Big Nor’easter Is Coming to Connecticut: Here’s What to Expect This Weekend

According to Jack Drake - Western CT Weather, the upcoming nor’easter is looking more and more like a long, miserable weekend for Connecticut, with rain and strong winds sticking around much longer than anyone would probably like.

Drake says the storm’s projected track has shifted farther west, and the system is expected to move very slowly. In fact, it could stall and even loop around south of Long Island. That means Connecticut, New York City, Long Island and New Jersey could all be dealing with a prolonged stretch of rain and wind.

So, how much rain are we talking about? Drake is currently calling for roughly 1.5 to 3 inches across the area, with some locations potentially picking up more. The good news is that the rain should be spread out over roughly two days, which means widespread flooding isn't expected to be a major concern. There could still be some heavier bursts of rain mixed in.

The wind is another story. Inland Connecticut could see gusts around 30 to 40 mph, while the shoreline could experience gusts between 40 and 50 mph. With the storm hanging around for so long, scattered power outages are possible. Drake recommends that anyone who routinely loses power during storms do a little preparation ahead of time.

As for timing, showers should begin arriving Friday evening, roughly between 8 and 11 p.m. Saturday is expected to be the main event, with periods of rain and wind continuing throughout the day and into Saturday night. Sunday should bring a slow improvement, although “slow” is apparently the operative word. Some showers could even hang around into Monday. Current forecasts from other Connecticut meteorologists are also showing lingering rain and wind through the weekend and into early next week.

Along the Connecticut shoreline, coastal flooding will also be something to watch, particularly around high tide. Minor flooding is expected during several tide cycles, with the possibility of some moderate flooding in spots. But this is not expected to be anything remotely close to the devastation Connecticut saw from storms like Irene or Sandy.

Basically, don't panic — just prepare for a very wet, very windy and very annoying weekend. Well, Jack doesn't want you to panic but I'd love to see it so have at it.