Stamford Winds Down Storm Preparation

Now that the weather forecast has changed dramatically with the National Weather Service predicting Hurricane Joaquin will stay far at sea, Stamford officials say they have “high confidence that it will have a minimal impact on Stamford and the tri-state area.”

In a statement, Mayor David Martin said, “In Stamford we were bracing for a powerful storm with the possibility of Hurricane Joaquin making landfall and/or affecting Stamford. However the path has changed and the forecast is calling for coastal flooding, along with potential heavy rain and winds for the next few days. Heavy rain is forecasted for overnight Friday, tapering off Saturday, with scattered showers through Sunday.”

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With the expected coastal flooding during the Friday afternoon high tide cycle, the Army Corps of Engineers closed the Stamford hurricane barrier to all traffic until about 6 p.m. Friday.

With heavy rains in the forecast, Stamford residents are asked to check storm drains in their area and clear of debris, make sure basement pumps are working properly, any valuables stored in a basement that floods are moved to higher locations within the dwelling, and most importantly.

If your nearby storm drains are not clear of debris, or if you are unable to clear the debris yourself, please report it to the Citizen Service Center at 203-977-4140 or by visiting the Stormwater Management Department’s website at http://www.stamfordct.gov/stormwater-management.

Related stories:

• Getting a Pass from Hurricane Joaquin?
• Hurricane Joaquin and Connecticut: 5 Things to Know

The Office of Public Safety will continue to closely monitor the storm and is prepared to respond to severe weather and/or other emergency events as warranted.