Downed tree limbs and power outages over the last few days highlighted Haverhill’s experience with the season’s early nor’easter, but an official said, the rain hasn’t done enough to dramatically change local drought conditions.
Officials starting receiving calls of power outages, downed tree limbs and business alarms being set off beginning about 12:45, Saturday afternoon.
Public Works Director Robert E. Ward told WHAV the wastewater treatment plant on S. Porter Street recorded a little more than two inches of rainwater as of Monday morning. Elsewhere in the city, totals amounted to between an inch and a half and two inches.
“It’s not enough, but every little bit does help,” he said.
Ward said he’ll be paying careful attention to any progress toward improving the city’s main water supply that has exhibited reduced levels during the extended northeast drought.
“There’s a couple, little trickling streams up at the East Meadow River which goes to Millvale Reservoir which we pump over to Kenoza Lake. I’ll emphasize ‘trickle,’ okay,” he said.
Haverhill Police reports show calls starting coming in Saturday afternoon from John Ward Avenue, Lexington Avenue, Lamoille Avenue, Kenoza Street, Salem Street and East Broadway and dozens more through the afternoon. Other reports followed from Crawford Street, Old Ferry Road, Pilling Street, Whittier Road, Mill Street, Riverside Avenue, Summer Street and Montgomery Street before subsiding.
More downed tree limb calls picked up again during the early night on Bartlett Avenue and, later, a particular concentration near Northern Essex Community College, Elliott Street, and along Middle and Whittier Roads. As residents awoke, Sunday, more fallen tree calls came from residents on Chadwick Road and Gile Street. The afternoon brought calls from Columbia Park and Mount Vernon Street. A flood watch continued into Monday.
WHAV’s Wave Weather Meteorologist James Covington said Tuesday will be mostly cloudy with isolated showers with a high temperature of 64 expected. Wave Weather is heard every 30 minutes over WHAV.