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Tropical Storm Sunday: New Outlook For Power Outages, Rainfall Totals, Wind Speeds For Henri

With its sustained wind strength of 70 miles per hour just short of hurricane status, Tropical Storm Henri is expected to make landfall between Montauk Point and Rhode Island late Sunday morning, Aug. 22.

Areas in the region where widespread power outages are expected (in red).

Areas in the region where widespread power outages are expected (in red).

Photo Credit: AccuWeather
A look at expected rainfall from Henri.

A look at expected rainfall from Henri.

Photo Credit: AccuWeather
A look at expected peak wind gusts from Henri.

A look at expected peak wind gusts from Henri.

Photo Credit: AccuWeather
A look at the projected path of Henri from Sunday, Aug. 22 until Tuesday, Aug. 24.

A look at the projected path of Henri from Sunday, Aug. 22 until Tuesday, Aug. 24.

Photo Credit: AccuWeather

Since Saturday morning, Henri's track has shifted about 50 miles to the east, making landfall on Long Island less likely now.

Henri (pronounced ON-ree) became a Category 1 hurricane late Saturday morning, before returning to tropical storm status early Sunday morning.

About 50 million people in the Northeast are under a Tropical Storm Warning, with earlier hurricane warnings in some parts of the region now tropical storm warnings.

While Henri's strong winds are worrisome, especially areas to the right of the storm's eye, flash flooding will be widespread as the storm is expected to spin around after making landfall, with its outer bands, especially to the west, producing drenching downpours.

Overnight, outer bands of the storm drenched much of New York City and northern New Jersey, with 6 inches of rainfall reported in Brooklyn.

Widespread rainfall of 4 inches is now forecast with localized higher amounts possible Saturday through Sunday night.

With saturated grounds and leaves still on trees, even winds gusts of 30 to 40 miles per hour could bring down some trees and tree limbs, leading to power outages.

A tornado or two may occur Sunday over southern New England. 

It's unlikely Henri could now regain enough wind speed to be the first hurricane to make landfall in New England since Bob in 1991.

The last time a hurricane made landfall on Long Island was Gloria, a Category 1 storm in late September of 1985.

  • For a look at areas in the region where widespread power outages are expected (shown in red), check the first image above.
  • Click on the second image above for expected rainfall totals.
  • Click on the third image above for expected peak wind gusts.
  • Click on the fourth image above for the projected path of Hurricane Henri from Sunday until Tuesday, Aug. 24.

The latest models were released Sunday morning by the National Weather Service NOAA National Hurricane Center.

Some residents on Long Island may be without power as a result of Henri for seven to 10 days, PSEG Long Island said on Friday, Aug. 20.

Eversource said on Saturday that as many as 69 percent of its 1.25 million Connecticut customers could lose power from Henri, citing the potential for downed trees and limbs. 

Connecticut is the 14th most forested state in the United States despite being the nation's fourth-most densely populated state, according to the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service.

The main threats from Henri are:

  • Potentially life-threatening storm surge, 
  • Heavy rain capable of producing flash flooding, 
  • Tropical storm or hurricane-force winds along the south shore and Long Island and across southern Connecticut. 
  • There will also be associated marine and coastal hazards, including very rough seas and dangerous rip currents.
  • Severe beach erosion is possible for coastal areas of Long Island Sound and portions of Suffolk County, including the Twin Forks region.

This continues to be a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.

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