BOSTON — Gov. Charlie Baker is encouraging Massachusetts residents to prepare for the arrival of Hurricane Henri this weekend, which is expected to affect much of the state from Saturday night into Monday.
The hurricane is expected to bring strong winds, heavy rain, flooding and power outages.
The governor advised residents to avoid unnecessary travel. In addition, those who planned to visit Cape Cod or the islands over the weekend should delay trips, and those who have already traveled there should consider leaving on Saturday or extend their travel plans through early next week.
Baker activated the Massachusetts National Guard Friday to fulfill highwater rescue, debris clearing and public-safety support from impacted communities. Up to 1,000 guardsmen will remain in place until support is no longer needed.
Tropical Storm Henri is projected to become a hurricane, bringing substantial winds and storm surges in coastal communities. The area from Greater Boston to Worcester County is expected to receive a significant amount of rain.
The storm could cause power outages for at least 100,000 residents and up to 300,000. Utility crews are being staged to prepare to help restore power. Residents should use grills and generators outdoors to avoid carbon monoxide fumes and should make sure their carbon monoxide detectors are working.
The Route 128/95 and Interstate 495 corridors are expected to be significantly impacted Sunday through Monday. Travel will be hazardous and residents are encouraged to stay home if possible.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation will close all state campgrounds from Saturday at 11 a.m. through Monday evening. All state pools and coastal beaches will be closed Sunday. All DCR-managed inland waterfronts will be unguarded on Sunday.
For power outage updates and restoration times by town, visit outagemap.eversource.com or call 800-592-2000. Residents can call 2-1-1 to obtain disaster information and call local public safety non-emergency numbers or town halls for local questions.
For more information about what to do before, during and after a hurricane or tropical storm, visit mass.gov/MEMA.
