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RI WEATHER

Photos: The storm’s impact along the Rhode Island coast

The storm brought strong wind gusts, knocking out power for thousands, as well as significant rainfall and coastal flooding. Forecasters expect more rain this afternoon and extreme cold tonight.

By Brian Amaral and Carlos R. Muñoz Globe Staff,Updated December 23, 2022, 3:19 p.m.
Flooding Friday morning at the Watch Hill Yacht Club on Fort Road, in the Watch Hill area of Westerly.Courtesy Bryan Oakley

A winter storm knocked out power to thousands, flooded roads from Westerly to Warren, and disrupted travel Friday morning, with continued impacts expected throughout the day.

The storm is bringing strong winds, significant rainfall, and coastal flooding to the state before extreme cold arrives Friday night.

Here’s what we’re tracking in Rhode Island.

Power outages

Rhode Island Energy, the state’s predominant electricity utility, reported nearly 7,700 power outages as of 5 p.m. Friday. Outages and estimated restoration times can be tracked at: rienergy.com/RI-Home/outage-central/. Governor Dan McKee’s office said warming centers were available throughout the state with information available at riema.ri.gov.

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Bridges

Restrictions on the Newport Pell, Jamestown Verrazano, and Mount Hope bridges had been lifted as of 9:30 a.m. Friday, the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority said on Twitter. Check with the Rhode Island Turnpike and Bridge Authority for updates: ritba.org/travel-alerts/

Impacts around the state

Reports of road flooding were flowing in from around the state, including Westerly, North Kingstown, Bristol, and Jamestown, on the MyCoast app, which helps people track the impact of storms.

Among those submitting reports to MyCoast was Bryan Oakley, professor and assistant department chair in Environmental Earth Science at Eastern Connecticut State University.

“The storm this morning inundated the usual low-lying areas around the region, including Watch Hill,” Oakley said in an email. “This gives a preview of the areas particularly vulnerable to sea level rise. Combined with the waves, I expect we will see frontal erosion of dunes coast-wide, and where the water overtops the shoreline we will see some overwash and washover fan deposition.”

Debris from coastal flooding after high tide Friday morning at the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier in Providence, which was closed in anticipation of the winter storm that hit the New England region two days before Christmas.Carlos Muñoz

Coastal access advocates were collecting photographs and videos on Facebook of the storm’s impact and damage along the shore.

Flooding in Providence

In Providence, the Fox Point Hurricane Barrier was closed in anticipation of the storm.

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Andrew Loconto, of the National Weather Service Boston, said on Twitter that the water level there peaked at 9.2 feet at 8 a.m. thanks to a 3.79-foot storm surge, making it the ninth-highest level ever recorded at the Fox Point gauge and the highest since Hurricane Bob in 1991.

There was also moderate flooding at Quonset Point.

Mount Hope Bridge in the fog at midday Friday, as seen from the Pheasant Drive waterfront public access in Portsmouth, R.I., during the winter storm that hit the New England region two days before Christmas.Carlos Muñoz

East Bay

The Rhode Island Department of Transportation said Friday morning that part of Veterans Memorial Parkway near Kettle Point in East Providence, and Poppasquash Road and Hope Street at Washington Street in Bristol, were closed due to flooding. Hope Street in Bristol was back open later in the morning, WPRI reported.

Areas of Warren also had flooding in spots.

The effects of Friday’s winter storm in the Green Hill area of South Kingstown.Courtesy Eric Little

South County

In Narragansett, police put up barricades at the shoreline access points at Newton and Hazard avenues and Bass Rock Road because of dangerous high surf conditions, asking people to avoid venturing onto the rocks there.

Ocean Road was back open by later in the morning, although debris was in the roadway and the town was urging people to use caution.

Huge waves pounded Friday afternoon along the sea wall in Narragansett.Carlos Muñoz
Huge waves pounded Friday afternoon along the sea wall in Narragansett.Carlos Muñoz

South Kingstown police also reported road closures due to flooding.

Cleanup was underway at the Coast Guard House in Narragansett, NBC10′s Liz Bateson reported.

In Westerly, the Windjammer Surf Bar posted videos of a flooded roadway.

A winter storm caused flooding in the Watch Hill area of Westerly on Friday morning, including at the Watch Hill Yacht Club on Fort Road.Courtesy Bryan Oakley

Aquidneck Island

The storm surge during Friday morning’s high tide left debris at Island Park Beach in Portsmouth, where cleanup was underway.

Cleanup of storm debris is underway at Island Park Beach on Aquidneck Avenue in Portsmouth, R.I., during the winter storm that hit the New England region two days before Christmas.Carlos Muñoz
Cleanup of storm debris is underway at Island Park Beach on Aquidneck Avenue in Portsmouth, R.I., during the winter storm that hit the New England region two days before Christmas.Carlos Muñoz

Portsmouth Police advised people in town to avoid Park Avenue.

The Claiborne Pell Newport Pell Bridge in the fog, as seen from Goat Island Friday afternoon in Newport, R.I.Carlos Muñoz
The Goat Island Lighthouse Friday in Newport Harbor.Carlos Muñoz


East Greenwich

This story has been updated with reports of coastal flooding from around Rhode Island.

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Brian Amaral can be reached at brian.amaral@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Carlos Muñoz can be reached at carlos.munoz@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @ReadCarlos and on Instagram @Carlosbrknews.

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