New York City has been hit flash flooding amid torrential rain and lightning as Hurricane Henri barrels towards the North East, with milli...
New York City has been hit flash flooding amid torrential rain and lightning as Hurricane Henri barrels towards the North East, with millions braced for flooding, toppled trees and extended power outages.
The storm kept on course early Sunday and is expected to crash into a long stretch of northeastern coastline on New York´s Long Island and in southern New England.
With the center of the storm projected to pass over or just off the eastern tip of Long Island by midday, hurricane warnings extended from coastal Connecticut and near the old whaling port of New Bedford, Massachusetts, to across the luxurious oceanfront estates of New York´s Hamptons, to the summer getaway of Fire Island.
Some 55 million people are under storm warnings ahead of the arrival of the hurricane, and the National Hurricane Center warned that winds that could reach 80 mph.
Eversource, who provide power to 1.2 million customers in Connecticut, warned that between 50% and 69% their customers could lose power for between eight and 21 days, NBC reports.
Tropical storm-intensity winds were expected to begin striking the coast at around 8am.
BROOKLYN, NYC: Videos posted online showed drivers plowing through high water in New York City, and Newark and Hoboken, New Jersey
WILLIAMSBURG, NYC: Streets were covered in water in Brooklyn as torrential rain battered New York ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Henri
WILLIAMSBURG, NYC: Rain began battering New York City on Saturday night as the hurricane approached
CENTRAL PARK, NYC: The 'Homecoming' concert intended to mark the end of the Covid pandemic was dramatically cancelled half way through, as Barry Manilow was singing on stage as the city was hit by thunderstorms
The first thunderstorms bringing what could be up to half a foot of rain arrived late Saturday, and flooding began in some areas overnight.
New York's Central Park set an all-time record for rain in an hour, with 1.94" falling by 11:51pm - beating the previous record of 1.76" of rain recorded in the park on September 8, 2004.
Several videos posted online showed drivers plowing through high water in New York City, and Newark and Hoboken, New Jersey.
States of emergency have already been declared in areas of New York state and Connecticut.
People in the projected path spent Saturday scrambling to stock up on groceries and gasoline. Some gas stations from Cape Cod to Long Island sold out of fuel.
Those close to the coast boarded up windows and, in some cases, evacuated.
Officials in Massachusetts, Connecticut and New York cautioned that people could lose power for days.
Authorities advised people to secure their boats, fuel up their vehicles and stock up on canned goods.
HOBOKEN NJ: Streets were completely submerged after flash flooding in new Jersey (left) while The Brooklyn Queens Expressway is closed in both directions due to flooding (right)
QUEENS: Water is seen pouring into an underground subway station in Ozone Park (left) while the basement of an apartment building in Brooklyn was flooded (right)
HOBOKEN, NEW JERSEY: Roads were submerged after torrential downpours (left) - while water poured down stairs like a waterfall in Brooklyn
WESTHAMPTON, NY: Cars wait in line to fill up on gas ahead of the arrival of Hurricane Henri
WESTERLY, RHODE ISLAND: Panic buying saw shelves stripped of supplies as Hurricane Henri barreled towards the state
At least 400 flights at airports across the northeast were cancelled for Sunday. That included 148 flights at New Jersey's Newark airport, and 47 and 85 at New York's JFK and La Guardia respectively.
Approaching severe weather Saturday night also cut short a superstar-laden concert in Central Park. The show headlined by Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon and Jennifer Hudson was meant to celebrate New York City´s recovery from the coronavirus.
But officials asked concertgoers to leave the park during Barry Manilow´s set amid the threat of lightning.
NEW LONDON, CONNECTICUT: Homeowners began barricading their windows and doors with plywood
VALLEY STREAM, NY: A road sign flashes a hurricane warning on Southern State Parkway
A satellite image taken Saturday afternoon shows Hurricane Henri barreling towards New England where it is expected to make landfall on Sunday
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) warned that swells from the hurricane can cause 'life-threatening surf and rip currents'
Henri is set to make landfall in Long Island or southern New England late Saturday or early Sunday at or near hurricane strength, with winds that could reach 80 mph
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