Weekend weather brings record warmth, wind damage

Alex Gault, Watertown Daily Times, N.Y.
·2 min read

Nov. 7—WATERTOWN — Saturday's unseasonably warm temperatures brought many residents outside to enjoy the day, but the strong winds that came later in the day might have helped drive them back inside.

Temperatures topped 75 degrees in Watertown, but Saturday afternoon brought strong winds that reached gusts over 70 miles per hour or more in some areas.

According to Times files, the high of 75 degrees reported at the Watertown Filtration Plant broke the record for Nov. 5, topping the 71-degree mark set in 2008. The 72-degree high reported Friday at the plant just missed the Nov. 4 record of 74 degrees hit in 2015.

In Thompson Park on Saturday, families passed the time with barbecues, games, walks on the trails and more. Among the red and yellow leaves scattered from the trees above, families enjoyed what they said they expected would be the last nice weekend for the year.

"It's just nice to get out and enjoy fall without being bundled up or worrying about the baby," said Sharon E. Neewburg, a mother visiting the park with her husband and two small children both Saturday and Sunday.

As the family walked the trails Saturday, they said they saw some wildlife on the bare trees that they would've otherwise never caught, and were especially enjoying the sound of the crunch of leaves underfoot.

Sunday, when the Neewburg's revisited the park, they were less enthused by the rainy weather and the overcast conditions.

"We'll still get out when we can though," she said.

Saturday's warm temperatures gave way to warm, strong winds later in the day, wreaking havoc around the city. Garden decorations were overturned in yards, tree limbs had toppled, and garbage cans laid in some streets.

A power line on Academy Street was taken down by a tree limb at about 1 a.m., cutting power for about 150 residents, according to National Grid's outage map.

National Grid and Watertown Department of Public Works crews worked to cut the tree free and repair the power pole and transformer Sunday morning, but power wasn't restored until about 4 p.m.

Winds were much calmer Sunday, with temperatures reaching a high in the mid-60s. Morning showers gave way to partly cloudy skies with a few sunny periods in the afternoon.