanterns and food, he said. Be prepared for sustained and widespread power outages as trees …
Susan Bratton
11:28 am on Monday, August 29, 2011
Do we know if the city of Medford (the tree city) will be sending trucks around to pick up the fallen branches and leaves from their trees or do we have to wait until September for a leaf pick up day and hope our pile passes inspection to be taken? more ›