Fringe Effects From Earl in Connecticut

Fringe impacts are expected in Connecticut. Some of the outer rain bands of Hurricane Earl will move through the area. The best chance for rain will be after noon through very early Saturday morning. Some of these rain bands could produce some downpours. No significant flooding is expected; however, localized street floodig could occur within areas of heavy rain. It should be noted that some areas, especially in western and central Connecticut, could see very little or no rain as these areas will be on the western edge of the system. Rainfall totals remain difficult to pinpoint; the interaction of Earl with an upper level trough will determine how the precipitation field evolves. Any rain we see will be beneficial given the dry conditions in recent months.

The wind will increase out of the east during Friday afternoon. It will shift to the northeast and north during Friday night. Gusts may reach 40 to 50 mph in eastern and southern CT Friday evening. The combination of wet ground, fully foliated trees and wind may lead to some downed trees or limbs. This, in turn, may result in some power outages. For the remainder of the state (including the Hartford area), the wind could be gusty at times tomorrow evening; however, no major issues due to wind are expected in these areas.

As with any tropical system, we still need to closely monitor the track. Any deviations to the expected path would result in changes to the outlook.

Waves will increase during the day Friday as Earl approaches. Waves may exceed 6 feet in Long Island Sound; wave heights will likely exceed 10 feet in the open water of the Atlantic Ocean. Boat owners should be sure that their boats are properly secured for a storm. Seas will become dangerous on Friday. No major coastal flooding is expected in Connecticut with this storm. Large waves and deadly rip currents are possible through much of the holiday weekend along ocean beaches.

There will be a gusty westerly wind following the storm on Saturday. The holiday weekend will feature cooler and drier conditions; more fitting for the approach of autumn later this month. No weekend plans should be cancelled locally as the weather will be fine.

People planning to travel to Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard or Nantucket for this weekend will need to reconsider. The storm will be gone by Saturday; however, the storm will leave damage behind. Also, ferry service may be disrupted into Saturday due to high seas. Travel to other parts of the northeast should be fine this weekend.