wind

Jed Hresko photographed the remains of the wrapping on that new Jackson Square building this morning - the second time in the past few months it's proven no match for local winds.

Somebody in Winthrop might be late for work today. Photo by Kdabbler.

A large tree decided to observe the law of gravity on Blue Hill Avenue at Seaver Street, taking out two cars with it. It caused no injuries, but did result in gridlock along the avenue.

New Jackson Square building gets a premature unveiling. Photo by Krodamai.

As of 7:40 a.m., NStar is reporting more than 5,800 powerless customers.

And there are delays on the Red Line due to a dead train at JFK/UMass. OK, that one's probably not wind related, just Red Line related.

Street light cover that blew off on Staniford, not a Rover looking for Number 6. Photo by A.P. Blake.

Stephen M. photographs the remains of the door at 125 High St.

Citizens Connect has several reports of tree damage from last night's storm, including this tree on wires on Ansonia Road in West Roxbury and this snapped tree on wires off Clarendon Street in the South End.

The National Weather Service has issued a high-wind warning through 6 a.m.

A HIGH WIND WARNING IS ISSUED WHEN SUSTAINED WINDS OF 40 MPH ARE EXPECTED FOR AT LEAST AN HOUR...WITH GUSTS OF 58 MPH OR GREATER AT ANY TIME. DAMAGE TO TREES...POWER LINES...AND PROPERTY ARE POSSIBLE WITH WIND OF THIS MAGNITUDE. POWER OUTAGES ARE LIKELY. TAKE ACTION NOW TO SECURE ANY LOOSE OUTDOOR OBJECTS.

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for pretty much the entire state for Monday, which means we're at high risk for bad wild fires, due to a combination of dry ground conditions, low humidity and high winds.

The entire state - except for Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket - is under a Fire Weather Watch for Tuesday:

EXTREMELY DRY AIR COMBINED WITH GUSTY NORTHWEST WINDS AND LITTLE RAINFALL OVER THE LAST FEW WEEKS WILL RESULT IN CRITICAL FIRE WEATHER CONDITIONS DURING TUESDAY.

Medicacritty looked outside on Boylston Street this afternoon.

National Weather Service capitalizes on our impending mega-wet weather. Oh, and don't think that umbrella will protect you - they've also issued a high-wind watch.

The National Weather Service reports gusts of up to 50 mph are possible between 4 p.m. and 1 a.m.

Jamaica Plain Patch reports nobody was hurt when the wind toppled the bug-gnawed tree onto the Jamaicaway yesterday, smashing one windshield and hitting another vehicle.

And that answer would be "No," assuming the question was "Can I walk through Copley Square with an open umbrella today?"

On a noontime walk to Back Bay station (from City Hall; yeah, I'm that kind of nuts), I took refuge on the steps of Trinity Church, and watched as countless umbrellas got turned inside out and countless people simply gave up and closed their umbrellas rather than fighting a losing battle with the wind.

Guster.

Around 11:15 p.m., a wind gust that may have hit 50 m.p.h. took down a tree and telephone on Briggs Street. Police shut the small street until the damage could be repaired.

Any damage your way?

Windy enough to knock down large tree limbs at Harvard St. and Cummins Highway and whip up whitecaps on the Cambridge reservoir off 128 in Waltham. All afternoon, the Boston Fire and Police departments were busy responding to reports of downed wires and trees across the city.

Photos of crashing waves in last week's storm.

Channel 4 reports last night's winds ripped open a storage shed at the Amesbury Sports Park, sending the snow tubes inside scudding across the highway.

Oh, the humanity! Copley Square turned into a battlefield last night as wind and umbrellas clashed - and wind proved the better, leaving the square littered with the detritus of its vanquished foes. Oddjob photographed the carnage (click for far more photos).

Copyright Oddjob. Tagged as universalhub on Flickr.

National Grid outages at 11:30 p.m.: Does NStar have something similar?
Reports are coming in of power outages across the area, like mid-Cambridge, Tremont Street downtown and Newton Centre.

And Georgy Cohen reports Somerville Police had to help her and other riders off an 89 bus that hit a downed tree and power line.

Thanks to William Ricker for the link to the National Grid map.

It's so windy that Carol Merletti, a justice of the peace, just reported a wedding at which she was to officiate at the Top of the Hub was postponed until tomorrow because it's "too windy in a tall building!"

Scooterdude discusses the challenges of sailing around Copley Square on a scooter when the wind chill is below zero:

... It should be noted here that a secondary invention was extremely useful in keeping my nose and the rest of my exposed face from the bitter cold. I've discovered that the plastic sail provides an excellent temporary solar-warmed, wind-protective 'tent' as I headed back into the wind for my next gust-ride. It causes me to wonder why something of this sort is not devised for people subjected to Arctic conditions, whether on mountain summits or enduring polar climates. This kind of plastic 'Bubble' proved extremely useful and a great relieve from the steady punch of frigid wind. ...

Jed H. shows just how windy it was in Copley Square today (photo posted with permission).

Channel 4 reports a door, possibly unhinged by the wind, fell five stories and hit a man in Chinatown.

David Inniss tweets he wound up in a dust storm behind the Ritz Carlton and had to take refuge in Macy's:

I ended up with grit in my eyes and mouth, yuck.

It's so windy a light pole was blown across 93 north by Andrew Square, reducing the highway to a single travel lane, Lori Magno reports.

Kathy Podgers need only step outside her front door to see what happens when the city doesn't inspect its own trees - the remains of what was clearly a sick tree came down during yesterday's winds:

... The tree should have been examined, and removed before it posed a danger, and certainly before it collapsed. Allowing City trees which are ill, and pose a danger, to exist along our City streets, unmarked, is outrageous disregard for the public safety!! ...

It was so windy, Charles Bandes was able to photograph a hubcap in a tree.