Tropical Storm May Hit New England Early Next Week

A system likely to become Tropical Storm Sandy is on a track toward the East Coast.

  Do you remember that snowstorm that dumped snow and left large areas without power for days last October?  Well, get ready for another potential Halloween storm. This time it likely won't bring snow to New England, but it could bring heavy rain and damaging wind early next week.  A tropical depression in the central Caribbean may strengthen to become a tropical storm by Tuesday (Oct. 23). Tropical Depression 18 has maximum sustained winds of only 30 mph on Monday afternoon, but the system is expected to intensify quickly and could be near hurricane strength (winds of at least 74 mph) as it approaches Jamaica on Wednesday. The tropical storm would be named Sandy, the 19th named storm of 2012 in the Atlantic Ocean. National Hurricane …

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Letter: RMLD Thanks Customers For Patience

Recent storm caused "unprecedented" number of outages.

In the wake of last week's storm, Reading Municipal Light Department General Manager Vinnie Cameron wishes to express RMLD's appreciation for our customers' patience during the many resulting outages. Following is an open letter to our customers.  "In my 24 years at the Reading Municipal Light Department, I have never seen the level of damage and destruction that caused an unprecedented number of outages during the recent October snowstorm that ravaged the New England area.  RMLD was prepared for a nor’easter that included heavy rain and snow resulting in numerous outages throughout our service territory, however, we did not foresee the magnitude of the storm.  RMLD employees were called in Saturday afternoon, prior to the storm, and went …

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RMLD Continues Restoration Efforts

With a list of areas in Reading the light department is addressing.

Here is the Reading Municipal Light Department's latest update from General Manager Vinnie Cameron and Engineering and Operations Manager Kevin Sullivan: RMLD is continuing the power restoration effort of clearing trees from power lines prior to beginning work.  We are still receiving calls of storm damage that must be inspected by our engineering staff before the linemen can make repairs.  We have multiple crews in Wilmington, Reading, North Reading and Lynnfield.  We continue to work toward completing the restoration of power as quickly as possible, utilizing additional crews from Marblehead, Danvers, Taunton and Wakefield, as well as tree crews from Vermont and Maine.  RMLD is addressing public safety concerns and large area outages …

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Rate The Storm, Share Photos, Stories

Overhyped? Or Just About Right? What Did You Think About the Halloween Weekend Storm? Please tell us in the comments section below.

Did you lose power? How were the roads in your area? Do you think this early snowstorm in October is a sign of things to come? Please share your thoughts, experiences, and photos of the October storm, some are calling Snowtober.

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John

10:46 am on Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Perhaps this issue will be addressed at tonight's Selectmens meeting.   more ›

Upload Your Photos of Hurricane Irene

Share your photos and video clips of the storm.

Irene is predicted to be the biggest storm to roll through town in many years and you can be a part of the Reading Patch coverage of the event. We want to see your photos and video clips from the storm. Now, to be clear, we are not asking anyone to go out into the storm and risk their health. But you can get an excellent view of what is going on in your neighborhood from your own front porch. Sharing your video clips and photos is easy. Upload them directly to this story by clicking the "add your photos and videos" link. Be safe and enjoy welcome Irene to the neighborhood!

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Storm Center

UPDATED: Another Winter Storm Could Bring a Foot of Snow, Ice

Area could see a mix of snow and rain mid-week, and the weight of snow and ice could cause structural concerns, the National Weather Service says.

Updated, 5:35 p.m., with the latest National Weather Service forecast. Another winter storm is headed for New England, and this long-duration event could bring a mix of snow and sleet, raising concerns that already-deep snow could weigh down roofs.  The National Weather Service has issued a winter storm warning for North Reading for 6 a.m. Tuesday through 1 a.m. Thursday. The weather service is calling for anywhere between 18-24 inches of snow through Thursday. Snow is expected to begin by the Tuesday morning commute in eastern Massachusetts, with a total of four to eight inches of snow possible by Tuesday night, the National Weather Service said. A lull in the storm is possible Tuesday night, with snow continuing again through the day …

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Post Office Asks Residents to Clear Snow From Mailboxes

Many deliveries were delayed due to Wednesday's storm. DPW will begin clearing sidewalks along school routes Thursday night.

While the fire and public works officials ask residents to help clear snow from around fire hydrants and sidewalks, don't forget to take a few minutes to shovel around the mailbox, too. As North Reading digs out from the second major snowstorm this season, James Murphy, the officer-in-charge for the U.S. Postal Service in North Reading, asked residents to keep walkways and curbside mailboxes free of snow and ice to ensure the safe and efficient delivery of mail. “The Postal Service treats safety and service with equal priority, and we are seeking your help to ensure that you get the kind of service you need and expect and our letter carriers are safe from the perils they face during the winter,” Murphy said in an e-mail to North Reading …

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