Climatologists say the prevalence of strong southerly storms that have battered the Vineyard’s south shore this winter are due, in part, to the first El Niño winter in five years.

The high winds and surf from Monday’s storm exacted a heavy toll on the Vineyard’s south shore, tearing several new breaches, eroding dunes and creating a sinkhole on Atlantic Drive in Edgartown

More than a dozen ferry trips to and from the Vineyard were canceled Monday morning as a storm hit southern New England with strong winds.

A major coastal storm headed towards southern New England is expected to hit the Vineyard with strong winds Tuesday and Wednesday, raising the risk of power outages.

Temperatures may reach as low as zero degrees Saturday and winds may reach up to 45 miles per hour.

Christmas came early for storm-chasers this year, as a major storm forecast to bring 65 mph wind gusts and heavy rain approaches New England ahead of the holiday weekend.

Wild weather in southern New England Saturday night brought heavy wind gusts to the Vineyard and three confirmed tornadoes in Connecticut and Rhode Island.

A statewide drought that has affected Martha’s Vineyard since last summer was declared at an end this month by the Massachusetts Drought Management Task Force.

Torrential thunderstorms pelted Martha’s Vineyard Monday morning, bringing a deluge of rainfall, lightning, a tornado warning and a possible funnel cloud off Aquinnah.