Tropical Storm Henri is strengthening into a hurricane over the Atlantic and will track toward the Northeast, possibly making landfall in southern New England late Sunday.
As of 2:00 p.m. Friday, Tropical Storm Henri was located about 350 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, or midway between Bermuda and Florida, and is moving north-northwestward.
Currently, Henri is tracking to the north-northwest at about 6 mph (9kph) and is packing maximum sustained winds of 70 mph (110 kph) with higher gusts. The minimum central pressure is 994 Mb – 29.35 inches.
By late Friday night, Henri is forecast to turn toward the north, where its forward speed will also increase. According to the Weather Channel, this more northerly track will be influenced by the steering from a ridge of high pressure over the north-central Atlantic and an upper-level disturbance over the eastern U.S.
Henri has been battling wind shear and dry air. However, wind shear is expected to begin to weaken later Friday and Henri will be tracking across very warm water. This should result in strengthening, possibly into a Category 1 hurricane.
A hurricane watch has been issued for Long Island from Fire Island Inlet and Port Jefferson Harbor eastward and New Haven, Connecticut, to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, and Block Island.
A tropical storm watch has been issued west of Fire Island Inlet to East Rockaway Inlet, west of Port Jefferson Harbor, and west of New Haven.
A storm surge watch has also been issued for the south shore of Long Island from East Rockaway Inlet eastward to Montauk, on the north shore of Long Island from Kings Point to Montauk, as well as from Flushing, New York, to Sagamore Beach, Massachusetts, including Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard and Block Island.
Tides will also be running higher than normal this weekend due to the full moon, which could worsen the impact of any storm surge flooding.
Rainfall totals of 2 to 5 inches, with isolated maximum totals of 8 inches, are expected over eastern Long Island and southern New England Sunday into Monday.
Anyone living in hurricane watch and warning areas should keep up to date on any changes in the forecast and make preparations for possible impacts.
