Severe Storms Cause Damage In Boston Area

BOSTON (CBS) – A spring heat wave came to violent end as a batch of severe storms roared through the Boston area Tuesday afternoon, knocking down trees and snapping power lines.

"Just as fast as the tree came down, that's as fast as it went out," one woman said.

Neighbors telling a similar story in and around the Boston area Tuesday night - severe weather as damaging as it was quick. Severe thunderstorm warnings were issued from Boston to Plymouth.

"Crazy, crazy! We lost power two times. Thunder. Lightning. Everything!" said Margaret Woods of Somerville.

"Before you knew it, it was a torrential downpour," said Michael Kilbride of Colonial Nissan. "We couldn't even see our front row of cars right here."

And now the Medford dealer can't see the cars for a different reason.

"Maybe a dozen trees down on cars, broken windshields, broken mirrors," Kilbride said. "You see these big roots coming out of the ground, trees over."

Crews in dozens of neighborhoods were gearing up for hours of clean-up near homes in progress and properties where the homeowner is on vacation.

"She kind of reported it as if it fell between the houses but when I got here it was like," said Abby Peck, the sister of a homeowner. "It was pretty scary because there were power lines down."

Those anticipating pricey repairs are trying to look at the bright side.

"My roommate called and said you better get here, I think a tree just fell on your car," said Somerville resident Mike Barthe. "Thank God no one got hurt."

As of 10:00 p.m. Tuesday night, about 1,600 customers in the Boston area were still without power.