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BOSTON - A powerful wind and rain storm knocked out power to over 260,000 customers in Massachusetts on Monday.

By 11 p.m., there were 180,000 outages, with National Grid reporting more than 116,000 while Eversource had more than 65,000 customers still without power in Eastern Massachusetts.

Pepperell, Hopedale, Plainville, Millis, Marshfield, Easton, Halifax, Hanover, Rehoboth, Cohasset, Scituate, Mendon, Duxbury, Plympton, Millville, Newbury, Southbridge, Norwell and Carver were some of the hardest-hit towns according to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency power outage map.

In Scituate, emergency management officials said 99% of the town is without power and full restoration could take up to 72 hours.

"At 8:30 this morning we had 30 people without power, and we were feeling pretty good about ourselves," said Scituate Town Administrator Jim Boudreau. "And then between 9:30-10:30 the storm just revved up and everything just started going down."

Schools in town will be closed Tuesday, and residents who are looking to stay warm or charge their devices can go to the senior center, town library or town hall.

"It's going to be a long process because we have to have crews come out and actually check the lines before they can reenergize those areas," Boudreau said.

Police and fire departments around Massachusetts warned drivers of hazards in the road caused by the damaging wind gusts. In Braintree, the storm brought down overhead traffic lights at Five Corners.

And in Upton, police said Mendon Street was closed after a tree fell onto powerlines and a passing car. No one was injured in the incident.

The Wayland Fire Department posted that wires fell on a school bus on Loker Road. Everyone was able to get out safely. The Weymouth Public Schools superintendent said schools would be dismissed early after a half day because of power outages across the district.

Other reports from weather spotters said there were trees down in Boston, Haverhill, Westport, Dartmouth, Carver, Hingham, Bridgewater, Canton, Hingham, Spencer, Fairhaven, New Bedford, Rochester and Mendon.

Some trees crashed through houses and cars. And some drivers got trapped when they tried to drive through flooded roads.

The high winds also caused a temporary ground stop at Logan Airport in Boston, Massport told WBZ-TV.

Gusts throughout much of the state reached between 40 mph to 60 mph. At Blue Hill Observatory, meteorologists reported a hurricane-force wind gust of 90 mph, setting a new record for the date.

In New Hampshire, there were about 50,000 customers without power and Gov. Chris Sununu urged drivers to avoid flooded roadways.

Neal Riley

Neal J. Riley is a digital producer for CBS Boston. He has been with WBZ-TV since 2014. His work has appeared in The Boston Globe and The San Francisco Chronicle. Neal is a graduate of Boston University.

BOSTON - The WBZ Weather Team is issuing a NEXT Weather Alert for yet another powerful rain and windstorm.

Feeling deja-vu? For the 4th week in a row, we have rain on the way this Sunday and Monday.

This will, once again, be a very large storm with impacts up and down the East Coast.

A very similar storm to last Monday, albeit with a few timing differences.

When will it start raining this weekend around Boston?

Most of Sunday will remain dry. Clouds will thicken during the day and the first raindrops will arrive late in the afternoon, around sunset.

The rain will be fairly light for the first several hours, not expecting any real impacts Sunday night.

The heaviest rain will occur during the day on Monday between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. During this time, there will be areas of localized flooding, street flooding and ponding on roadways.

The rain will lift northward and taper off Monday evening to scattered showers.

Some lighter showers are likely to linger into part of Tuesday.

Rainfall totals are currently projected to fall between 1-3", a bit less overall than last week's storm. I wouldn't rule out some localized higher amounts, perhaps up to 4 or 5".

Storm could bring damaging wind gusts

Wind gusts will also be similar to last Monday's storm. The strongest being along the coastline and, in particular, over southeastern Mass. including Cape Cod and the Islands.

Peak gusts could reach between 50-65 mph in those areas, tapering down to 30-40 mph farther inland.

This will likely be enough wind to cause some scattered tree damage and perhaps a few isolated power outages.

The peak winds will occur during the day on Monday from mid-morning through late evening before tapering off overnight - a bit later timeline than last Monday. Therefore, we expect significant impacts to both the AM and PM commute on Monday.

Costal flooding concerns

The tides are a bit higher than last week, so therefore, the risk of some minor coastal flooding is a tad higher.

The high tide of greatest concern comes on Monday afternoon between 2-4pm. Some of the most vulnerable shore roads could take on some water.

Stick with WBZ-TV, WBZ.com and CBS News Boston for frequent updates before and during the upcoming storm.

We've got you covered!

In a recent guest appearance on the Boston Celtics’ team produced “View From The Rafters” podcast, champion Celtics floor general Rajon Rondo opened up about his time playing for Boston as well as their rival Los Angeles Lakers. Drafted by the Celtics in 2006, he helped them win the NBA title in 2008, playing alongside Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen.

Rondo recalled the team’s mentality and chemistry, noting they focused on sacrificing for the greater good. He credits veteran leadership for helping him as a young player. The Kentucky alum also discussed ending LeBron’s first stint in Cleveland in 2010 and some epic playoff battles between the teams.

Rondo and LeBron later became teammates on the Lakers and won a title together in 2020.

Check out the clip embedded above to hear Rondo’s exclusive interview with team reporter Marc D’Amico.

Listen to the “Celtics Lab” podcast on:

Apple Podcasts: https://apple.co/3zBKQY6

Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3GfUPFi

YouTube: https://bit.ly/3F9DvjQ

Next up on the Boston Celtics’ agenda: a chance to extend the longest losing skid in NBA history. On paper, their meeting with Detroit might rank as the season’s biggest mismatch. The Pistons will walk into TD Garden on Thursday with 27 straight losses. Boston will arrive with an undefeated home record of 14-0.

Even with Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown questionable for the game, the Celtics will be heavy favorites. They will try not to look past the matchup, but at The Athletic, that’s part of what we’re paid to do. The Feb. 8 trade deadline is just six weeks away. Here’s an early look at several factors that will help determine Brad Stevens’ course of action.

The TPE landscape

The Grant Williams sign-and-trade this summer left the Celtics with a $6.2 million traded player exception (TPE). It could be a useful trade chip, though just how useful remains to be seen.

At that price or lower, it’s difficult to find a player who would potentially be available and also have a realistic chance of helping the Celtics in a playoff series. Would the Hawks consider moving on from Saddiq Bey? He would fit comfortably into the trade exception and give Boston another playable wing in the postseason. Though Bey has been pretty productive for the Hawks this season, they won’t be able to pay everybody and could explore all of their options before he hits free agency this summer. At 12-18, they could be looking at a substantial roster shake-up soon.

Some other TPE targets would be at least mildly intriguing. Not many first-round picks get moved with one and a half years left on their rookie contracts, but if the dreadful Washington Wizards listen to offers for Corey Kispert, his sharpshooting could help somewhere else. Kris Dunn, a quality perimeter defender on an expiring contract, could be available if the Utah Jazz don’t see him as part of their future. HoopsHype’s Michael Scotto reported John Konchar as a possible Celtics target, though the Grizzlies could be hesitant to move anyone if they start charging up the standings with Ja Morant now available.

How many minutes would those players receive in Boston? And if none of them would impact the rotation, how much would the Celtics be willing to pay in luxury taxes for a ninth or 10th man?

The Celtics currently sit about $18 million over the luxury tax line with more than $183 million in projected payroll. For every dollar added to the payroll, they would also need to pony up more than three times that amount in luxury tax. So, if the Celtics include no outgoing salary while using the TPE, a $5 million player would cost the team more than $20 million. And money won’t be the only factor limiting whom the Celtics pursue.

Stevens won’t want to mess with success

Stevens’ history as a coach and executive shows how much he values locker room dynamics. With the Celtics on pace to win 65 games, he will likely want no part of a trade that could potentially rock the boat.

Stevens made his stance on that clear last season. After acquiring Mike Muscala at the deadline, Stevens said he wanted to find someone with “the ability to play” who wouldn’t “need to play.” In other words, Stevens wanted to look for a player who would be OK with receiving a smaller role but capable of filling a bigger role when necessary.

Expect Stevens to aim for similar fits at this deadline. The Celtics don’t need much. Their starting lineup might be the NBA’s best. At age 37, Al Horford remains more than capable as a sixth man. Sam Hauser and Payton Pritchard have helped complete a better-than-advertised bench. Behind Horford, Luke Kornet has been solid, and Neemias Queta has been promising in limited minutes. Teams this good don’t normally make big changes at the deadline.

The Celtics are expected to examine bench options, but all of the evidence suggests the current group just fits well together. Hauser (41.6 percent) and Pritchard (40 percent) are living up to their reputations as knockdown 3-point shooters while showing off more well-rounded games. The team has blasted opponents by 9.2 points per 100 possessions with Horford on the court; that’s the worst on-court mark for any of the Celtics’ top eight rotation players. As the on-off data shows, Boston has consistently bashed the opposition with any combination of its regulars on the court. An extra perimeter player or a different type of bench big man could still help, if only to provide more playoff-caliber depth, but the second unit hasn’t been an issue so far, and most of the playoff minutes will go to the top-six players anyway.

Beyond the basketball fit, the Celtics locker room has been entirely no-nonsense. At least publicly, the players have all been OK with sacrificing minutes and/or touches. Nobody in a smaller role has complained. That type of team-first mindset is worth preserving. With all of the talent already in Boston, Stevens doesn’t necessarily need to take a big swing. He won’t want to disrupt what he already has.

Another financial factor

The Celtics don’t necessarily need to limit themselves to TPE targets, but they don’t have many bloated salaries to package together for an impact player on a bigger contract. The top-six rotation players (the starters and Horford) will combine to make more than $165 million this season. That’s more than 90 percent of the team’s payroll. Assuming Stevens plans to keep the top of his rotation intact (a safe assumption given the team’s start), his options will be limited from a financial perspective.

For the purpose of demonstrating that point, we can use Kelly Olynyk as an example. Marc Stein recently reported that the Celtics are “among the teams that (are) monitoring” the Jazz big man as a trade possibility. Olynyk, quietly putting together an efficient season in Utah, would give Boston another quality depth piece in the frontcourt, but it would be extremely difficult for the Celtics to make the money work without including a rotation player in the deal. Unless they wanted to trade Horford, Hauser or Pritchard, they would need to trade just about everyone else on the roster to reach the salary required to match Olynyk’s $12.2 million contract. Not even the five-player combination of Oshae Brissett, Svi Mykhailiuk, Lamar Stevens, Kornet and Dalano Banton would give the Celtics enough salary to acquire Olynyk. The challenges of a six-for-one trade, which would force Utah to waive several players or re-route them elsewhere, mean Olynyk would be extremely unlikely for the Celtics to obtain without trading a rotation piece. Even if Boston wanted to deal Pritchard in such a move, his contract extension, which will kick in next season, would complicate any deal as a poison pill for salary-matching purposes.

The Celtics could more realistically build an offer for someone near the salary level of San Antonio’s Cedi Osman ($6.7 million) or Houston’s Jae’Sean Tate ($6.5 million), but any contract much bigger than that would present serious salary-matching issues. Boston could still decide to trade one of its rotation players for the right acquisition but would need to consider the future as well as the present in any deal. The team’s payroll is set to grow out of control in the coming years even if Stevens holds onto the current core. And the new collective bargaining agreement will punish the most expensive teams.

The Celtics could have a window to strike now, before the worst of their coming tax avalanche. But the circumstances suggest not to expect many fireworks from Stevens.

(Top photo of Kelly Olynyk: Gregory Shamus / Getty Images)

After six years of teaching stand-up comedy at ImprovBoston, Kathe Farris will wrap up her final class in February. And this one will be bittersweet. The comedy nonprofit announced a few weeks back that it will “wind down all operations and activity over the coming months” after four decades. A few days after being told the news on a Zoom call with staff Dec. 11, Farris was still trying to process it.

“I don’t think the impact has really hit a lot of us,” she says. “It’s gonna be such a big hole in the community.”

“Community” is a word that crops up a lot in conversations with those who have been involved with ImprovBoston over the years. Farris took her first comedy course there in 2013 and began teaching in 2017. Since then, she estimates she has taught more than 250 students. The community-minded approach was instilled in her through her first instructor, Rob Crean, who not only taught comedy basics but also helped get Farris in front of audiences. When she got the chance to produce her own show at ImprovBoston, she created “Farris and Friends,” which put more seasoned comedians on the same bill with neophytes, to help encourage interaction and introduce performers to the local scene.

Farris isn’t sure she would have continued in comedy without Crean and the connections she made in class. “He was the person who kind of launched me into the community because he produced a couple of shows,” says Farris. “After taking his class, I started going to his open mic. And then going to his shows, and that’s truly how I got in.”

Managing director Matt Laidlaw was part of the team that broke the news to ImprovBoston staff on the Zoom call. “I don’t think people were expecting that news,” he says. “There were a lot of sad faces.”

The term Laidlaw uses to describe ImprovBoston’s impending status is “dormant.” That means there will be no full-time employees as of Sunday, the last day of the year, and no more performances or classes once the current round of commitments has run its course early in 2024. But ImprovBoston, as a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, is not dissolving completely. Its website will stay up, and a small board of directors will remain to manage the organization’s assets. “We’re still working with all of our strategic advisers to make sure the organization can financially survive a long-term dormancy,” he says. “Even in dormancy the organization will have to restructure its fund-raising and outreach model.”

ImprovBoston, based in Cambridge, hit its biggest stumbling block at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic when live comedy venues were shut down and its theater space at 40 Prospect St. in Central Square went dark. That cut off funding from ticket sales and classes, and, maybe more importantly, took away the space that helped foster the ImprovBoston community. According to Kristie LaSalle, current treasurer and former chair of the board of directors, the landlord for the classroom space was willing to work out a payment plan to help ImprovBoston keep its tenancy through the closure. The theater space was under a separate lease, and the group was unable to get a similar break. ImprovBoston asked to exit the lease, and it left 40 Prospect St. for good in November 2020.

It received two rounds of federal PPP funding and grants from the Cambridge Community Foundation, which totaled just over a million dollars. “That allowed us to basically bring back our classes and bring back all the full-time staff,” says Laidlaw.

By August 2022, the grants ran out but enough income was coming in by then to keep the organization running. “We were like, ‘Well, we could do this if a few things go our way,’” says Laidlaw.

ImprovBoston was able to stay afloat for another year, but ultimately time and money ran out amid faltering ticket sales and class sign-ups. With no theater to operate from, generating income got tougher. Laidlaw says despite some good options for a new theater space, it didn’t have the money to cover construction and opening costs.

“We’ve seen sort of a steady decline in registrations for classes,” says Laidlaw. “And one of the reasons for that is our lack of a public permanent space. What we found is that people are very energetic to go into our classes and do the lower levels. And as folks progressed, they wanted more opportunities to perform. And we didn’t have the venue as we did pre-pandemic to give them that opportunity to perform and grow, and also build our roster of farm team performers.”

ImprovBoston started in 1982 when Ellen Holbrook created the troupe with the intention of establishing an improv entity like the famed Second City in Chicago. Its first regular nights were at Riley’s Beef & Pub in Government Center, and there were one-nighters and residencies at various clubs, including Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge. Holbrook stopped performing in 1986 and left the ImprovBoston board in 1988, but the organization persisted, finding its first home in 1994 when it took over the Back Alley Theatre in Inman Square.

In 2008, it opened the larger facility in Central Square, where it hosted all manner of improv. It facilitated holiday shows and improv tournaments, and schooled several generations of improvisors in its classes.

“I’m very proud that it lasted for 40-plus years,” says Holbrook. “I’m really sad and disappointed that it is winding down or going dormant now.” She says the closure isn’t too surprising, because theater audiences have changed, but she is optimistic about the future of improv comedy and hopeful ImprovBoston might live again. “Everybody loves improvisational comedy. They love the performers and the stars that have got that improvisational comedy background. There are still improvisational comedy companies that still get audiences all over the place.”

Laidlaw doesn’t see a viable option for ImprovBoston to reopen with a small footprint. But he is hopeful that somewhere down the line, the right people will pick up the reins. “So my recommendation, and the board’s recommendation is: Let’s button everything up, let’s put it on the shelf for a little bit,” he says. “And let’s keep it there, so it’s not dissolved. And let’s wait for those folks that have the energy to build it back up.”