NANTUCKET, Mass. – A powerful ocean storm is hammering the Cape and Islands early Monday, with wind gusts topping 55 mph expected to continue through early afternoon. The National Weather Service has kept a High Wind Warning in effect until 2 p.m. for Dukes and Nantucket Counties in Massachusetts and for Block Island, Rhode Island.
According to the National Weather Service office in Boston/Norton, sustained east winds of 30 to 35 mph will make conditions hazardous for ferry service, coastal travel, and power lines. Downed limbs and outages have already been reported in parts of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, where crews are bracing for additional damage through midday.
Travel on the Vineyard Haven–Woods Hole and Hyannis–Nantucket ferry routes may be delayed or canceled as seas build and visibility drops. High-profile vehicles, especially on island roadways like Edgartown–West Tisbury Road and Milestone Road, could be pushed off course in stronger gusts.
Officials urge residents to remain indoors, secure outdoor items, and stay clear of downed wires. “If you lose power, use flashlights rather than candles and avoid unnecessary travel until winds subside,” local emergency managers advised.
Eversource and National Grid crews are staged across the islands to restore power quickly once conditions improve. Winds are expected to ease from west to east by late afternoon, giving way to calmer but cooler fall air this evening.
