Storm Henri news – Biden gives update on response after system makes landfall over Rhode Island

Tropical storm Henri - downgraded from a hurricane this morning - has made landfall near the town of Westerly, Rhode Island, on the border with Connecticut.

Coastal residents in New England have boarded up their windows, stocked up on supplies, and prepared their generators, local media report. The storm is expected to track to the northwest as it moves inland with more heavy rain and flooding expected.

New York City remains under a state of emergency, announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio last night, as residents were lashed with torrential downpours that broke records.

President Joe Biden provided an update on the federal government’s response on Sunday afternoon, having already approved declarations of emergency for New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island.

More than 50 million people were put on weather alerts by authorities, according to CNN — more than 12 million under a storm surge warning, 5 million under a hurricane warning, and 37 million under a tropical storm warning.

Key points

• Storm makes landfall in Westerly, Rhode Island at 12.15pm

• ‘The age of extreme weather is here’

• Reports of flooding in New Jersey

• National Hurricane Centre issues four key messages

• Storm Henri Q&A: Everything you need to know

10:31 , Celine Wadhera

Welcome to The Independent’s coverage of Hurricane Henri. Stay tuned for live updates.

Flooding in New York City

10:34 , Celine Wadhera

As Hurricane Henri moves towards the Long Island and New England, torrential rain lashed New York City overnight, causing flash flooding across the boroughs.

On Saturday, between 1.75 and 3.25 inches of rain fell across the city, halting some subway operations and flooding a number of roads.

Residents and local media took to Twitter to share images and videos of the flooding.

More than 50 million braced for tropical storm impact

10:41 , Celine Wadhera

More than 50 million people in the Northeast US have braced for the impact of Hurricane Henri.

According to CNN, more than 12 million people are under a storm surge warning, 5 million are under a hurricane warning, and some 37 million are under a tropical storm warning.

Last night, New York governor Andrew Cuomo announced a State of Emergency order for the state and deployed 500 National Guard troops to respond to emergencies caused by the storm. Mr Cuomo also urged New Yorkers in affected areas to “prepare for heavy rains, strong winds and power outages”.

Hurricane Henri moving towards Long Island, New England

11:00 , Celine Wadhera

Hurricane Henri was reported to be moving towards Long Island and New England in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Around 2am, Henri was 135mi south-southeast of Montauk Point, Long Island in New York, the National Hurricane Centre said.

It was carrying top sustained wind speeds of 75mph and heading north at a speed of around 21mph.

The storm is expected to hit land later today at or near hurricane strength.

The National Hurricane Centre warned that Henri could also produce storm surges – where ocean waters are pushed above their normal level – of three to five feet in some areas, alongside torrential rainfall.

Homecoming concert cancelled half way through

11:19 , Celine Wadhera

Central Park’s Homecoming concert - intended to mark New York City’s “return” from the Covid pandemic - was cancelled mid-performance on Saturday night, due to thunderstorms caused by Hurricane Henri.

Three hours after the concert began, the New York Police Department issued an advisory warning attendees to clear the area.

“Due to approaching severe weather, all those attending the event are to calmly move to the nearest exists and proceed to areas outside of the park.”

It added: “This is NOT an emergency”.

Barry Manilow was partway through Can’t Smile Without You when the advisory was issued and the crowd of more than 60,000 started to disperse.

During the downpour, Central Park set an all-time record for rainfall within an hour, recording 1.94in beating the previous record of 1.76in recorded on 8 September 2004.

Many disappointed by early end to Homecoming concert

11:38 , Celine Wadhera

Many who were attending Central Park’s Homecoming concert were left disappointed as inclement weather, related to Hurricane Henri, forced an early end to the outdoor performances.

The concert was set to feature Bruce Springsteen, Paul Simon, Jennifer Hudson, Carlos Santana, LL Cool J, Andrea Bocelli, the Killers and Barry Manilow, but not all groups were able to perform before the storm hit.

Specifically, The Killers and Bruce Springsteen had yet to perform, and fans could be heard yelling that they had paid to see these acts.

While most tickets to the concert were handed out for free to those who could show proof of Covid vaccination, VIP tickets were available for purchase, ranging from USD$399 (£290) to USD$5,000 (£3,670).

There has been no statement made regarding whether refunds will be provided or not.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio tweeted: “While it’s disappointing that tonight’s concert had to end early, the safety of everyone in attendance has to come first”.

National Hurricane Centre - key messages

11:43 , Celine Wadhera

The National Hurricane Centre issued four new key messages at 5am EDT on Sunday.

1. Dangerous storm surge inundation is expected to begin this morning in portions of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts, where a Storm Surge Warning has been issued. Residents in these areas should follow any advice given by local officials.

2. Hurricane conditions are expected to begin this morning in portions of Long Island, Connecticut, and Rhode Island where a Hurricane Warning is in effect. Tropical storm conditions will begin in these areas within the next couple of hours.

3. Heavy rainfall may lead to considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding, along with the potential for widespread minor to isolated moderate river flooding over portions of Long Island, New England, eastern New York and New Jersey.

4. Swells from Henri will continue to affect much of the east coast of the US during the next day or so. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

Flooding in New York City

12:02 , Celine Wadhera

New York City resident and Twitter user @ExplainItToMe captured a stunning video of the flooding overnight in Brooklyn.

A staircase on the Eastern Parkway behind the Brooklyn Public Library has effectively become a waterfall.

Centre of storm projected to pass eastern tip of Long Island by midday

12:18 , Celine Wadhera

The centre of Hurricane Henri is projected to pass just off the eastern tip of Long Island by midday. It is currently around 50 miles southeast of Montauk Point on the tip of Long Island, and 80 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island, the National Hurricane Centre said in a 7am EDT update.

Henri’s maximum sustained winds are at 70mph - just below hurricane strength - moving north at 18mph. Both windspeed figures are slightly slower than those reported at 2am EDT, when sustained winds were at 75mph and the storm was moving at a speed of 21mph.

Lower wind speeds downgrade Henri to tropical storm

12:38 , Celine Wadhera

The National Hurricane Centre has reported that as of 7am, Henri’s maximum sustained winds were 70mph, down from 75mph overnight.

This speed downgrades Henri from a hurricane, which are characterised by winds of 75mph and above, to a tropical storm.

But, as WeatherNation lead meteorologist Steve Glazier says, tropical storm Henri “will still pack a punch”.

Reports of flooding in New Jersey

12:57 , Celine Wadhera

A meteorologist has been reporting on flooding in New Jersey in the early morning hours.

Jordan Steele, meteorologist for America’s Morning Headquarters, tweeted: “Flooding happening NOW in New Jersey. High Water Rescues are in place near Trenton as heavy rain continues to fall. This is the same feeder band from #hurricane #Henri that brought 4-6” of rain around NYC yesterday.”

He added that 6.5in of rain had been recorded in Middlesex, New Jersey, as homes were flooding and water rescues were ongoing.

National Hurricane Centre 8am update

13:16 , Celine Wadhera

As of 8am EDT, here are the latest updates from the National Hurricane Centre:

The centre of Henri is moving closer to eastern Long Island and southern New England. It is currently 40 miles south-southeast of Montauk Point, Long Island and 75 miles south of Providence Rhode Island.

Maximum sustained winds remain at 70mph as the storm moves at a slightly slower pace of 16mph down from 18mph an hour ago.

The National Hurricane Centre warned that dangerous storm surges, strong gusty winds and flooding rainfall are expected across portions of the northeastern United States.

Some Covid test sites in New York City to close due to Storm Henri

13:35 , Celine Wadhera

Some New York City Covid testing sites will be closed on Sunday due to Storm Henri, a New York healthcare provider has said.

NYC Health and Hospitals announced on Twitter: “Service Alert: Due to #HurricaneHenri, all NYC Health + Hospitals #COVID19 Testing Sites will be closed Sunday, August 22 and all NYC Health + Hospitals COVID-19 hospital-based vaccine clinics will close by 1pm on Sunday. #NYCTestandTrace”

Adding: “All other community testing and vaccination sites run by the NYC Health + Hospitals/NYC Test & Trace sites will remain open.”

The healthcare provider also urged New Yorkers to check https://nyc.gov/covidtest for exact hours and locations.

Coastal residents prepare for Henri

13:54 , Celine Wadhera

As tropical storm Henri is set to make landfall in the northeastern US by midday Saturday, residents have been scrambling to make preparations.

Those living near the coast have boarded up windows to protect their homes, and residents have made runs on supplies including generators and batteries amid warnings that power outages caused by the storm could last days. A number of gas stations from Cape Cod to Long Island have even sold out of fuel.

Residents on Fire Island, a strip of sandy villages barely above sea level, just off of Long Island’s southern coast, were urged to evacuate on Saturday night. The last boats left the island before 11pm, and officials warned that there may be no way of reaching people left behind.

AP

NYC residents told to stay home under state of emergency

13:59 , Sam Hancock

As New York City remains under a state of emergency, mayor Bill de Blasio is continuing to encourage residents to stay home until it passes.

The tropical storm was downgraded from a hurricane in the early hours of this morning, but officials say its threat to the US East Coast remains high.

The state of emergency was declared in parts of New York on Saturday, after it was discovered that winds of up to 75mph (120km/h) and as much as six inches (15cm) of rain are expected.

“I’m telling all New Yorkers: Stay home tomorrow,” Mr de Blasio told the New York Times on Saturday.

Here’s what he said when announcing the state of emergency:

PGA Tour postpones final round of Northern Trust

14:13 , Celine Wadhera

The Professional Golfers’ Association Tour has postponed the final round of the Northern Trust tournament, scheduled to take place at Liberty National Golf Course in New Jersey on Sunday.

A statement from the PGA Tour read: “Based on the projected path of Tropical Storm Henri and the Tropical Storm Warning that has been issued by the National Hurricane Centre for the area where the Northern Trust is located, there will be no play on Sunday 22 August”.

It added that round 4 would be played on Monday instead, beginning no earlier than 7.30am EDT. Tee times and groupings are expected to be posted this afternoon.

Storm Henri Q&A: Everything you need to know

14:28 , Sam Hancock

As Henri is downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm, here’s a handy Q&A about its origins and potential impact.

What’s the difference between a hurricane and a tropical storm?

It's all about the wind. Specifically, the sustained wind speeds. The maximum sustained winds for a hurricane is anything above 74 mph. A tropical storm? 73 mph. As of Sunday morning, Henri's current winds topped out at 70 mph (110 kph), just shy of hurricane status.

But the greatest threat from a storm this size is water. Heavy rains cause storm surges and inland flooding, and historically, those things have threatened life and property more than high winds.

What areas is Henri supposed to affect?

Right now, it’s looking like New York’s Long Island and southern New England - particularly Connecticut. If it makes landfall in New York, that would be the first time the state’s sustained a direct hit during a hurricane season since 2012’s Superstorm Sandy - the effects of which are still plaguing New York.

When will Henri make landfall?

By Sunday afternoon, it looks like. The National Weather Service says if the storm remains on track, it could make landfall as early as 11am on Long Island. If it does move east, it will hit Rhode Island probably by 2pm.

What are the conditions needed for an Henri?

There are two ingredients needed for a storm to track this far up north: a tropical system itself and steering currents. Most tropical systems in the northern hemisphere run out or recur before they can make their way north, according to the National Weather Service.

Is Henri's path connected to climate change?

It’s just a tropical weather phenomenon, the National Weather Service says. But at the same time, climate change isn't off the hook when it comes to tropical weather - global warming exacerbates hurricanes, making them stronger and wetter.

Is Henri a fast-or-slow-moving storm?

Henri isn’t winning any races, but it steadily sped up Saturday. Its slow churn could be a good thing, increasing the chance it will falter quickly. But it could also mean a lot of concentrated rain, which translates to flooding.

Additional reporting by AP

National Hurricane Centre 9am update

14:45 , Celine Wadhera

As of 9am EDT, here are the latest updates from the National Hurricane Centre:

The centre of Hurricane Henri is projected to pass just off the eastern tip of Long Island by midday. It is currently around 35 miles southeast of Montauk Point on the tip of Long Island, and 70 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island, the National Hurricane Centre said in an update.

Henri’s maximum sustained winds are at 65mph - below hurricane strength - moving north at 16mph.

Lack of major roadways makes mass evacuation ‘untenable’ says Long Island mayor

15:04 , Celine Wadhera

A mayor from the town of East Hampton on Long Island has said that mass evacuation would be “untenable” due to the area’s lack of major roadways.

Speaking to the Associated Press, Jerry Larsen said: “We have one lane of travel leaving the Hamptons so it’s a little difficult to order evacuations”.

“So most people will shelter in place, and, God willing, everyone will come through OK.”

East Hampton is on the eastern end of the south shore of Long Island, and is the easternmost town in the state of New York.

Millions on Long Island have braced for the possibility of flooding, fallen trees and power outages.

National Hurricane Centre 10am update

15:21 , Celine Wadhera

As of 10am EDT, here are the latest updates from the National Hurricane Centre:

The centre of Hurricane Henri is projected to pass just off the eastern tip of Long Island by midday. It is currently around 30 miles east-southeast of Montauk Point on the tip of Long Island, and 60 miles south of Providence, Rhode Island, the National Hurricane Centre said in an update.

Henri’s maximum sustained winds remain at 65mph - below hurricane strength - moving north more slowly, at 14mph, down from the 16mph an hour ago.

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo holds storm briefing

15:25 , Celine Wadhera

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo is holding a briefing on tropical storm Henri.

Watch live here:

Red Sox-Rangers game postponed until Monday

15:40 , Celine Wadhera

The Red Sox-Rangers baseball game scheduled for 6.10pm EDT at Fenway Park has been postponed until Monday because of tropical storm Henri.

Boston’s Major League Baseball team announced the postponement on Twitter on Sunday morning.

The team said that the game was scheduled to go ahead Monday 23 August at 1.10pm, and added that tickets from Sunday’s game would be accepted for admission on Monday.

The postponement comes after the Red Sox lost 10-1 to the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

Cuomo: The potential for serious damage from flooding is very large

15:49 , Celine Wadhera

At a Zoom press conference on tropical storm Henri, New York governor Andrew Cuomo the latest updates on the storm, including the storm path, and said: “This is an evolving situation. We showed you the most recent track of the tropical storm – it is downgraded, that’s good news.”

Despite the the slightly slower winds, Mr Cuomo warned that the storm would still bring very serious consequences, including flooding, especially if the storm continues to slow down.

“The potential for serious damage from flooding is very large,” he said, while urging people to take proper precautions.

Mr Cuomo said that he expects the stormy conditions to remain in place until around 2 or 3pm tomorrow, adding “we have a long way to go”.

“If the storm continues to slow down and continues to drop rain, it’s going to bring trouble, and flooding with it.”

He ended the press conference by urging people to “remain attentive, and cautious and smart.”

Meteorologist: serious flooding situation if Henri slows down too much

16:05 , Celine Wadhera

Meteorologist Ben Noll of the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research has said that if tropical storm Henri slows down too much, or “near-stalls”, serious flooding could be witnessed in some areas.

He expressed his concern on Twitter, sharing a simulated weather map.

He said: “Concerning to see several models now converging on the idea of near-stall for #Henri over eastern New York on Sunday night...

“ ...this would result in a serious flooding situation for some areas.”

Astonishing amounts of rainfall recorded in and around New York City

16:05 , Oliver O'Connell

‘Most rain ever recorded in one hour in Central Park'

16:20 , Oliver O'Connell

NY1 meteorologist Erick Adams says the rain that soaked New York City on Saturday night broke records.

Key messages from National Hurricane Center

16:27 , Oliver O'Connell

The National Hurricane Center has released its key messages for Tropical Storm Henri.

Dangerous storm surge inundation is expected to continue today in portions of Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts, where a storm surge warning has been issued.

Tropical storm conditions will continue into Sunday night.

Heavy rainfall may lead to considerable flash, urban, and small stream flooding, along with the potential for widespread minor to isolated moderate river flooding over portions of Long Island, New England, easter New York, New Jersey, and northeast Pennsylvania.

Power outages surge across Rhode Island

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

As the centre of Henri approaches land, power outages are surging across the state of Rhode Island.

PowerOutage.us has recorded 44,059 customers without electricity across the state.

Henri to track northwest after landfall

16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

NBC meteorologist Bill Karins notes that wind damage will be relatively minor as wind speed drops, but the new path is predicted to track northwest towards Hartford, Connecticut and western Massachussets.

Power outages spread across New England

16:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Rhode Island: 67,000 without power

Connecticut: 13,000 without power

Massachusetts: 5,000 without power

Winds peaking in eastern Long Island

16:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone tweets that the worst of the winds should be hitting the eastern end of Long Island around noon.

‘Not that it matters'

17:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Mr Karins also points out that it’ll be difficult to call whether landfall happens in Connecticut or Rhode Island as the storm tracks towards the border between the two states.

New York State Police ready to respond

17:13 , Oliver O'Connell

New York State Police tweeted that they are ready for any eventuality as Henri moves towards land and the threat of flooding increases.

“We’re ready to respond to Henri. Our swiftwater rescue teams will be staged where needed. We have additional Troopers we can send to areas where they are needed most. Airboats, ATVs, UTVs are in-service and ready to go. Stay safe.”

Be careful out there, Rhode Island

17:20 , Oliver O'Connell

FEMA reminder: Storm surge happens fast

17:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Power outage update

17:29 , Oliver O'Connell

Power outages are spreading across New England with numbers climbing in several states.

Rhode Island has 75,000 customers without power; there are 20,000 in Connecticut; and 6,800 in Massachusetts.

Henri makes landfall

17:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Tropical Storm Henri made landfall near the town of Westerly, Rhode Island close to the state line with Connecticut at 12.15pm.

Windspeeds of 70mph have been recorded.

‘The age of extreme weather is here’

17:39 , Oliver O'Connell

“The age of extreme weather is here,” says New York City Councilmember Mark Levine.

He notes that between 10pm and 11pm on Saturday night 1.94 inches of rain fell in Central Park, the most ever recorded in a single hour at the weather station which has been in operation since 1869.

A month’s worth of rain fell in a single night.

Westerly, Rhode Island

17:57 , Oliver O'Connell

The beachfront community of Westerly, Rhode Island was first settled by English colonists in 1661. It now has a population of just over 23,000.

Tropical storms and hurricanes have devastated the town in 1938, 1944, and 1954. In 2012 Hurricane Sandy also devastated the town’s beaches.

Popstar Taylor Swift owns a home in the nearby village of Watch Hill.

Bleak weather in affluent beach village of Watch Hill

18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Update: Power outages spread across New England

18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Rhode Island: 80,000 without power

Connecticut: 25,500 without power

Massachusetts: 6,800 without power

Maine: 5,500 without power

Massachusetts residents picking up homes and move them inland

18:50 , Oliver O'Connell

ABC affiliate WCVB reports:

As Tropical Storm Henri makes landfall along the coast of New England, some Massachusetts residents are picking up their ocean-facing homes and moving them inland.

Along East Beach Road in Westport, Massachusetts, homes are placed on trailers, providing owners with ocean-front backyards.

On Sunday morning, as Henri was rapidly approaching the coast of Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut, some residents were picking up their homes to move to a safer location inland.

Video captured by WCVB showed one farmer using his tractor to tow one of the homes to store inland at a local farm.

Many homes in the area have been handed down from generation to generation, so most are trying to avoid any damage or property loss.

More rain for NYC

19:06 , Oliver O'Connell

Canada on standby as Henri heads north

19:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Update: Power outages grow in number in New England

19:32 , Oliver O'Connell

Rhode Island: 83,000 without power

Connecticut: 32,000 without power

Massachusetts: 12,850 without power

New Jersey: 5,300 without power

New York: 2,800 without power

Local celebrity’s mansion is unharmed

19:56 , Oliver O'Connell

Taylor Swift’s mansion in the beachfront village of Watch Hill, neighbouring Westerly, where the storm made landfall, is “A-OK”.

New York City issued yet another flash flood warning

20:05 , Oliver O'Connell

The order covers the five boroughs of New York City as well as the northwest suburbs and a large part of northern New Jersey.

Tropical Storm Henri: Where things stand now

20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Tropical Storm Henri hit the coast of Rhode Island at 12.15pm on Sunday, packing high winds that knocked out power to tens of thousands of homes, and bands of rain that led to flash flooding from New Jersey to Massachusetts.

The storm was downgraded from a category one hurricane to a tropical storm earlier in the day, and made landfall near the town of Westerly on Sunday afternoon with sustained winds of about 60 mph and gusts of up to 70 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center.

Henri has since weakened and now has sustained winds of 50 mph as it moves inland, heading northwest towards Hartford, Connecticut.

There were few early reports of major damage due to wind or surf, but officials warned of the danger of flash flooding in inland areas over the next few days.

Millions in southern New England and New York braced for the possibility of toppled trees, extended power outages, and flooding from the storm system which threatens to linger over the region well into Monday.

New York City has again been placed on a flash flood alert after 24 hours that saw rainfall records broken and streets, highways, and subway stations inundated.

Between 10pm and 11pm on Saturday night, 1.94 inches of rain fell in Central Park, smashing the hourly record. Data has been collected at the weather station in the park since 1869.

New York City Councilmember Mark Levine tweeted that the park also received a month’s worth of rain in a single night, totalling 4.45 inches.

“The age of extreme weather is here,” he wrote. It has continued to rain for most of Sunday.

Biden to update on Henri response in 4pm briefing

20:51 , Oliver O'Connell

President Joe Biden will provide an update on the federal government’s response to Tropical Storm Henri during a White House press briefing at 4pm.

Choppy surf near Montauk at the tip of Long Island

20:58 , Oliver O'Connell

Flooding seen in Ocean Beach, Fire Island

21:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Flooding has been seen in the resort community of Ocean Beach on Fire Island.

21:26 , Oliver O'Connell

21:26 , Oliver O'Connell

Biden remarks on Henri

21:31 , Oliver O'Connell

Updating the American people on the federal government response to Henri, President Joe Biden said that while the system had been downgraded from a hurricane the region impacted has already experienced heavy rainfall in recent weeks.

The president has already approved disaster declarations for New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island, and directed Deanne Criswell, administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, to respond with its full resources.

Resources have been pre-positioned in the affected area by FEMA including food, water, life-saving communications equipment, and generators.

Mr Biden also reminded people not to forget the dangers of the Delta variant of Covid-19 and said that if they have to relocate from their homes they should wear face masks to protect themselves and others. He also took the opportunity to urge those who have not been vaccinated to get the vaccine.

Peak wind gusts observed from Tropical Storm Henri

21:34 , Oliver O'Connell

Henri still is making a huge mark on the northeast

22:07 , Oliver O'Connell

Impressive rainfall totals for Henri, with more to come

22:18 , Oliver O'Connell

22:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Thank you for following today’s rolling coverage of Tropical Storm Henri.

For our readers in the northeast of the US, stay dry, and stay up-to-date with local weather alerts as the rain continues.