Rodney Chai, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Norton, Massachusetts, said Tropical Storm Henri could make landfall here some time between Sunday and Monday. If it hits, residents can expect high winds, erosion on the coast, and flooding.
WATER, WIND ON TAP
WHERE: Tropical Storm Henri is expected to strengthen into a hurricane today and is on track for landing in Newport, Rhode Island, and affecting the southern coast of Connecticut.
WHEN: Sometime between Sunday and Monday, but landfall is not guaranteed.
PREPARE: Meteorologists say residents should prepare a supply of food, water, and gas to last a few days in case of landfall and power outages and monitor the latest forecasts. Local forecast data can be found on the National Weather Service website at:
https://weather.gov/box.
"Right now, there's an increasing threat for landfall from Henri somewhere in southern New England," Chai said.
Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University, said the Manchester area could see 20 mph winds, with gusts up to 30 mph. He said a hurricane watch is in effect from Long Island to New Haven, and a tropical storm watch is in effect west of New Haven.
"The current track has it going close to Newport, Rhode Island, so that would bring some wind to eastern Connecticut," Lessor said.
Lessor said there is concern with Henri coming into Connecticut on the tail of Thursday's heavy rainfall, since much of the ground is soaked and the sewer and levee system infrastructure may not be able to handle it all. Trees could topple and rivers jump their banks.
"That's why we're afraid, after all that rain, to have Henri come and affect Connecticut," Lessor said.
Thursday's downpour likely played a role in a three-car accident that occurred in Vernon in the area of Hyde Avenue, emergency crews on the scene said. Four people were involved, including one who was trapped inside a crumpled car, police said. A driver was transported to St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center and is in critical condition today. Two others were taken to Hartford Hospital with minor injuries. Sgt. Robert Marra said the cause of the crash remains under investigation.
During a short time span, both Tolland and South Windsor received in excess of 5 inches of rain Thursday, with other towns reporting anywhere from 1 1/2 to 5 inches of rain.
Tolland Fire Marshal Robert DaBica said seven roads were flooded in that town throughout the Thursday morning rainfall, but luckily no accidents or rescues occurred.
Still, "it rained like heck," DaBica said.
Michael Maniscalco, South Windsor town manager, posted a video to Twitter showing flooding on the corner of Ellington Road and Petersen Way. He said there was flooding all over his town, causing some damage as a result.
Donna Lucerine, regional manager for the Pinney Brook Apartments in Ellington, said flash flooding combined with backup from streams and waterways in town caused water to flood a ground-floor apartment there. She said she was working on a temporary relocation for the tenant on Thursday afternoon.
Vernon Town Administrator Michael Purcaro said that towns in the area have had trouble coping with the recent pattern of heavy rainfall events.
July broke records for the amount of rainfall this year, as well.
"These massive rainstorms that are deluging towns and cities across the state, you used to see them a few times a year," Purcaro said, adding that Vernon is looking into what they can do to its infrastructure in order to handle these storms.
Henri is taking a similar path up the coast as Hurricane Bob, which hit this area 30 years ago Aug. 19, Lessor said.
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