EGG HARBOR CITY, N.J. — A torrential rainstorm that brought heavy winds to the Northeast, causing damage and flooding, created some minor headaches for commuters today.

At least eight people died in storm-related accidents over the weekend, and nearly half a million people were without electricity in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York and Connecticut at the peak of the storm.

Authorities warned the storm could cause rush-hour delays on Monday morning, but the impact was relatively minor, especially compared with the havoc wreaked by nasty winter storms in recent months.

In Boston, the transit authority shut down some sections of subway and trolley lines on Sunday, but the lines were mostly reopened today. Several highway ramps in Massachusetts remained closed.

NJ Transit briefly shortened the routes of some trains into Manhattan, but restored service later in the morning. The Long Island Railroad pumped out an East River tunnel, allowing trains to pass through normally.

In New Jersey, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency, which would allow National Guard troops to be called up if needed. In signing the declaration Sunday night, Christie said he wants to ensure local and county resources are supplemented if needed.

Utility crews were making headway in restoring power. In New Jersey, for example, about 100,000 customers were without service today, down from a peak of 235,000. In Connecticut, where a handful of schools were closed, two major utility companies said more than 57,000 customers were still without power, down from a peak of about 80,000.

The storm, which carried wind gusts of up to 70 mph, came about two weeks after heavy snow and hurricane-force winds left more than 1 million customers in the Northeast in the dark.

"I spent most of the past few months clearing snow and ice out my driveway, sidewalks, front walks, and now we're picking up all these branches," Jack Alexander said Sunday as he and his family worked to clear debris from the front yard of their Egg Harbor City home. "It seems like we've had every type of weather event you could have this winter — I'm almost afraid to see what else can happen."