Hurricane Henri Updates
Monday 8/23 11:00 AM: Power continues to come back online for residents. Only eight customers in Lebanon are believed to be without power currently. You can check the Eversource outage map here to see where the remaining outages are believed to be located. If you know of an outage that isn't showing, please report to Eversource directly. You can also let us know at Town Hall and we will contact Eversource if there are any persisting issues.
Please be aware that more rain is expected today. With the ground already very saturated, there is risk of flooding and possibly more downed trees. Use caution and report any road hazards to Town Hall at 860-642-6100. If there is an emergency, please call 911.
Monday 8/23 8:30 AM: Limited power outages remain in pockets around town, including some new outages that occurred overnight. Please continue to watch out for tree limbs that may be broken after the storm. More rain is expected today that could create new road hazards. We are working with Eversource to make sure power is restored to the remaining customers as quickly as possible.
Sunday 8/22 1:30 PM: Power outages are starting throughout town. Please make sure to report these to Eversource at 800-286-2000 unless you are BLP customer. BLP customers should report to 860-446-4000. If roads are blocked please report those to the First Selectman's Office at 860-642-6100 so we can coordinate between Public Works, fire/police, and utilities if necessary.
Please stay off the roads and treat all downed wires as live. In a life-threatening situation please call 911.
Sunday 8/22 9am: At 5am, the First Selectman formally activated the Emergency Operations Center ahead of Tropical Storm Henri's arrival. Henri is now moving faster and expected to make landfall earlier and further to the east than forecasted yesterday. Landfall is now expected between 1pm and 2pm this afternoon along the Connecticut and Rhode Island border.
Although Henri is now a tropical storm a hurricane warning remains in effect for New London County.
Stay off the roads today. Treat all downed wires as live. If you have an emergency call 911. For downed lines and outages, you can report to Eversource directly at 800-286-2000. For road hazards such as downed trees, call the First Selectman's Office at 860-642-6100.
Be safe. We will share more updates throughout the day.
Saturday 8/21 6:50 PM: Hurricane Henri is expected to begin impacting Connecticut between 6am and 10am Sunday morning. Forecast shows that wind and rain will increase throughout the afternoon before Henri makes landfall near Old Saybrook around 6pm Sunday evening as a "strong" tropical storm.
The forecast shows we may be facing wind gusts between 65 and 80 mph in southeastern CT. Rain is currently expected to be heavier in western CT but flooding remains a major concern, especially with the path and strength of the storm still uncertain.
Please stay off the roads during the storm. Power outages and wires down can be reported directly to Eversource at 800-286-2000 or if you are a Bozrah Light and Power/Groton Utilities customer at 860-446-4000. If there is a life threatening emergency, please call 911. For all other road hazards such as washouts and downed trees, please call the First Selectman's Office at 860-642-6100.
Update Saturday 9/21 9:15 AM
Our emergency management team is continuing to monitor and prepare ahead of impact from Tropical Storm Henri which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane later today. The effects are expected to begin early tomorrow morning beginning around 2-3am. The worst effects will peak Sunday and may include wind gusts above 60 miles per hour in addition to strong sustained winds.
Today is the day to start to preparing if you have not already. Eversource expects numerous trouble spots and downed trees. The state advises residents to PLAN to be unable to leave their homes for 3 days or more. They suggest having enough food, water, cash, and medication to last for days without power.
There is NO evacuation order expected for our area at this time. You may have seen emergency alerts related to possible life-threatening storm surge but these will impact the coast and are not a concern this far inland. However, the threat of damaging, dangerous winds and flooding is very real for Lebanon. Make sure your outdoor belongings are secured or brought inside (ex: outdoor furniture). After the storm, if opening shelter or coolong/charging centers become necessary we are prepared for that as well.
Once the storm begins, STAY HOME. If you are on the roads and see water going across a bridge or culvert, do not cross it. Flash flooding is a possibility. We have had people get stuck in scenarios like this before when they tried to cross and found the water was deeper than they realized or that the road had actually washed out.
If wires are down, treat them as live. If you see downed wires or believe you are in danger, please call 911 immediately. For ordinary road hazards such as downed trees, please call the First Selectman's Office at 860-642-6100. We will be coordinating with the Fire Department, Public Works, and Eversource.
Be safe. We will share more updates as things progress.
Original Post: The emergency management team at Lebanon Town Hall, the Lebanon Volunteer Fire Department Inc., and Lebanon Public Works are working together to prepare for the possibility that "Henri" may impact Connecticut as a tropical storm or even a Category 1 hurricane. We have been in contact with our liaisons at Eversource and establishing the lines of communication and structure that will help guide us through this potential event.
Information about blocked roads, power outages, and other hazards will be shared at Facebook.com/LebanonCTTownHall and on LebanonCT.Gov as we learn about them.
If you see wires down, please treat them as live! Call 911 to report these kinds of issues. For non-lifethreatening trees down or road washouts, call the First Selectman's Office at 860-642-6100
Please take the time this weekend to prepare yourself!
Check your batteries, flashlights, etc. Make sure you have enough food/water to get you through the storm and a situation where you may be trapped in your home. Last year, it took Eversource several days to unblock certain roads after Isaias, leaving people with no access in or out. Don't let yourself be caught off guard.
If you have a generator, make sure you're ready to run it. Charge your phone and any other devices you may need or want ahead of the storm's arrival.
Check out the CDC guide on hurricane preparation and safety here: