Hurricane and Tropical Storm Warnings are in effect as Henri threatens to bring strong storm surge, heavy rain, and wind to the area on Sunday.
Meteorologist Lee Goldberg is urging people to take advantage of the relatively quiet weather conditions today and prepare for Henri.
This will likely be the first hurricane to make landfall on Long Island since Gloria in 1985. Unlike Gloria, this storm will slow down and move inland across CT, the Mid-Hudson Valley, and central New England causing widespread damage.
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Port Jefferson Harbor to west of New Haven Connecticut, the south shore of Long Island from west of Fire Island Inlet to East Rockaway Inlet, Coastal New York and New Jersey west of East Rockaway Inlet to Manasquan Inlet, including New York City.
One of the biggest issues will be the storm surge from New York City to Cape Cod.
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect from Queens, New York across Long Island. 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.
The forecast surge could be as high as 2 to 4 feet from Queens to eastern Long Island and coastal Connecticut.
Henri is expected to intensify into a hurricane on Saturday, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said.
As of 5:00 a.m. ET, Henri continued to slowly gain strength and is almost a hurricane with max sustained winds up to 70 mph.
The current guidance from the National Hurricane Center:
1. Dangerous storm surge inundation is expected to begin late
tonight or 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 late tonight or 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.
2. Hurricane conditions are expected to begin late tonight or
Sunday in portions of Long Island and Connecticut, where a
Hurricane Warning has been issued. Hurricane conditions are
possible late tonight or Sunday across portions of Rhode Island.
3. 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, New
England, southeast New York and northern New Jersey.
4. 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.
