Highest wind worries in the Berkshires

LEE, Mass. (WWLP) - The Berkshires will get the most wind from Hurricane Sandy, and winds were certainly picking up Monday morning.

The wind really comes in bursts, on 22News’ drive up to Lee, we experienced moments where the wind was rocking the car and others where the wind had settled.

In the Berkshires so far, the leaves are blowing, the trees have been moving and the drizzle has been coming around from time to time as well.

With wind coming before the rain, one of the concerns is for the amount of leaves on the ground.

“Up here in the Berkshires, all the leaves are about down. As you can see looking around there's not many leaves left, which we're happy for that because if the leaves are down that takes a lot of the weight off of the trees,” said Dennis Kelly, Assistant Superintendent of the Lee DPW. “But the crew will be going around. Later on this afternoon we've got a crew going out with back blowers. They'll be blowing off the basins again.”

The problem with leaves on the basins and drains is that they could clog. Clogged basins and drains means water backs up and can't flow away from the streets, increasing the risk for street flooding.

Right now we haven't had much in the way of rain in the Berkshires, but wind and rain are expected to be the worst the higher in elevation you go.

At times, even when the drizzle stops, people have been forced to use umbrellas as a shield against the wind.