Aug 23, 2009 6:06 pm US/Eastern
Fringe Effects, No Major Damage From Bill
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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Hurricane Bill as seen from outer space Friday in a photo from NASA.
NASA
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A NASA satellite image of Hurricane Bill as the storm churns in the Atlantic Ocean on August 20.
NASA
Massachusetts felt fringe effects from Hurricane Bill, which passed about 170 miles southeast of Nantucket. But the state was largely spared from damage and any major flooding because of the storm.
By Sunday morning, Bill had weakened to a Category 1 storm, with sustained winds up to 85 miles per hour. A tropical storm warning for the Massachusetts coastline was dropped shortly before 9:00 a.m. Sunday.
Bill made its closest apporach in the pre-dawn hours Sunday morning, bringing wind gusts in the 20 mph range on the Cape, and as high as 30 mph on Nantucket.
Watch: Hurricane Bill's Latest Track
Watch: Latest Weather Forecast
View: 7 Day Forecast
Read: WBZ Weather Team Blog
VERY LIMITED DAMAGE
WBZ's Bill Shields, reporting from Oak Bluffs, says there is very limited damage on Martha's Vineyard. Limited beach erosion was a concern on Edgartown's South Beach and Chappaquiddick. There was also concern about the sandbar off of Chatham's Lighthouse Beach, which has been prone to erosion in the past.
HEAVY RAINS
The hurricane's outer bands accounted for heavy rain in spots of Metro Boston overnight. A WBZ Weather Spotter in Kingston reported receiving upwards of three inches, where many other locations reported anywhere from one to three inches.
HIGH SEAS
The biggest threat continues to be strong rip currents and high seas. Eight to twelve foot seas are expected at Cape beaches through Sunday.
Watch: Barry Burbank's Rip Current Tips
Watch: How To Survive Rip Tides
Waves of up to 20 feet remain possible south of Martha's Vineyard and Block Island and east of Cape Cod, and up to 35 feet on portions of the prime fishing area of Georges Bank, the National Weather Service said.
On Saturday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard rescued two men and a dog from a fishing vessel that became disabled off the coast of Cohasset. A helicopter had to come to the rescue because Coast Guard vessels were unable to navigate the rocky and shallow waters in that area. Those men were unharmed, but in a press release, Chief Petty Officer Gerald Welton stated, "With the weather moving through the area things are pretty hazardous on the water."
A High Surf Advisory remained in effect through Sunday evening for most of the New England coastline.
BEACHES CLOSED
Many beaches on the Cape and Islands were closed in preparation, including east-facing beaches in Chatham, all beaches on Nantucket and most on Martha's Vineyard. Further beach closings were expected.
Gov. Deval Patrick recommended that boaters avoid outer Cape Cod. "Some of the actions we're taking in a 'just in case' mode, because -- better safe than sorry. But some are real hazards. The hazards to swimmers are real."
He also said mariners should not try to ride out the storm at sea and advised swimmers to stay out of coastal waters through the weekend.
PRESIDENTIAL VISIT
President Obama and his family plan to travel to Martha's Vineyard on Sunday for vacation. They delayed their arrival by just a couple of hours, to arrive well after Bill's winds have passed.
(© 2010 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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