Tropical Storm Henri Not A 'Disaster' As Feared

By Olivia Marble, The Bristol Press

August 23, 2021

Tropical Storm Henri, which made landfall in Rhode Island and went across Connecticut Sunday, was not the disaster many Connecticut officials feared.

WFSB previously forecasted that Henri would make landfall near New Haven as a Category 1 hurricane and bisect the state as a strong tropical storm. According to WFSB Meteorologist Connor Lewis, that scenario could have been a “disaster.”

“I would definitely not describe what’s going on today as a disaster,” Lewis said.

Tropical Storm Henri became a Category 1 hurricane in the Atlantic, but downgraded to a tropical storm before making landfall near Narragansett Bay. Henri then moved westward across Connecticut, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the local area.

Lewis said there is unlikely to still be any wind threat on Monday, but since the heavy rains will continue, flash flooding is still possible through Monday evening. As of Sunday afternoon, a flash flood warning was in effect for the entire state.

Lewis advised those without power to make a plan in case their power is out for a few days, especially since WFSB is predicting another heatwave to start Tuesday.

Eversource spokesperson Frank Poirot said on Sunday afternoon outages in central Connecticut were “spotty” and fairly light compared to the eastern part of the state. As of 2:30 on Sunday, most local towns did not see many outages except Newington, which had 897 customers without power. Across Connecticut, there were about 30,000 outages Sunday afternoon.

New Britain saw some downed trees due to the winds. Mayor Erin Stewart tweeted about downed trees on John St., Sylvan Rd. and Biltmore St. Stewart advised residents to clear out catch basins in case they get clogged.

“Residents should keep an eye on catch basins near their house. If it gets clogged, clear it out to prevent local street flooding,” Stewart said.

New Britain’s Emergency Operations Center was fully active Sunday, and the city was operating under emergency declarations. Residents can see updates on the situation from the city’s website at www.newbritainct.gov on or on the city’s social media accounts.

Mayor Ellen Zoppo-Sassu described the scene in Bristol as “very calm” on Sunday afternoon.

“We’re hoping it stays the way it is,” Zoppo-Sassu said.

Zoppo-Sassu advised residents to report areas with flooding, downed trees or any roadway obstruction to the police department’s non-emergency number, which is 860-584-3011. She also said residents should stay away from downed wires and not drive through any flooded areas.

“If you do come across areas with flooding, it’s not a good idea to drive through them because you don’t know how deep it could be, and it’s not good for your car,” Zoppo-Sassu said.

Zoppo-Sassu said any Bristol resident who loses access to water because the power is out can visit a free water station at the filtration plant at 1080 Terryville Ave.