STORM DAMAGE - Mike Busic's home on Collins Road sustained a hit from a pine tree during the high winds on Sunday night. Busic's garage was mostly impacted and he will be able to stay in the home until repairs are made.

Wind damage is reported

Gusting winds reaching more than 80 miles per hour downed trees and damaged buildings around the county Sunday night into Monday. Sunday night snowfall was also reported, with near whiteout conditions with the high winds late that evening.

Anita Silverman, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Blacksburg, Va., said a peak wind gust was reported on Sunday night at 82 miles per hour in Sparta. Laurel Springs reported a gust of 68 miles per hour just after midnight Sunday night into Monday morning. Silverman said gusts of that strength are the equivalent of a hurricane-force wind. "Once (the wind gusts for) a tropical storm cross 74 miles per hour, then it's considered a Category I hurricane," said Silverman. "They were definitely significant winds." Winds were reportedly gusting up to 60 miles per hour on Monday in the county, she said.

Winds were especially severe at higher elevations, said Silverman. "Along with the high wind report, we also had reports of some damage to pine trees and apple trees," she said.

As of Tuesday, Silverman said most of the significant winds were diminishing and, other than a small chance of rain late Wednesday into Thursday, the weekend appears more seasonable and dry. As for the snowfall on Sunday, Silverman noted that snow events are not unusual this time of year. "In the mountains, it's not exceptional that we'll have snow in April," she said.

The low pressure that is at the root of the storm, known as a nor'easter, was off the coast of Long Island for about 24 hours.

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