FLORIDA
STORMS
Tropical Storm Henri
LOCATED
450 MI SSE OF CAPE HATTERAS NORTH CAROLINA
WINDS
65 MPH
PRESSURE
997 MB
MOVING
W AT 10 MPH
From the National Hurricane Center at 500 PM EDT Thu Aug 19 2021
Henri expected to strengthen on friday and over the weekend.
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DISCUSSION

1. Henri is forecast to be near the northeast coast of the U.S. on Sunday and Monday, and the risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing. Watches will likely be required for portions of this area early Friday.

2. Swells from Henri will begin to reach much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada by the end of the week and continue through the weekend. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

3. Heavy rainfall may lead to flash, urban, and small stream flooding over portions of southeastern New England Sunday into Monday.

1. Henri is forecast to be near the northeast coast of the U.S. on Sunday and Monday, and the risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing. Watches will likely be required for portions of this area early Friday.

2. Swells from Henri will begin to reach much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada by the end of the week and continue through the weekend. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents.

3. Heavy rainfall may lead to flash, urban, and small stream flooding over portions of southeastern New England Sunday into Monday.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Interests in the northeastern U.S. and Atlantic Canada should monitor the progress of Henri. Watches will likely be required for a portion of this area early Friday.

There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect. Interests in the northeastern U.S. and Atlantic Canada should monitor the progress of Henri. Watches will likely be required for a portion of this area early Friday.

RAINFALL: Henri may produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches over southeastern New England Sunday into Monday, with isolated maximum totals near 8 inches. Heavy rainfall from Henri may result in areas of flash, urban, and small stream flooding.

SURF: Swells generated by Henri should continue to affect Bermuda during the next day or so. Swells are expected to increase across much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada later this week and this weekend. These swells could cause life threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

RAINFALL: Henri may produce rainfall amounts of 2 to 5 inches over southeastern New England Sunday into Monday, with isolated maximum totals near 8 inches. Heavy rainfall from Henri may result in areas of flash, urban, and small stream flooding.

SURF: Swells generated by Henri should continue to affect Bermuda during the next day or so. Swells are expected to increase across much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada later this week and this weekend. These swells could cause life threatening surf and rip current conditions. Please consult products from your local weather office.

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Henri was located near latitude 29.7 North, longitude 71.4 West. Henri is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 km/h) and this motion is expected to through tonight. A turn toward the northwest is forecast on Friday, followed by an acceleration toward the north and north northeast Saturday and Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Henri will remain well offshore of the east coast of the United States over the next couple of days, but it is forecast to be near southern New England on Sunday and Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected during the next 12 to 24 hours, but Henri is forecast to intensify into a hurricane by Friday night with additional strengthening expected this weekend. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 997 mb (29.44 inches).

At 500 PM EDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Henri was located near latitude 29.7 North, longitude 71.4 West. Henri is moving toward the west near 10 mph (17 km/h) and this motion is expected to through tonight. A turn toward the northwest is forecast on Friday, followed by an acceleration toward the north and north northeast Saturday and Sunday. On the forecast track, the center of Henri will remain well offshore of the east coast of the United States over the next couple of days, but it is forecast to be near southern New England on Sunday and Monday. Maximum sustained winds are near 65 mph (100 km/h) with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected during the next 12 to 24 hours, but Henri is forecast to intensify into a hurricane by Friday night with additional strengthening expected this weekend. Tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 90 miles (150 km) from the center. The estimated minimum central pressure is 997 mb (29.44 inches).

The Air Force Hurricane Hunters investigated Henri earlier this afternoon and found maximum flight-level winds and SFMR values to support an intensity of about 55 kt and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. The storm's appearance in satellite images has been generally steady throughout the day with the low-level center located on the northern side of the convective mass, and banding features confined to the south side of the circulation. This somewhat asymmetric cloud pattern is due to about 25 kt of north-northeasterly shear.

The tropical storm is now moving due westward at 9 kt. A mid-level ridge should keep Henri on a westward to west-northwestward track through tonight. On Friday, however, a trough is expected to cut off over the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. while a ridge amplifies to the east of Henri over the western Atlantic. A combination of these features should cause Henri to turn northward on Friday and accelerate in that direction over the weekend. The exact location of the northward turn will be very critical in determining Henri's future track and how close it gets to New England. The latest GFS run has shifted eastward and the UKMET and ECMWF have shifted westward. Consequently, the net result is very little change in the consensus models and the new NHC track forecast is just a little faster than the previous one. Based on this forecast, Henri is expected to be very near southern New England on Sunday and Monday. The NOAA Gulfstream IV jet will be flying around Henri this evening to help assess the environmental conditions and gather data for the numerical models. It is hoped that these data will help the models more accurately predict the future track of the storm.

Although Henri is a bit weaker now, the overall intensity forecast philosophy has not changed. The shear is expected to persist for another 12 to 24 hours, so little change in strength seems likely during that time period. However, the global models show a more conducive upper-level wind pattern over Henri shortly after that, and in fact, all of the environmental conditions appear favorable for strengthening on Friday and Saturday. Therefore, steady intensification is expected during the 24-60 h time period, and Henri is forecast to become a hurricane during that time. Henri is expected to cross the north wall of the Gulf Stream and move over much cooler SSTs on Sunday, and that should end the opportunity for strengthening and induce a steady weakening trend from days 3 to 5. Post-tropical transition is now shown to occur by the end of the forecast period when Henri is expected to be over SSTs below 20 deg C.

It should be noted that as Henri gains latitude and moves near New England, the wind field is expected to expand. Therefore, users are reminded to not focus on the exact forecast points as impacts will extend far from the center.

The Air Force Hurricane Hunters investigated Henri earlier this afternoon and found maximum flight-level winds and SFMR values to support an intensity of about 55 kt and a minimum pressure of 997 mb. The storm's appearance in satellite images has been generally steady throughout the day with the low-level center located on the northern side of the convective mass, and banding features confined to the south side of the circulation. This somewhat asymmetric cloud pattern is due to about 25 kt of north-northeasterly shear.

The tropical storm is now moving due westward at 9 kt. A mid-level ridge should keep Henri on a westward to west-northwestward track through tonight. On Friday, however, a trough is expected to cut off over the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region of the U.S. while a ridge amplifies to the east of Henri over the western Atlantic. A combination of these features should cause Henri to turn northward on Friday and accelerate in that direction over the weekend. The exact location of the northward turn will be very critical in determining Henri's future track and how close it gets to New England. The latest GFS run has shifted eastward and the UKMET and ECMWF have shifted westward. Consequently, the net result is very little change in the consensus models and the new NHC track forecast is just a little faster than the previous one. Based on this forecast, Henri is expected to be very near southern New England on Sunday and Monday. The NOAA Gulfstream IV jet will be flying around Henri this evening to help assess the environmental conditions and gather data for the numerical models. It is hoped that these data will help the models more accurately predict the future track of the storm.

Although Henri is a bit weaker now, the overall intensity forecast philosophy has not changed. The shear is expected to persist for another 12 to 24 hours, so little change in strength seems likely during that time period. However, the global models show a more conducive upper-level wind pattern over Henri shortly after that, and in fact, all of the environmental conditions appear favorable for strengthening on Friday and Saturday. Therefore, steady intensification is expected during the 24-60 h time period, and Henri is forecast to become a hurricane during that time. Henri is expected to cross the north wall of the Gulf Stream and move over much cooler SSTs on Sunday, and that should end the opportunity for strengthening and induce a steady weakening trend from days 3 to 5. Post-tropical transition is now shown to occur by the end of the forecast period when Henri is expected to be over SSTs below 20 deg C.

It should be noted that as Henri gains latitude and moves near New England, the wind field is expected to expand. Therefore, users are reminded to not focus on the exact forecast points as impacts will extend far from the center.

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