Storm slams Connecticut as heavy rain, up to 60 mph winds cause flash flooding and power outages

News-Times – Wednesday, December 11, 2024
By Peter Yankowski

A storm moving up the East Coast is expected to produce high winds and heavy rainfall in Connecticut that could lead to power outages and flooding, according to the National Weather Service.

The storm’s forecast shifted as of Wednesday evening, pushing the highest winds farther west into more of Connecticut. The weather service has issued a high wind warning that now includes southern New Haven County along with all of Middlesex and New London counties. The agency had earlier predicted the highest winds would only affect southern parts of New London County.

As of Wednesday morning, more than 9,000 Connecticut residents were without power, according to Eversource, the state’s largest power company.

Ahead of the storm, the company said in a news release it was bringing in line workers from other areas to assist with power restoration.

“We’ll have crews in position around the state with a heavy emphasis in the areas expecting the highest winds — so they’re ready to restore power as soon as it’s safe to do so,” Eversource Connecticut President Steve Sullivan said in a news release.

United Illuminating, which serves the greater Bridgeport and New Haven areas, reported it was preparing for a “5-moderate event level” for Wednesday’s storm. The level means the utility company is ready for a between 5,000 and 10,000 outages, or about 3 percent of it’s customer base, UI officials said. They said the outages are expected to remain on the lower end of that range.

“We have all line and tree resources on standby and ready to respond as needed,” the company said.

Areas under the high wind warning could see gusts of up to 60 mph, the weather service said.

“Damaging winds will blow down numerous tree limbs, and scattered trees and power lines,” the agency warned. “Power outages are likely in the warning area. Holiday decorations will be blown around or destroyed. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.”

Most of the rest of the state, with the exception of Litchfield County in the northwest, is under a wind advisory and could see gusts of up to 50 or 55 mph, the weather service said.

The storm is expected to produce 2 to 3 inches of rainfall, with 4 to 5 inches possible in parts of southern Connecticut and Long Island, the weather service said. The agency has also issued a flood watch statewide.

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