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A very blustery day

E-mail|Link|Comments () October 7, 2009 06:13 PM

Susan Hunt Stevens

The wind toppled this tree on Crescent Street in Newton.

By Michaela Stanelun and Abbie Ruzicka, Globe Correspondents

It was a day to hold onto your hat. Strong winds swept through the Boston area this afternoon and evening, downing scores of trees and power lines.

The winds, clocked at 45 miles per hour, also overturned sailboats on the Charles River.

Five members of the Boston University sailing team were thrown overboard when two small sailboats capsized because of heavy winds on the Charles around 2:45 p.m., Boston University Police Sergeant Jack St. Hillaire said.

A passerby who saw the incident called for help and the Cambridge fire department responded to the scene with a boat, but not before the students swam safely to shore, St. Hilaire said. No injuries were reported.

The National Weather Service received dozens of reports of heavy winds blowing down trees and power lines in communities ranging from Fairhaven to Cambridge to Gloucester.

The wind advisory is in effect until 10 p.m., when winds are expected to die down.

National Weather Service meteorologist Alan Simpson said winds will pick up in the early evening hours, reaching up to 45 miles per hour.

"There's an intense low-pressure system tracking across New England," Simpson said, which is causing the strong winds.

Although it will be windy, the forecast is expected to stay as a mix of sun and clouds for the remainder of the day.