Downtown Riverhead Escapes Major Flooding During Henri

Riverhead NY

22 August, 2021

1:06 PM

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RIVERHEAD, NY — Despite concerns about flooding and power outages, Riverhead appeared Sunday to have escaped the wrath of Tropical Storm Henri unscathed. "Everything's fine," Riverhead Town Supervisor Yvette Aguiar told Patch. Aguiar had been driving around town, and although the surf was battering the beaches at high tide, wind speeds were reported at just 26 to 27 miles per hour and expected to decrease later in the afternoon, she said. During Super Storm Sandy, downtown Riverhead was hit hard by flooding with cars and businesses submerged in water; no flooding was reported Sunday. Although widespread power outages were expected during Henri none were reported in Riverhead, Aguiar said. Although initially, Henri had the potential to hit as a hurricane and possibly make landfall in Suffolk County, when the track changed and Henri was downgraded to a tropical storm Sunday morning, the impacts were minimal. Still, teams from PSEG-LI stood at the ready to handle outages with 300 crews mobilized at the Enterprise Park at Calverton airport, Aguiar said. "We have been monitoring the storm since last night," Aguiar said. Aguiar thanked elected officials for reaching out on all levels, including the office of Senator Chuck Schumer, Rep. Lee Zeldin, and Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone, as well as the regional director of PSEG. The American Red Cross opened a shelter at the Riverhead High School; as of Sunday, five people were sheltered overnight. The shelter will remain open until Monday. Tanger Outlets were closed Sunday, she said. In case of an emergency, residents can call 911 or the Riverhead Police department at 631-727-4500. Updates will be provided on the Town of Riverhead website and the Town of Riverhead Facebook page. Power outages can be reported by texting "out" to 773454, calling 800-490-0075, or emailing www.psegliny.com/outages. Residents who need assistance can call 621-727-4500. "We will continue to monitor the storm throughout the day and night. Our police and highway departments, along with other essential employees, are on standby. Unfortunately, hurricane season does not end until November 30, and I foresee additional storms heading our way. Our primary goal is to continue monitoring the storm and ensure the safety of all our residents," Aguiar said. Aguiar added that the storm "won't be the last. But we are prepared." Gov. Andrew Cuomo said the "good news" was that Henri had shifted about 40 miles east, expected to impact Long Island Sunday a little west of Montauk. The storm was then projected to bend again to the west, bringing Henri closer to the New York State border and impacting the Hudson Valley, Albany, and capital regions, Cuomo said. On Long Island, Nassau County is expecting about 3 inches of rain, with about 4.5 inches expected in Suffolk County. "This can cause some flooding but nothing catastrophic — if this track remains," Cuomo said. Winds on Long Island are expected to be around 40 miles per hour with gusts up to 75 miles per hour, Cuomo said. Still, the governor added, there are serious storm surges to consider, with 3-to-5 feet surges expected in the Long Island Sound and 4-to-5 feet expected in the ocean. "This is nothing to take lightly," Cuomo said. Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone also spoke Sunday and said it was important to remain vigilant. Concerns still center on the surge during high tide on the North Shore and East End, with sustained winds on the East End of 30 to 40 miles per hour and gusts of 50 to 60 miles per hour, Bellone said. Swift water boats and rescue teams stand ready to be deployed on both the North and South Forks if necessary, Bellone said. Overnight, 20 families sought refuge in Red Cross shelters, mostly on the eastern end of the county, Bellone said. Despite the good news, Cuomo said he doesn't want New Yorkers to be complacent. "There is plenty to worry about. The track can change and if that storm moves 40 miles west, we will have a much different situation." Heavy rains and flooding still remain a concern, he said. "We are not out of harm's way," he said. Dominic Rammuni, meteorologist with the National Weather Service office at Upton, said residents would see the "most impactful" weather from Henri Sunday morning as the storm moved onshore. "We are talking about heavy rainfall; that's our primary concern," he said. The weather is expected to begin to improve late Sunday afternoon. Residents can still expect a few showers to move through the region Monday, with the system slowing down. A flood watch will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Monday night, Rammuni said.