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10.07.2013 | SPRINGFIELD -- Heavy fog blanketed the city's downtown Monday morning.

(Don Treeger | The Republican)

SPRINGFIELD — Power outages throughout Western Massachusetts climbed to nearly 6,000 customers in the four counties Monday evening as a powerful thunderstorm accompanied by strong winds swept through the region.

The National Weather Service in Taunton at 6 p.m. issued a severe thunderstorm watch for Northern Connecticut and Western Massachusetts, primarily for parts of Hampden and Hampshire counties. The watch was to remain in place through 7 p.m. A warning means thunderstorms are likely.

The remainder of Western Massachusetts remained under a thunderstorm watch, meaning conditions exist where a storm is possible but not imminent, through 10 p.m. The weather service also declared a heavy wind advisory in anticipation of wind gusts of up to 50 mph, through 8 p.m.

As a result of the afternoon storm that rolled through Western Massachusetts, the two major electric utilities, the National Grid and Western Massachusetts Electric Co., reported a combined 5,900 customers without power in Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden and Hampshire counties.

The National Grid as of 6 p.m. was reporting 1,900 outages statewide, with the majority being in Western Massachusetts. Berkshire and Franklin counties were reporting about 660 outages each, with fewer than 100 reported in each of Hampden and Hampshire counties.

In Franklin County, 256 of 800 customers in Charlemont were without power as were 320 of 500 in New Salem.

WMECO reported just over 4,400 outages, with the highest concentration being 1,414 in Pittsfield.

Large numbers of outages were also reported in Shelburne, 573 of 1,153 customers, Huntington, 514 of 1,126 customers, Hatfield, 466 of 835, and Buckland, 401 of 1,007.

Nick Morganelli, meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, media partner of The Republican and MassLive.com, said the storm has moved east a cold front would be moving through tonight. "This provided a south wind with warmer, muggier conditions today. Cooler Canadian air will filter in overnight," Morganelli said. "Clouds could linger around for the Tuesday morning commute. A sunny, seasonal stretch of days is expected through the second half of the week."