Storms cause power outages

Powerful and fast-moving storms smacked the north country Wednesday evening, causing power outages to thousands.

National Grid said 9,830 customers — primarily in eastern Jefferson and northern Lewis counties — lost power as a result of the storm. At 10 p.m., more than 6,200 customers still were without power.

A line of powerful storms from Clayton to Chaumont tracked across northern Jefferson County and deep into St. Lawrence County. Emergency dispatchers have reported that a utility pole near Clayton Marina, 50 State St., was toppled by the storm. A low-hanging wire also was reported near the Plessis fire station on County Route 3, forcing department members to open the overhead garage door by hand.

Several traffic-control units were dispatched to intersections in Clayton and Alexandria Bay, where power outages caused lights to stop working.

In Watertown, flowing water reportedly popped manhole covers off of their basins and a tree was reportedly lying across Park Drive, off State Street.

Emergency dispatchers also corrected and redirected apparently confused emergency responders whose garbled transmissions either were completely static or incoherent.

The severe thunderstorms snapped the region out of a heat wave, leaving cooler, moist air in its wake. The line extended from northern Lewis County and caused the National Weather Service to call the storms dangerous, bringing "destructive hail and deadly cloud-to-ground lightning."

The National Weather Service said the thunderstorms produced quarter-size hail and winds in excess of 60 mph. The fast-moving storm resulted in warnings for much of the region.

Today's forecast calls for abundant sunshine and temperatures near 70 degrees.