This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.
08/20/2021 12:00 AMA hurricane warning remained in effect for the Connecticut shoreline and from New Haven Connecticut to west of Watch Hill Rhode Island, the National Weather Service (NWS) said Saturday morning.
Eversource officials said Friday they have made "unprecedented preparations" for the storm and that, if it hits Connecticut, it could result in up to 49 percent of customers experiencing outages, with restoration times that could extend to up to 10 days.
Governor Ned Lamont urged residents to listen and heed information from local officials and to prepare and expect to shelter in place by Sunday through at least Monday morning.
While the exact timing and ferocity of the storm remained uncertain Saturday morning, forecasters were predicting the possibility of landfall somewhere near New Haven, with squalls starting late Saturday or early Sunday, and the worst of it sometime Sunday. The storm was tracking westward overnight into Saturday morning, and forecasters said people who live in the area affected should follow the latest updates from the National Weather Service and local officials, and heed any direction from local officials.
Madison Orders Mandatory Evacuations
In Madison, First Selectwoman Peggy Lyons issued a mandatory evacuation order for residents living south of the Boston Post Road.
"The Town of Madison has issued a Mandatory Emergency Evacuation Order for all residents south of the Boston Post Road in Madison. If you reside in this area, you must evacuate your home no later than 9 p.m. this evening due to the likelihood of significant storm surge and coastal flooding resulting from the arrival of Hurricane Henri," she said in a text message and in a phone message. "Any residents who do not leave the evacuation zone by 9 p.m. tonight are putting their lives at risk and public safety crews will not be able to respond to you once winds exceed 50 MPH. If you live in the evacuation zone and are homebound with no way to evacuate, please contact the Madison Police Department as soon as possible at (203) 245-6500 for assistance. For those evacuees who need a shelter, the Town will be opening the Emergency Shelter at 5 p.m. today located at the Town Campus Gym at 8 Campus Drive. The Town Shelter does have accommodations for pets if absolutely necessary. More information on the evacuation zone and local resources available will be available on the Town website at www.madisonct. org."The fire department in Old Saybrook warned residents to be prepared for the possibility of "an extreme power outage." They also said those along the shoreline should consider staying with family or friends outside of the area.
"If you had flooding from Irene or Sandy you will have flooding on this storm. Please remember that in Old Saybrook that even if your home is on some high ground the roads out of your area of town may be in a flood area," the Old Saybrook fire fighters said in a Facebook post late Friday. "This will prevent you from leaving and public safety from getting to you. Look at the map in the photos pay attention to the purple area on the map for roads that are expected to be impassable. If you rely on those roads to be passable you should not stay."
They added this: "when the storm hits and sustained winds of 50 MPH occur the Fire Dept WILL NOT respond to emergencies until the sustained winds drop again below 50 MPH. This is a very good reason to strongly consider leaving town. Don't wait until Sunday."
In Madison, there were lines in the supermarket and occasional lines at gas stations overnight Friday and into Saturday morning, as people filled up both their cars and gas cans for their generators.
The Clinton Volunteer Fire Department said residents should stay up to date with the very latest forecast, as they continue to change.
"As with all storms Henri's track continues to change. With the most recent adjustment Henri will have a severe impact to Clinton and surrounding communities. The towns emergency management team continues to watch the forecast and has been in touch with regional and state officials," they wrote in a notice on Facebook."
They also said residents should complete preparations today, find a safe place to be, and then remain in a safe place to ride out the storm.
"A full moon tide is predicted. If you had flooding during Hurricanes Irene or Sandy, you should expect flooding during this storm. EMERGENCY WORKERS MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REACH YOU DURING THE STORM. Have a plan to relocate to a safe location before the storm. If you reside on Cedar Island, live in an areas prone to flooding, or are dependent on others for assistance you should make preparations now," they wrote.
They urged residents to, on Saturday, secure propane tanks, fuel tanks, boats, canoes, kayaks, paddle boards, outdoor furniture, garbage cans, and any other objects that may drift or be picked up by the wind.
In addition to power outages, they said blocked roads and streets should be expected, and so people should fuel up their vehicles, and have whatever food, water, and medications that are needed.
"Predetermine where you would evacuate if it should become necessary. Due to COVID-19 it is best to shelter with family or in a hotel, congregate sheltering should be your last resort," they wrote.
They also urged residents to sign up for CT Alerts at https://portal.ct.gov/ctalert. "This is critical as the storm path begins to become more defined. If the town needs to notify citizens of evacuations or other critical information that will be to form of communication."
'Danger of Life-Threatening Inundation'
The NWS said a storm surge warning means there is a "danger of life-threatening inundation, from rising water moving inland from the coastline, during the next 36 hours in the indicated locations...This is a life-threatening situation. Persons located within these areas should take all necessary actions to protect life and property from rising water and the potential for other dangerous conditions. Promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials."
A Hurricane Warning, NWS said, "means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area...conditions that make outside preparations difficult or dangerous. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion."
If Henri does hit the north shore of Long Island, storm surge could reach heights of two to four feet at high tide, the NWS said.
The NWS said surge inundation and hurricane conditions were possible as early as Sunday in parts of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts, areas where both warnings and watches related to Henri are in effect.
The NWS recommends that people in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials over the next few days.
In addition to heavy winds that could lead to power outages, the NWS said preparations should anticipate the possibility of a storm surge from rising water moving inland from the coastline. Also, heavy rainfall could lead to flash, urban, and small-stream flooding, the NWS said.
"Dangerous storm surge inundation is expected to begin Sunday in portions of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts, where a Storm Surge Warning has been issued. Dangerous storm surge is possible beginning Sunday in western portions of Long Island and Connecticut in the Storm Surge Watch area. Residents in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials," the NWS said at 5 p.m. Friday.
Heavy rainfall may lead to considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding, along with the potential for widespread minor and isolated moderate river flooding, over portions of Long Island and New England Sunday into Monday.
"Swells from Henri will continue to affect much of the east coast of the U.S. through the weekend. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents," NWS said.
NWS plans to issue an intermediate advisory on Henri at 8 p.m. and a full advisory at 11 p.m. Friday.
How to Plan
Southern Connecticut Weather Service (SCWS) says now is a good time to plan, rather than panic. Preparations should include the following, SCWS said.
1) Check your supplies. Prepare as if you will see an extended power outage. Non-perishable food, water, medications, a first aid kit, batteries, flashlights (no candles!) and gas for your car and/or generator will help in case you lose power. Cash on hand is good to have, too. Never run your generator indoors. That includes the garage.
2) If you live the coast, check to see if you are in an evacuation zone. Maps are listed for Branford, Clinton, East Haven, Guilford, Madison, Old Saybrook, and Westbrook, among other towns.
3) Be aware of trees and power lines near your home and/or car. When the storm comes, make sure your vehicles aren't under any trees and if the wind gets bad that you are not in parts of your home that could be hit by large trees.
4) Check your insurance policy and keep important documents nearby in case you need them.
5) Don't panic; rather, make a plan for what to do if power goes out.
For additional tips for those who live on the coast and inland, visit www.weather.gov/safety/hurricane-plan.
Eversources Calls in 4,000 Crews
Mitch Gross, a spokesman for Eversource, New England's largest energy provider, said the company has set up a new reporting system for municipalities, called the Municipal Hub, which is being used for the first time during this storm and is designed to facilitate two-way communication between municipalities and Eversource.
"We've had training sessions with the towns, and the two-way system allows the towns to give us information regarding situations, blocked roads, downed trees, and essential services without power," he said, adding that the reporting system should help Eversource respond effectively to Henri.
"This storm has the potential to create significant and lengthy outages. We are telling our customers. We've gone to a three on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the worst. We went from 4 to 3 this afternoon," Gross said.
If Henri stays on track and hits Connecticut, Gross said there is a possibility that between 30 and 49 percent of the company's customers could lose power.
"And we are letting our customers know, if the storm predictions bear out, if they become a reality, they should expect a multi-day restoration. It could be 5 to 10 days for some customers," he said. "All indications are that this storm will pack a wallop. And there is the possibility of storm surge, coastal flooding, and inland flooding."
Gross said Eversource has mobilized resources to respond, in the event of a worst-case scenario.
"We've mobilized all hands on deck. We've canceled vacations. And customers need to take this seriously, too. They need to be prepared, get their storm kits ready, listen to forecasts, and stay informed. This has the potential to be a very stressful event.
Gross said Eversource has been watching the storm for days, and has made preparations that Eversource President Joseph R. Nolan, Jr., calls "unprecedented." About 4,000 crews, of two to three people each, have been called in already, Gross said.
"We're talking thousands and thousands of people. We've already secured 4,000 hotel rooms around the state and are making arrangements to have 3,000 bunks set up in trailers, so the line workers can rest between shifts," he said. The Crystal Mall in Waterford has been set up as a staging area, and other staging areas are being secured as well, he said.
For more information about the company's response to Henri, and to report outages, visit www.eversource.com/content/ct-c/residential/outages.
Pre-Landfall Emergency Declaration Requested
Connecticut Gov. Lamont said Friday afternoon he would be requesting "a pre-landfall presidential emergency declaration to provide Connecticut with federal assistance needed for storm response."
He also said he would be declaring a state of emergency in advance of the story making landfall, which will allow the state to take actions as necessary to respond to the storm.
The Connecticut State Emergency Operations Center will be partially activated on Saturday, and Lamont said he anticipates it being fully activated by Sunday morning.
"I have requested The Connecticut National Guard to bring 200 guardsmen and -women of the to state active duty beginning Saturday morning. They will begin preparation efforts as needed for potential issues that may arise during and after the storm," he said.
Lamont said he had a call with Federal Emergency Management Agency officials who are also preparing for the storm.
"We also just completed a statewide call with municipal officials to coordinate activities among the state and local levels. As this storm moves toward Connecticut, we're anticipating heavy rainfall and high winds, with coastal and urban flooding a significant concern. Right now, it's a good idea for everyone to be prepared and expect to shelter in place by Sunday afternoon through at least Monday morning."
Zip06 will closely monitor the progress of Tropical Storm Henri over the weekend and provide locally important information.