Biden announces New York, Connecticut, Rhode Island can tap into federal aid amid tropical storm Henri
Fox News' Alex Hogan reports on the ground from Montauk, New York in eastern Long Island
Tropical Storm Henri packed a punch for the Northeast on Sunday and resulted in power outages across Rhode Island and flooding in nearby states, but the region was largely spared the worst-case scenario.
The storm is considered to be slow-moving and expected to impact the region throughout Monday, the Providence Journal reported. There were about 76,000 National Grid customers in the state without power as of Sunday afternoon, the paper reported. The report pointed out that the state was largely spared the worst possible outcome after it was downgraded from a hurricane prior to reaching the state’s coast.
When it made landfall near Westerly, Rhode Island, Henri had sustained winds of about 60 mph and gusts of up to 70 mph, according to the National Hurricane Center. By late Sunday, Henri had sustained winds of about 30 mph as it moved across Connecticut toward the New York state line.
The National Weather Service in New York tweeted late Sunday that the storm surge and wind threat are over, but heavy rain is expected for the Lower Hudson Valley, and interior New England and New Jersey.
"Tropical heavy rain band across NYC metro, northern NE N, and southern portions of the Lower Hudson Valley will likely shift northeast into interior portions of NE NJ, Lower Hud and interior SW CT this evening," a statement from the bureau read.
The storm threatened to stall near the New York-Connecticut border overnight, before pivoting east and moving out toward the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. As of Sunday night, Henri was considered a tropical depression.
Henri is expected to produce rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches over portions of Long Island, New England, southeast New York, and northeast Pennsylvania Sunday into Monday, with isolated maximum totals near 12 inches, MyFoxNY.co reported.
President Joe Biden on Sunday promised to provide federal help to the residents of affected states. The president declared disasters in much of the region, opening the purse strings for federal recovery aid.
Parts of New Jersey experienced dangerous conditions, including Helmetta, a borough in Middlesex County, where about 200 residents were forced to flee to higher ground due to floodwaters. Helmetta experienced 6.7 inches of rain.
"I have not been able to get back to my house. Railroad Avenue is completely flooded still and I don’t know what kind of shape my house is in. My car is probably under water, so I’m in pretty bad shape right now," Laura Hettinger, a resident, told CBS New York.
The Associated Press contributed to this report
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