Tropical Storm Henri is coming this way, traveling north over the Atlantic and poised to hit Vermont sometime Sunday. How hard that hit might be hinges on the storm track.
“It is very close and a shift of 30 to 50 miles to the northwest could bring significant impacts to southern Vermont. It is essential to remain vigilant and follow the latest guidance and forecasts,” said Scott Wittier, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Burlington.
Because the storm is still a few days away, it’s hard to know what to expect, said Mark Bosma, public information officer for Vermont Emergency Management. He said his department is “preparing for the worst-case scenario and hoping for the best.”
Bosma has been getting briefings twice a day from the National Weather Service and expects a clearer picture of how the storm will shape up after a briefing Saturday morning.
The nightmare, of course, is that Henri might turn into Tropical Storm Irene, which caused millions of dollars in damage and untold heartache in Vermont 10 years ago next week.
Bosma doesn’t think that will happen. It’s a question he’s fielded before.
“Whenever there’s a big storm coming, people want to know how it might compare to Irene, but there were different circumstances back then,” Bosma said. “We had a lot of rain that summer and a lot of snow the winter before. Irene was terrible; six people were killed. That’s what we try to avoid in every storm.”
So, state safety officials are staying vigilant.
“We are working closely with Vermont Emergency Management, the National Weather Service, the Vermont National Guard and others to monitor the track of the storm and deploy resources as needed should Henri affect the state,” wrote Adam Silverman, public information officer with the Vermont State Police.
Much of Vermont has been in a drought this summer, mitigating the risk of severe erosion and flooding. However, after a recent rainy streak, only the top third of the state remains in a drought. Southern Vermont faces higher risk for flooding and other impacts from the storm, partly because the weather is expected to be more severe there and partly because the ground is already saturated.
Kristin Kelly, communications director at Green Mountain Power, said the state’s largest electric utility has been monitoring the changing weather conditions, but it’s hard to pinpoint right now whether the power is likely to be knocked out.
“We want customers to be safe, so it’s always good to be prepared,” Kelly said. “Whether it’s a tropical storm or a thunderstorm, it’s always good to have your cellphone charged, have batteries for flashlights, and have emergency phone numbers available.” If power lines are toppled, avoid them at all costs, she said.
