NEW YORK (1010 WINS) -- Heavy rains and wind gusts up to 45 mph caused problems for commuters Wednesday morning and knocked power out for thousands across the Tri-State area.
1010 WINS Audio: Mona Rivera Reports
The wind gusts toppled small trees and branches onto the Bronx River Parkway in Scarsdale and the Saw Mill River Parkway in Elmsford and Chappaqua.
The National Weather Service said about two inches of rain had fallen overnight, causing puddles and flooding on highways that normally have problems.
Wicked weather whipped up winds, downed trees and soaked the Garden State Wednesday, leaving more than a thousand homes powerless and spoiling the morning commute for many.
Heavy rains shorted a circuit at a power station, killing electricity to 1,300 customers in the Harrison and Kearny area, according to PSE&G. The storms also took down power lines in Hackensack, cutting off electricity to a couple hundred homes in Hackensack and River Edge.
The utility poles came down near railroad lines, disrupting service on NJ Transit's Pascack Valley line. Trains were stopped for about four hours during the morning rush.
Commuters were forced onto buses or the Main and Bergen County line trains. Just under 7,000 passengers ride the line daily.
PSE&G workers had the lines cleared and power restored across the state by midday Wednesday.
Winds reaching 50 to 60 mph took down trees in Monmouth County. Eatontown police rescued a woman trapped in a mobile home by a downed tree; she was not injured.
The storm dumped more than two inches of rain in northern New Jersey, according to the National Weather Service.
``March is a variable month, going from warm to cold. That creates a number of unstable weather systems,'' said National Weather Service meteorologist Bill Christ.
Forecasters expected more storms late Friday, lingering into Saturday.
(Pictures of Princeton St. in Garden City LI by 1010 WINS reporter Mona Rivera)
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