In an email titled “Goodnight Irene!” Vice President and University Secretary Linda Lorimer put Yale community members’ concerns to bed, summarizing the extent of Irene’s effect on the campus.

Read her full email below:

Those of us in New Haven seem to have been mighty lucky relative to those to the west of us (where Bridgeport airport had over 6 inches of rain compared to our 3 inches in the City) or the east of us (where Old Saybrook and other shoreline towns took a beating) or to the north (where Durham had serious flooding).

We were lucky that Irene was downgraded to a tropical storm and moved so quickly out of New Haven. Overall, the University fared well. We have some downed trees on streets, courtyards and walkways as well as a few downed power lines. All Yale power plants are in full operation and we have power throughout campus, with only a few exceptions. There is no power at 142 and 149 Elm Street (with power likely to be restored there by the end of Monday); also power is out at facilities at the Yale Bowl.

The City Emergency Operations Center is reporting minor property damage throughout the City, well over 1,000 trees down (including trees in parks) and about 17,000 residents without power.

At this time, the City is asking residents to stay home, so that crews are able to clean up the fallen trees and other debris. Even though the storm has passed, a few very large trees have fallen in just the last hour and the saturated ground and wind gusts may contribute to others still tumbling, so there is a need to take continued care.

Yale Facilities has crews out to clean up trees and branches, and the City also has crews out, with a first priority towards trees that have fallen on power lines and trees blocking streets.

Yale offices will be open for business as usual in the morning. We recognize there are some staff who may not be able to get to work because of conditions where they live. Those staff members who are not providing essential services may elect to take paid time off to cover their absence after conferral with their supervisor, and we are encouraging supervisors to grant this release whenever feasible.

The Yale Shuttle will resume operations tomorrow at 5 am. Dining Services will resume operations tomorrow as planned with breakfast at Commons.

Thank you to all who did so much good preparation in advance of the storm, and especially to those who staffed our essential services last night and today!

Linda Lorimer

Update: 3:34 p.m.

She followed up in an email to Yale College students, adding that wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour are still possible and tree branches could still snap. “If you decide to go out, take real care,” she wrote. “There are some trees and power lines down proximate to the campus.”