New Englanders, who were bracing themselves for the worst of a hurricane in thirty years, began to pull their boats out of the water as Tropical Storm Henri rolled toward the Northeast coast.
According to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, Henri could become a hurricane on Saturday. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said that Henri could have devastating effects in New England by Sunday. This includes Cape Cod which is home to tens of thousand of summer tourists.
Governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker, Massachusetts Governor. He stated that he didn’t want anyone stuck on Cape Cod bridges during the storm.
Michael Finkelstein (East Lyme, Connecticut police chief and emergency management Director) said that “this storm is extremely worrying.” “We haven’t been down this road for a while, and it’s not hard to imagine that we and New England would be in real trouble if a hurricane hits.”
Finkelstein stated that he is most concerned about the low-lying areas in town that may become unaccessible due to flooding or a storm surge.
Thursday marked exactly 30 years since Hurricane Bob came ashore in Rhode Island as a Category 2 storm, killing at least 17 people and leaving behind more than $1.5 billion worth of damage. Bob left hundreds of thousands without power or water for days, leaving streets littered with boats that had been blown from their moorings.
Large areas of the Eastern seaboard were coping with the aftermath of Tropical Depression Fred, the predecessor to Henri. In North Carolina, Haywood County Sheriff Greg Christopher said seven individuals remained unaccounted for, down from around 20 people reported missing on Thursday.
Christopher also confirmed the identities and ages of the two victims of Fred. They were a Cruso resident aged 68 and an 86 year old. He said, “Our thoughts and prayers go out to both of these families and we will support them in their tragic loss.”
The National Weather Service warned about the possibility of damaging winds and widespread coastal flooding in Henri. Authorities advised people to secure their boats and fuel their cars, as well as stock up on canned goods.
The system was located in the Atlantic Ocean approximately 345 miles (560 km) south-southeast Cape Hatteras, North Carolina and 745 miles (1 200 km) south Montauk Point Point, New York. Maximum sustained winds were 65 mph (100 km/h).
The Hurricane Watch covered the South Shore of Long Island, from Fire Island Inlet to Montauk and the North Shore, from Port Jefferson Harbor until Montauk. It covered the entire coast of Connecticut from New Haven to Sagamore Beach in Massachusetts, and Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.
According to forecasters, the main threats are storm surge, wind, and rain. From Watch Hill, Rhode Island to Sagamore Beach, storm surges of between 3 and 6 feet (1 to 1.5 metres) were possible.
Over the region, rainfall was between 2 and 5 inches (or 12 to 13 centimeters), Sunday through Monday.
Henri was headed northwest Friday morning but forecasters anticipate it turning toward the north to approach the New England coast.
Steve Berlo, a boater from Massachusetts, was one of many to have their boats pulled out of the water at Safe Harbor Marina, in coastal Plymouth.
Berlo, 54, said, “It’s rare but you want to make sure you’re prepared when it happens.” “Got to protect the second home. That’s it. Now I can finally sleep at night.”
The National Weather Service issued a warning to North Carolina residents and beachgoers about Henri’s rip currents, and the rough surf that can be expected. Steven Pfaff, a meteorologist with the Weather Service’s Wilmington office, said that Henri’s swells would create dangerous surf conditions starting Friday and continuing through Saturday.
Officials said that Friday saw personnel at the U.S. Navy submarine base in Groton (Connecticut) installing flood gates and anchoring submarine moorings. They also doubled up small boats’ lines. Families were encouraged to monitor the weather and make any preparations.
The Coast Guard advised boaters to avoid the water and stated that storm conditions can cause Coast Guard search and rescue capabilities to degrade. This could mean that help may be delayed.
Debbie Shelburn, a boat lifter at the Port Niantic marina, Connecticut was already on Friday, hauling boats from the water to a large storage facility.
“Basically, it’s all hands on deck. She said that no matter what your position is — mechanic or not — everyone is involved in the logistics of moving boats and getting them secured on land.