It isn't clear if the windy weather caused the outage. Above, a tree dropped onto power lines on Orchard Hill Road shortly before the power went out.

NORTH ADAMS, Mass. —  At least 5,000 customers of National Grid were without power for nearly three hours on Wednesday.

The region was buffeted by rain and high winds hampering efforts to get the electrical network back online.

 

Power went out around 6:30 in the downtown; that had been preceded by a reports of a tree that had fallen on wires on the Orchard Hill Road.

 

Mayor Richard Alcombright reported shortly after that that National Grid was investigating the cause of the outage. 

 

Alcombright said the outage "seems to be centered in the city core" on his Facebook page. At about 7 p.m., the mayor reported that National Grid was "out in full force" and about a half hour later, he reported that power was expected to return "soon."

 

National Grid reported a total of 4,616 customers were without power in Berkshire County, which included not only North Adams but along Route 8 into Clarksburg and on Florida Mountain. Power was also out for Green Mountain Power customers in Stamford, Vt.

 

The city was dark from Route 8 north, including Main Street, Church and Ashland, the north and south sides of Union Street, Beaver Street through River Street and into Clarksburg. State and North Adams Police were directing traffic at Route 8 and Main.

 

Power began to be restored downtown shortly after 8 p.m., was fully restored around 9. Initial estimates had been restoration by midnight. Nearly 2,000 customers in the town of Florida were still without power at 10 p.m.