Community Corner

Say Goodbye to Irene; the Cleanup Begins [Update, Photos]

Sunny skies and seasonable temperatures return as people begin to clean up from Irene.

Update, 4:02 p.m. Monday

The timing and forecast of this storm went right on cue with what actually panned out. Heavy rains were forecast for the entire state with the heaviest of which occurring in western sections of Connecticut and southern New York. In excess of seven inches was reported in Danbury, with just less than two inches in Groton. Official wind reports ranged between 40 and 60 miles-per-hour with unofficial reports even higher.

Here were the official wind and rain reports from stations around our area.

Find out what's happening in Stamfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Peak Wind Gusts/Rainfall Totals

  • Bridgeport, CT- 59 mph/3.35 in
  • Danbury, CT- 43 mph/7.03 in
  • Groton, CT- 60 mph/1.62 in
  • Meriden, CT- 47 mph/4.54 in
  • JFK, NY - 57 mph/4.69 in
  • Poughkeepsie, NY - 40 mph/7.14 in
  • White Plains, NY - 47 mph/6.60 in

A Flood Warning still remains in effect for the western two-thirds of Connecticut. These will remain in effect until tomorrow morning for the Still River and Wednesday evening for the Housatonic.

Find out what's happening in Stamfordwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The weather will cooperate for us and utility crews as high pressure builds into our area. We will see sunny to mostly sunny skies with highs ranging from the upper-70s to low-80s for the next several days.

A more detailed look at the week ahead later this week.

In his last of the day Saturday, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy said a late breaking weather development could increase the amount of rainfall and wind gusts Hurricane Irene inflicts on Connecticut when it touches down sometime tomorrow.

“Because of some unusual weather conditions beyond the ones that we’re experiencing, we might have very heavy winds after the storm starts to move through an area,” Malloy told a group of reporters Saturday evening at the state’s Emergency Operations Center in Hartford. “They will come from a different direction. It has to do with different weather systems meeting up, and we might have just as high wind conditions after the storm as we experienced during the storm.”

Malloy said that current predictions, which he had only just received Saturday evening from federal alerts, now called for Irene to be “squeezed” by another system moving in from the west.

“What you’re going to see is air rushed between the two systems in a southerly direction, and it’s caused by two separate air systems conflicting,” he said. “…Essentially it’s going to be a lot of wind late in the day with gusts that would equal hurricane gusts.”

Malloy also took the opportunity to run down the state’s preparations for the storm one last time.

He said parts of Connecticut would begin to experience tropical strength wind gusts around 10 p.m. to 12 p.m. Saturday evening, and that by 8 a.m. Sunday morning hurricane force winds were expected to be in effect. Malloy said current forecasts placed the eye of the storm passing through the state anywhere from 11 a.m. to sometime mid-afternoon Sunday.

“That is an extremely slow moving hurricane or tropical storm,” Malloy said. “Therefore it is going to dump a lot of water. And we are seeing increases in the estimates of the amount of water that will fall during this storm.”

Malloy said that 28 municipalities throughout the state had issued evacuation orders, while 17 had declared states of emergency. He said that by Sunday morning 500 National Guard troops would be deployed throughout Connecticut and more than 1,100 specialized licensed adjusters were in place for recovery efforts.

“FEMA resources and money are now in place,” Malloy said. “I just signed the agreement with FEMA concerning the dispensing of federal funds.”

Malloy said that all air, train and bus services had been suspended as of Saturday evening, and that he was closely monitoring the Wilbur Cross and Merritt parkways and expected to have to close those roads by midnight Saturday due to heavy winds; the governor has stated that travel on those roadways would be unsafe during hurricane or tropical storm conditions because vegetation along those parkways is so close to the road.

“We have pre-stationed apparatus to close those roads and we’re ready to do it,” Malloy said.

If Irene is as severe as forecasted, Malloy said he expected numerous road closings throughout the day Sunday.

“Let’s be honest, we expect a lot of road closings, and that will depend on individual conditions,” he said.

Malloy said he planned to notify all non-essential state employees Sunday afternoon about weather they should report to work on Monday, and that he would next brief the media on the status of the storm at 7 a.m. Sunday morning 

He said that Connecticut residents seeking information about the storm or state closings could do so by typing ct.gov/irene into their web browsers or by calling 2-1-1.

Related Topics: Connecticut, FEMA, Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, Hurricane Irene, and Road Closings

Update, 9:15 a.m. Saturday

Hurricane Irene may have been downgraded to a Category 1 storm overnight but the system is still packing a serious punch.

Mayor Michael Pavia has designated as an emergency shelter, and it will open at 5 p.m. on Saturday. All city parks and marinas will close at 12 p.m. Saturday, including Terry Connors Ice Rink, according to Pavia's press release.

Residents are urged to call Connecticut Light and Power at 1-800-286-2000 in the event of power outages, or if they spot downed power lines during and after the storm.

Pavia encourages residents to avoid travel from Saturday evening until the end of Irene, and to seek shelter, higher ground, and emergency aid if nessecary. Stamford city officials state that more public areas may be designated as emergency shelters in the event of an evacuation.

Most events scheduled to take place in the city this weekend, such as and ComiCONN, have not been cancelled.

Information on public readiness for Irene will be updated regularly on Stamford's Emergency Hotline, its number being 203-977-8840.

Irene is currently impacting the North Carolina coast with 90 mph winds and has already dropped in excess of seven inches of rain, based on Doppler estimates.

Hurricane warnings remain posted for the southern counties of Connecticut, as well as Putnam, Rockland, Westchester counties and points south into New York City and Long Island. Tropical storm warnings are in place for the northern Connecticut counties.

Here's a few facts of what kind of punch Irene is packing:

  • Current Wind Speed- 90 mph (Category 1).
  • Travel Speed – North-northeast at 14 mph.
  • Areal Coverage – Approximately 800 miles wide.
  • Rainfall Thus far – In excess of seven inches in portions of eastern North Carolina.
  • Estimated Storm Surge – Three to six feet in Long Island.

Sound clouds have already overtaken the Tri-State area; in fact Doppler radar on Long Island is already picking up the extreme outer rain bands of Irene off to the south.

What can we expect?

Initial showers in New York City will begin as early as 10 a.m. Saturday morning; Hartford will see it at noon.

The steady/heavier rain will begin to arrive in New York City around midnight Saturday, and by 2 to 3 a.m. in Hartford.

Tropical storm force winds, in excess of 39 mph, will arrive between 7 and 10 a.m. Sunday in New York City. It will take a bit longer to make it to Hartford, probably between 9 and 12 a.m.

Winds of this strength have the potential for devastating effects. Downed trees and power lines are likely to lead to power outages and could prove quite dangerous. Hurricane destruction of this magnitude will be on the scale of Hurricane Gloria, back in 1985. Residents are urged to heed emergency warnings.

The peak of the storm is forecasted to reach New York City around 3 to 6 p.m. Sunday and reach Hartford by 5 to 8 p.m. Maximum winds will peak around 65-75 mph with gusts as high as 85.

Rain will taper off first in New York City, around midnight, and by 2 a.m. Monday in Hartford - but not before dumping upwards of seven to 10 inches of rain.

If you haven’t stocked up on supplies yet, now is the time. Within 12-18 hours, heavy rain and winds will begin to be felt over the Tri-State area.

Update, 5:25 p.m. Friday

Key takeaways:

  • Worst weather late Sat P.M. to Sun A.M.
  • 5 to 10+ inches of rain, major flooding
  • Strong winds of 40 to 60 MPH sustained
  • Wind damage will cause power outages

2 P.M. Storm Details: Hurricane Irene is a Category 2 storm with peak sustained winds of 100 miles per hour. The storm is moving north at 14 mph. The latest satellite images indicate that the storm may be starting to move just east of due north.

Tracking the storm: Irene is quickly approaching the North Carolina coast. Bands of intense rainfall and severe thunderstorms are already slamming into the Carolinas. The storm will make landfall over eastern North Carolina and then hug the mid-Atlantic coast.

  • The storm is expected to make a second landfall as a weak Category 1 hurricane over central Long Island and then move into Connecticut as a tropical storm.

Saturday: Some outer bands from Irene will cause gusty thunderstorms to move through during the day. It stays warm and muggy with temperatures in the 70s, but the winds will not start picking up until later. If you have any last-minute plans, it would be best to get those done in the morning.

Saturday night: A steadier and heavier rain begins to move in after midnight. Winds also start to pick up and turn gusty. The storm center will see be well to our south, but it is a very large storm.

Sunday morning: This is when to expect the worst of the weather. Very heavy rainfall and strong thunderstorms will cause widespread flooding. Winds will increase to between 30 to 50 mph with stronger gusts. The worst of the rain occurs to the northwest of the storm center.

Sunday afternoon: The storm center passes right through Connecticut and winds increase to 40 to 60 mph, possibly gusting to hurricane force. The rain then quickly ends as the storm moves to our northeast. Don't be surprised to see a few breaks of sunshine before sunset.

Sunday night: Conditions clear out and dry up. Much cooler air is drawn in behind the departing storm, so temperatures fall back into the 50s overnight. It stays breezy, but even the winds subside towards Monday morning.

What to do to prepare: Be ready for flooding and power outages. The storm will not be severe enough to cause major damage, but the soaking rainfall and winds will cause some trees and power lines to come down. Have non-perishable food items ready in case you lose power. Also move cars and any other expensive items outside away from trees.

  • If you live in a flood-prone area, it would be in your best interest to move to higher ground and stay with friends or family. Due to the heavy rainfall we have already had this month, the additional rainfall will cause major issues.

Comparing to Hurricane Gloria (1985): For those who remember this storm, expect conditions to be very similar. Gloria also moved into Long Island as a Category 1 hurricane and then passed through Connecticut. There were flooding rains and over 500,000 power outages across the state. 

  • If anything, this storm may be slightly worse than Gloria. Irene is a very large hurricane and even though it is weakening, it still has intense rainfall and a large area of strong winds.

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene

Update, 3:00 p.m. Friday

More photos of Hurricane Irene are available, detailing its current potential wind speed at 100 mph.

As expected, Hurricane Irene is beginning to weaken slightly as she heads toward land.

Current enhanced infrared images of the storm now show a decrease in the intense convection within the eyewall. In fact, the eye itself is beginning to close up as it moves further north.

The weakening of the storm system was expected. It is not a sign that Irene will be weaker by the time it reaches our area.

In fact, there still is a brief period where we may see some intensification as it heads further north and encounters the Gulf Stream.

As of 2 p.m., maximum sustained winds are still an impressive 100 miles per hour, which categorizes Irene as a Category 2 hurricane.

Patch will have another update this evening on the weather forecast.

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene, Irene, hurricane track, and weather forecast

Original Story

With the latest forecasts predicting that Irene will bring winds up to 95 miles per hour and nearly eight inches of rain to Connecticut and New York, Hurricane Watches have been extended into our area.

The watches have been issued for Long Island, the New York City area and southern counties of Connecticut. Tropical Storm Watches have been issued for the northern counties of Connecticut, as well as Berkshire, Ulster, and Dutchess counties in southern New York.

A Hurricane Watch means that hurricane conditions (winds in excess of 74 miles per hour) are possible within the next 48 hours.

As of 8 a.m., Irene has weakened just slightly with maximum sustained winds of 110 miles per hour. This is still a very strong category 2 hurricane, and may reintinsify slightly before first hitting the North Carolina coast sometime tomorrow.

The latest projections from the National Hurricane Center are putting Irene just off the Maryland coast by 2 a.m. Sunday with maximum sustained winds projected to still be near 100 miles per hour.

During the day Sunday, Irene is forecast to make a direct hit through central Connecticut. Winds are still forecast to be at Category 1 strength (between 74 and 95 miles per hour) by that time. In addition to the strong winds, new model data is suggesting between six and eight inches of rain by the time Irene passes.

Stay plugged into Patch for updates on Irene.

Related Topics: Hurricane Irene, Irene, National Hurricane Center, and weather forecast


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