A part of the East Coast of the United States, including New York City, was put on alert on Friday as Storm Henri approaches, which is expected to become the first hurricane to hit the New England area in decades. Meteorologists warned of high winds, the risk of flash flooding, and rising sea levels as the storm enters the Atlantic Ocean. They anticipate it will make landfall on Sunday.
The National Hurricane Center stated in its latest bulletin, "Storm intensification is expected during the day (...) and Henri will become a hurricane by Friday night or Saturday." Officials in the New England area, which includes Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont, urged residents to prepare.
The office of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker advised "all residents to begin preparations for the storm today and to closely monitor weather conditions." The governor's office noted that his state plans to close parks and beaches from Saturday to Monday in preparation for high winds that could disrupt power for up to 300,000 residents.
Meteorologists reported that winds reaching approximately 110 kilometers per hour accompany "Henri," threatening New York and the neighboring New England states, with heavy rainfall expected in some areas. The National Hurricane Center's bulletin indicated that storms "could cause high waves." If these predictions are realized, "Henri" would become the first hurricane to directly hit New England in thirty years.
A spokesperson for the center, Dennis Feltgen, stated to AFP that "the last hurricane to hit New England was Bob in 1991," which caused at least 17 fatalities. The region has not experienced such severe weather in a decade. The meteorological administration noted, "The last time we issued a warning in the area was during the passing of 'Irene' in late August 2011."
