After slamming Florida, Hermine threatens East Coast

Cedar Key police chief Virgil Sandlin checks on the downtown area as Hurricane Hermine nears the Florida coast, Thursday, Sept. 1, 2016, in Cedar Key, Fla.

Hurricane Hermine wreaked havoc across Florida on Friday, causing widespread power outages and flooding before diminishing into a tropical storm and plowing up the Atlantic Coast into the Carolinas with a still-potent mix of high winds and heavy rains.

CT residents may have to adjust their Labor Day weekend plans and hold barbecues on Saturday or Sunday as Tropical Storm Hermine is expected to bring showers across the state Monday.

Florida’s almost 11-year-long hurricane drought came to an end early Friday morning as Hermine made landfall.

The last hurricane to strike Florida was Wilma, a powerful Category 3 storm that arrived on October 24, 2005.

As Hermine continued to push a northeast path, North and SC were bracing for risky storm surge and maximum sustained winds of 50 miles per hour.

Port Authority officials said they will open an emergency center in New Jersey on Saturday night to monitor the storm as it approaches.

“Anyone along the U.S. East Coast needs to be paying close attention this weekend”, center spokesman Dennis Feltgen said.

As a result, no swimming will be allowed on New York beaches Sunday, and New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio said the city is considering closing them Monday and Tuesday, too.

Rainfall will likely start Sunday night and continue at its heaviest through Monday afternoon, dropping anywhere from a half an inch to an inch and a half on Long Island, Buccola said.

“There’s a big complicating factor with this storm”, said Fisher, noting that it could strengthen again into a hurricane as it stalls off New Jersey.

Fears of flash-flooding are continuing to threaten south-eastern pasts of the state, with predictions the tropical storm could persist in the Mid-Atlantic coast for days, with strong winds creating havoc along the coastline.

Forecasters say there is potential for more than 2 inches of rain and 4 to 6 inches in some coastal areas.

As the sun rose on Friday morning on Hudson Beach, just north of Tampa, cars sat askew in flooded roads.

Drone video shows the destruction Hurricane Hermine caused in the south when it made landfall Friday.

Gov. Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Friday, making state resources available to impacted areas if needed. Police had the road blocked because of flooding. Drones captured video of the havoc the hurricane wreaked in Crystal River, Florida, showing a residential neighborhood covered in floodwaters. “In my view, we got the worst damage”. The Sunshine Skyway Bridge that spans Tampa Bay was closed because of high winds.