Hurricane Dorian: When Will It Affect CT?

CONNECTICUT — Hurricane Dorian packed 185 mph sustained winds as it pummeled the Bahamas Sunday night. The now Category 3 storm, which has been stalled for the past 24 hours, was moving dangerously close to the Florida's east coast through Tuesday night but its track will then swing north, the National Hurricane Center says.

Forecasters said Dorian could make landfall or hug the coast in the Carolinas and or Georgia by late Wednesday/Thursday. After that the powerful hurricane is expected to continue to move north and Connecticut is expected to see "impacts" from Dorian as early as Thursday night and Friday.

To be clear, the storm is forecast to pass well east to Connecticut but it may be close enough to bring gusty winds and some downpours on Friday.

"Rain chances will increase Thursday night into Friday morning, and (we) have to watch this time frame for enhanced rainfall as the right rear quadrant of the upper jet poleward of Dorian lifts north into the area," the National Weather Service says.

"That said, a period of sustained NE winds 20-25 mph with gusts 35-45 mph possible along the coast, with the higher winds across the forks of Long Island and coastal SE CT. Potential exists for a period of moderate to heavy rain across the forks of Long Island and coastal SE CT," the NWS adds.

"If Dorian trends left of the NHC forecast track, stronger winds could occur, and heavier rains could shift farther west into Long Island and CT as well. If the hurricane trends to the right, the wind and rain threat would decrease throughout. Along the coast, highest confidence is in an increasing threat for dangerous rip currents, high surf, dune erosion, and minor to locally moderate coastal flood impacts."

WTNH News 8 Meteorologist Gil Simmons says, "Nice weather expected today with sunny skies and temperatures around 80° for the afternoon. A few thunderstorms for Wednesday afternoon and it will be more humid tomorrow too! Clearing out and less humid on Thursday. We will have to watch Hurricane Dorian passing by to our southeast Friday afternoon and Friday night. The hurricane will be offshore of Florida through the day today once it finally starts moving. A landfall could be possible in North Carolina around Thursday.

Here is the updated weather forecast for Connecticut:

Today
Sunny, with a high near 78. Light and variable wind becoming northeast around 5 mph in the morning.

Tonight
Patchy fog after 2am. Otherwise, increasing clouds, with a low around 66. South wind around 6 mph.

Wednesday
A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 81. Southwest wind 8 to 13 mph.

Wednesday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms before midnight, then a slight chance of showers between midnight and 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 61. Southwest wind around 8 mph becoming north after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday
Mostly sunny, with a high near 73. East wind 9 to 11 mph.

Thursday Night
Mostly cloudy, with a low around 60.

Friday
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 69. Windy.

Friday Night
A 40 percent chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Breezy.