Tropical Storm Henri, currently spinning its way north-northwest about 270 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, is likely to become the first hurricane to make landfall in southern New England in 30 years.
Why it matters: Factors ranging from soggy soils from previous rainstorms to astronomical high tides, and Henri's slow forward motion will combine to create a uniquely dangerous scenario for New England beginning Sunday and lasting through at least Monday.
Driving the news: Tropical Storm Henri has survived a battle with strong upper level winds that have tipped over its towering thunderstorms, putting a lid on its intensification. However, those winds are projected to slacken just as the storm traverses the warm waters of the Gulf Stream in the next few days.
- As of 5 p.m. ET, the storm was on the cusp of hurricane status, with maximum sustained winds of 70 mph, indicating the storm was beginning to intensify.
- The National Hurricane Center predicts the storm will become a Category 1 or 2 hurricane within the next 24 hours, before weakening during its approach to a most likely landfall zone between Long Island and southern Rhode Island on Sunday afternoon or evening.
- Eversource, a Connecticut utility, is warning its customers to prepare to go without power for up to 10 days, per an NBC News affiliate.
Context: While New England has seen damaging hurricanes before, they are not common. Additionally, when storms get to this high of a latitude, they tend to be moving quickly off to the north-northeast, captured by the jet stream winds aloft. ...
- Oftentimes, storms in the position where Henri is