UPDATED, Sept. 30, 7:30 a.m.: Town and private crews were out in force on Tuesday cleaning up from the storm, with its intense winds that hit the region Friday night and intensified on Saturday. The storm, a rare September nor’easter, lingered Sunday and into Monday and damaged trees throughout the town. No area of Arlington seems to have been spared.
After stalling for a bit on Monday, the storm has moved out of the region. There were isolated properties with power outages, and reports throughout town cite downed branches and tree damage. More than 2.5 inches of rain has fallen in Arlington since Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
At noon on Saturday, at least two isolated power outages hit town; by evening, that number had climbed to several hundred houses. A tree was taken down in a yard off Eastern Avenue in the Heights on the morning of Sept. 26. The work was scheduled in advance and finished as the storm arrived. On Sunday afternoon, fewer than 50 houses were reported to be without power, according to the main utility companies, Eversource and National Grid. On Saturday night, at the height of the storm, about 800 properties in town were without power, with some reports of damage to trees, including a large tree that was down at the intersection of Wachusett and Park avenues, as this weekend’s storm passed through.
At Monday night’s Select Board meeting, Town Manager Jim Feeney told the board that the town lost 13 public trees.
When the Arlington Police Department released the weekend call logs, Sept. 26 saw numerous reports of “wire down” and “tree down.” A report of a tree being down doesn’t mean the whole tree was lost. It could just mean a large branch or significant section of the tree broke off in the high winds.
The National Weather Service reported that local weather stations in Arlington logged afternoon and evening gusts of 31 to 39 mph on Sept. 26, before peaking overnight into Sept. 27. There could have been some gusts near 50 mph.
According to the Arlington Police logs, the following damage was reported (some damage could have been reported to the town twice): On Sept. 26 at 11:32 a.m., tree down on Webcowett Road; 11:42 a.m., tree down, Fabyan Street; 12:44 p.m., tree down, Browning Road; 3:24 p.m., tree down Hillside at Wachusett Avenue; 4:34 p.m., wire down, Mystic Street; 5:16 p.m., tree down, Beverly Road; 7:32 p.m., wire issue, Perkins Street; 7:26 p.m., tree down, Grafton Street; 7:30 p.m., wire down, Wyman Terrace; 7:37 p.m., wire down, Bailey Road; 7:40 p.m. tree down, Mystic Valley Parkway; 7:41 p.m., tree down, Coolidge Road; 7:43 p.m., tree down, Mountain Road at Washington Street; 7:52 p.m., traffic signal malfunction at Florence Avenue at Park Avenue; 8:10 p.m., wire down, Marathon Street; 8:12 p.m. tree down, Decatur Street at North Union Street; 8:21 p.m., tree down, Fox Meadow Lane; 8:39 p.m., wire down, Marion Road; 9:36 p.m., tree down, Concord Turnpike at Dow Avenue; 9:38 p.m., tree down, Gray Street at Scituate Street; 9:53 p.m., wire down, Park Avenue; 9:57 p.m., wire down, Linden Street; 10:12 p.m., tree down, Oldham Road; 10:15 p.m., tree down, Wachusett Avenue; 10:38 p.m., tree down, Grove Street Place; and 11:28 p.m., tree down, Russell Street.
On Sept. 27, the Arlington Police logs show the following damage reports (some of these reports could duplicate early reports): 6:28 a.m., tree down, Egerton Road; 6:31 a.m., tree down, Mystic Street; 7:05 a.m., tree down, Browning Road; 8:30 a.m., tree down, Chester Street; 9:57 a.m., tree down, Winter Street; 10:10 a.m., tree down, Dorothy Road at Parker Street; 11:23 a.m., tree down, Rhinecliff Street; 11:38 a.m., tree down, Beverly Road; and 1:20 p.m., tree down, George Street.
From the town-issued warnings posted on Sept. 24 at 4 p.m.
Wind Advisory Friday – Sunday, Sept. 25-27
Prepare by securing lawn items, clearing storm drains, and keeping important phone numbers handy.
The National Weather Service Boston has issued a wind advisory from Sept. 25 to 27. The long duration of the winds, coupled with heavy rain and fully leafed trees, may increase the risk of tree damage and power outages.
As a reminder, residents are directed to call 911 to report downed wires and treat all downed wires as “live” electrical and stay away from them. View a list of emergency phone numbers.
With over 3,000 storm drains in Arlington, the town asks residents and businesses, if they can, to clear storm drains around their property to reduce the risk of localized flooding. You can also Adopt-a-Drain. Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects, like lawn furniture, garden tools, and potted plants. Please secure these and similar items around your home.
Emergency preparedness
Advisories like this, remind us to be prepared for an emergency. Emergency preparedness involves planning, having supplies on hand, and knowing how to stay safe during an emergency. Being ready for crises before they happen can protect you and your loved ones.
Build an emergency supply kit:
Being prepared means stocking up on supplies. An emergency supply kit is a collection of tools that can help in the event of an emergency. Kit supplies can include flashlights, nonperishable food, extra clothes, a first aid kit, and personal hygiene items. It is recommended that supply kits have a gallon of water per person/pet per day, for three days, if possible.
Have a plan
Create an emergency plan with your family, friends, or household. Designate a meeting spot where you all can gather in case you’re separated during an emergency. Learn your local emergency alerts and warnings. Practice emergency drills and memorize evacuation routes.
Stay connected during an emergency
In the event of a local emergency, the town uses Arlington Alerts to keep community members updated. Sign up for Arlington Alerts here.
This story was originally published on Sept. 24, 2026 as an alert and was taken from the town of Arlington’s postings. It was updated as a story through Sept. 28. The report of a tree that was lost in the Heights was updated to clarify that the work was previously scheduled to avoid it from falling during the storm.
