An approaching cold front will trigger gusty southerly winds in Southern New England Monday afternoon and evening. Sustained winds of 20-25 mph are likely in coastal and western Southern New England. The potential exists for gusts between 35-45 mph this afternoon and evening in those same places. The strong wind gusts may down branches or trees leading to isolated power outages. The National Weather Service has highlighted the strong wind potential in the statement below.
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 426 AM EDT MON OCT 7 2013 CTZ002>004-MAZ003>007-010>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008- 071500- HARTFORD CT-TOLLAND CT-WINDHAM CT-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA- NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX MA-WESTERN ESSEX MA- EASTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HAMPDEN MA- SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA- SUFFOLK MA-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA- WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA- SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-BARNSTABLE MA-DUKES MA-NANTUCKET MA- NORTHERN MIDDLESEX MA-CHESHIRE NH-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH- WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI- SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-WESTERN KENT RI-EASTERN KENT RI- BRISTOL RI-WASHINGTON RI-NEWPORT RI-BLOCK ISLAND RI- INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...HARTFORD...WINDSOR LOCKS...UNION... VERNON...PUTNAM...WILLIMANTIC...GREENFIELD...ORANGE...BARRE... FITCHBURG...FRAMINGHAM...LOWELL...LAWRENCE...GLOUCESTER... AMHERST...NORTHAMPTON...SPRINGFIELD...MILFORD...WORCESTER... FOXBORO...NORWOOD...CAMBRIDGE...BOSTON...QUINCY...TAUNTON... BROCKTON...PLYMOUTH...FALL RIVER...NEW BEDFORD...MATTAPOISETT... CHATHAM...FALMOUTH...PROVINCETOWN...VINEYARD HAVEN...NANTUCKET... AYER...JAFFREY...KEENE...MANCHESTER...NASHUA...PETERBOROUGH... WEARE...FOSTER...SMITHFIELD...PROVIDENCE...WEST GREENWICH... WARWICK...BRISTOL...NARRAGANSETT...WESTERLY...NEWPORT... BLOCK ISLAND 426 AM EDT MON OCT 7 2013 ...POTENTIAL FOR MODERATE IMPACT WITH A STRONG COLD FRONT LATE TODAY... THIS MORNING...ISOLATED POCKETS OF DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES OF LESS THAN A HALF MILE ARE POSSIBLE ACROSS THE REGION...WHICH SHOULD BURN OFF WITHIN A COUPLE OF HOURS OF SUNSET. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING THROUGH THIS DENSE FOG DURING THE MORNING COMMUTE. A STRONG COLD FRONT WILL APPROACH FROM THE WEST THIS AFTERNOON AND CROSS THE REGION LATE TODAY AND THIS EVENING. THERE IS THE THREAT FOR HEAVY RAIN WITH POCKETS OF URBAN AND POOR DRAINAGE FLOODING ACROSS THE REGION IN ANY SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS AHEAD OF THIS FRONT. THIS WILL BE EXACERBATED BY FALLING LEAVES POTENTIALLY CLOGGING DRAINS. THERE ARE ALSO TWO POTENTIAL THREATS FOR STRONG SOUTHERLY WINDS. THIS AFTERNOON FOR A FEW HOURS ACROSS THE WHOLE AREA...WINDS MAY GUST 30-40 MPH AT TIMES. THEN...WITH THE COLD FRONT WHICH WILL ARRIVE IN THE WEST LATE THIS AFTERNOON THEN MOVE OFFSHORE AROUND MIDNIGHT...EVEN STRONGER GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE...BUT THESE WOULD BE SHORTER LIVED. EACH OF THESE POTENTIAL WIND THREATS HAS THE POTENTIAL TO DOWN SMALL BRANCHES OR TREES...AND LEAD TO ISOLATED POWER OUTAGES. STAY TUNED TO THE LATEST FORECASTS AND HEADLINES FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.