A strong nor’easter brought heavy rain and winds powerful enough to topple trees and power lines, and created a mess in Padanaram Harbor. 

The storm blew through overnight Wednesday and into Thursday, reaching peak intensity after midnight. Although the rain moved out before 9 a.m. Thursday, it left a trail of damage in its wake.

In Padanaram Harbor, three sailboats were blown ashore on Smith Neck Road, and a catamaran broke loose of its mooring and became wedged under the Padanaram bridge. 

Crews had removed the catamaran by morning, but most of the boats remained scattered around the beach on Smith Neck Road, as concerned neighbors and sailors gathered to survey the damage. 

“It’s always the October storms that catch people off guard,” commented Gary Juvinall, who lives nearby, as he looked over damage from sailboats that had washed ashore.

Fire District No. 1 Acting Chief Jake Bettencourt said wires and trees were reported down throughout town during the storm. 

Dartmouth police reported several trees which fell into main roads, resulting in long road closures. As of 10 a.m., Rock O' Dundee Road was reported to be closed in the area of 570 Rock O' Dundee Rd. 

Strong winds will persist throughout the day. A wind advisory remains in effect until 6 p.m. Thursday. Winds of 20 to 30 MPH are expected, and gusts could reach 45 to 55 MPH.