Storm Update: October 18, 2019

While the worst of the storm damage appears to be over in Melrose, I know the power outage late last night caught many of you by surprise. That outage affected 2,741 homes, and power was restored during the night. We were not notified in advance, and according to our National Grid representative, this was not a planned outage but appears to be related to the aftermath of the storm. As you know, the high winds continued into the night last night, and there are still wires and trees down.

Currently we estimate that fewer than 300 residences are still without electricity, and National Grid estimates that power will be restored to all Melrose residences by Saturday. While this was not a direct City issue, we appreciate your patience.

We are working with National Grid and we are in constant communication with them. We have been trying to keep up with the latest information and get it out to you but the situation is constantly changing. You can call National Grid directly at their customer service number, 1-800-322-3223.

In the meantime, we encourage you to check on your neighbors if they are elderly or disabled and still don’t have power.

We also encourage residents to check the catch basins, now and throughout the season, on their streets and clean them if they are blocked by leaves.

The City Yard will be open tomorrow for the rigid plastics recycling event, so you can drop off yard waste there if you are clearing leaves or brush. Please review the yard waste regulationsbeforehand, and note that branches must be less than 1 inch in diameter.

If you have a problem that requires attention from Public Works, such as a dangling tree limb, please call the DPW Operations Center at 781-665-0142. After hours, please call the Melrose Police Department at 781-665-1212.

We will continue to monitor the situation over the weekend and will update you further if there is any more news.