Monday’s heavy rain and wind gusts of 50 mph prompted the Hopkinton Fire Department to ask residents to use caution if they have to travel.

“This morning has been one of our highest call volumes in recent memory,” HFD stated in a tweet on the X social media platform at approximately 11 a.m. “HopFD has responded to 18 calls for service within the past 4 hours.”

An hour earlier, the department announced that it was out on its fourth call for service in 24 minutes, including two calls for medical attention

“This weather and conditions are relentless,” the post stressed. “Please be safe out there if you must be on the roadways.”

The Hopkinton Public Schools announced that all schools closed early, with the middle and high schools closing at 11 a.m. and the elementary schools shutting down at noon. The middle and high schools experienced power outages and were running on “minimal generator power.”

Eversource announced on its website that the strong wind gusts should gradually subside going into the early evening. Any downed power lines should be considered dangerous, and people should stay at least 10 feet away from them.

“This long duration of hazard gusts poses an increased risk of bringing down trees and branches, damaging electric lines and equipment,” Eversource shared. “It also may limit our ability to respond to community priorities and outages during the peak of the storm. We will respond as quickly as safety allows.”

Because of recent rainfall, the ground already is saturated, leading to “an even greater potential to bring down trees and limbs onto electric lines and equipment causing outages.” Monday’s area rain totals are expected to range between 2-4 inches, according to The Weather Channel’s website

The Hopkinton Department of Public Works worked to clear downed trees and/or wires on multiple roads.

In an email at 1 p.m., DPW Director Kerry Reed stated that the “DPW has responded to over a dozen calls for down trees” on Wood Street, Front Street, Hayward Street, Pond Street, Winter Street, Fruit Street, Cedar Street. South Mill Street and Clinton Street.

“Also, several town culverts couldn’t handle this storm capacity, so the streams overtopped the roads,” she continued. “This happened at Granite Street and West Elm Street. And lastly, DPW crews have been working to clear catch basins that got clogged with leaves or other debris to keep them flowing.”

She added that the Water & Sewer Department has been helping respond with the Fire Department to calls for flooded basements. Reed noted that for those who lost electricity who have sump pumps, they aren’t able to run, causing basements to be “inundated with groundwater.”

On Monday afternoon, Commission on Disability chair Holly Morand announced that the commission’s meeting scheduled for 7 p.m. at Town Hall has been rescheduled for Jan. 8. Member Mike DiMascio had planned to give a presentation on the Americans with Disabilities Act and the role of the Massachusetts Architectural Access Board in enforcing its regulations designed to make public buildings accessible for all.