Some Lines Hit By Trees, But Henri 'Less Serious' Than Expected

FAIRFIELD, CT — While Fairfield battened down the hatches Saturday in preparation for Tropical Storm Henri, the weather event turned out to be much less serious than predicted for the area, with only a few trees and power lines affected, according to town officials.

“We are pleased to see overnight the storm track for Henri shifted further to the east,” First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick said in an email to residents mid-day Sunday, after she declared a state of emergency for the town Saturday evening. “As a result, storm impacts in our area are less serious than the National Weather Service and the State of CT guidance indicated last night.”

As of early Sunday afternoon, the town had experienced seven storm-related incidents involving trees and power lines, according to a Facebook post from the Fairfield Fire Department. By late afternoon, there were no outages in town, according to the UI outage map.

“We are relieved that the worst of the storm did not materialize for our area and appreciate the responsible approach our residents have taken in response to the forecast,” the department said.

An emergency shelter at Fairfield Warde High School closed 1 p.m. Sunday, and the town’s evacuation route parking ban was lifted at the same time.

Tropical Storm Henri made landfall just after noon Sunday near Westerly Rhode Island, and was moving mid-afternoon toward northwest Connecticut. As of 2:30 p.m., there were 32,000 power outages in Connecticut.

In Fairfield, residents can expect about 4 inches of rainfall over the course of Sunday and Monday, with minor inland flooding — including roadways — and strong wind gusts.