Connecticut

In a summer of severe flooding in New England, a 1,000-year storm hit Connecticut. Here’s how. – The Boston Globe

Published

1 year ago

August 21, 2024

In a summer of severe flooding in New England, a 1,000-year storm hit Connecticut. Here’s how. – The Boston Globe

What at first appeared on radar as a relatively modest line of storms moving into Connecticut, was suddenly supercharged into a deadly flash flood — the same weather pattern responsible for Vermont’s two rounds of devastating flooding in July.

Stagnant, ‘training’ storms

Like trains on a track, Sunday’s thunderstorms kept multiplying over the same region, inundating parts of Fairfield and New Haven counties with flooding rains. A region that normally sees 3.5 inches of rain on average for the entire month of August was pounded with 13 to 16 inches of flooding rains, most of which fell within six to seven hours, state officials said.

Meteorologists said the deadly confluence of a very slow-moving system, an already extremely moist summer weather pattern and these “training” rainstorms wreaked havoc on the region, stretching from Fairfield to the Lower Naugatuck Valley, including Oxford and Monroe. Training storms develop when thunderstorms repeatedly move over the same area, generating from the outflow of previous storms, over and over again. Each storm is following along a path, lining up over the same region one after another like train cars on a track, except the track is not moving.

“Deep tropical moisture was in place, and there was no shortage of water vapor to work with,” said Ryan Hanrahan, chief meteorologist for NBC Connecticut. “A very narrow band of convergence developed, and thunderstorms kept redeveloping over this convergence zone.” Examples of convergence zones are fronts and boundaries like sea and land breezes. They act as a trigger for thunderstorms and in the Connecticut and Vermont flooding events, that zone of convergence barely moved.

The storms were “able to back build at times” and the hardest-hit town of Oxford, where two people died, swept away by floodwaters, was “in the bull’s-eye,” said James Tomasini, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in New York.

The Beacon Falls, Conn., Hose Company 1 rescues stranded patrons from the Brookside Inn Restaurant in Oxford amid rising floodwaters Sunday evening.Beacon Hose Co. 1

Research by climate scientists Jennifer Francis, Stephen Vavrus and Michael Mann has found that climate change has resulted in these stagnant patterns that allow storm systems to stall out, increasing the likelihood of flooding events both on a small scale (like in Connecticut) and on a larger scale (like with Hurricane Harvey in Houston in 2017).

Meteorologists said the Connecticut flooding was unrelated to Hurricane Ernesto, which on Monday was over the open Atlantic Ocean.

Damage from flood waters is shown on Cottage Street in Monroe, Conn., Monday, Aug. 19, 2024. (Arnold Gold/Hearst Connecticut Media)Arnold Gold/Associated Press

Forecast models missed the mark

The intensity of last weekend’s storms caught forecasters by surprise. Even the morning of massive flooding, models predicted only 6 inches of rain.

“These events fly under the radar. We need to do a better job at looking at these localized, very high impact events,” Hanrahan said.

Today’s forecast models, although sophisticated, still lack the finer resolution to accurately capture and pinpoint small-scale variations in terrain, weather patterns, and local atmospheric conditions.

One forecast model from Sunday morning showed around 6 inches of rain for southwestern Connecticut.Pivotal Weather/Tim Kelley

But despite the models miscalculating the dire nature of the approaching storms, warnings from the National Weather Service were issued well ahead of time, meteorologists said. The first flash flood warning of the day was issued at 9:26 a.m. on Sunday, according to James Tomasini, a meteorologist with the NWS in New York. The urgency of the alerts increased throughout the day and eventually a Flash Flood Emergency was issued by mid-afternoon, warning residents to take swift action to protect themselves from rapidly rising floodwaters.

1-in-100 years now every 20 years

A warming climate, scientists say, has increased the frequency and intensity of flooding in the Northeast due to heavier bursts of rain.

The traditional “1-in-100-year” rainfall event — or, a storm with a 1 percent chance of happening each year — now occurs about every 20 years in Connecticut, according to an analysis conducted by Jeremy Porter, head of climate implications research for First Street Foundation, a nonprofit that quantifies financial climate risk.

In other words, the same type of extreme rainstorm that was once a rare occurrence in Connecticut is five times more likely now.

Extreme precipitation has increased by about 60 percent in the Northeast since the 1950s, according to the Fifth National Climate Assessment. Flooding events are expected to become “flashier” across the US as the climate warms, according to a 2023 federal meteorological assessment of extreme weather trends.

Extreme flooding events in the Northeast have increased by 60 percent between the 1950s and now.Climate Central

The driving force behind this shift in weather patterns has been our warming planet, say meteorologists and other scientists. According to Shel Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, when the atmosphere warms by just 1 degree Fahrenheit, there is 4 percent more water vapor in the atmosphere, meaning more water is now available during these heavy rain events.

High ocean temperatures don’t help, as they add further moisture into the atmosphere. That abundant moisture is often injected into storm systems such as the one Connecticut experienced Sunday. Warming ocean currents off Connecticut are 10 times more likely due to climate change, according to the Climate Central Climate Shift Index.

University of Connecticut researchers project that annual precipitation in the state could increase by as much as 8.5 percent by the middle of the century compared to the 1970s if there is no action to reduce emissions.

This Climate Shift Index for oceans shows warm weather in Long Island Sound is up to 10 times more likely due to climate change.Climate Central

James O’Donnell, executive director of the Connecticut Institute for Resilience and Climate Adaptation, said limited state data on precipitation and global climate models that are difficult to scale down make it challenging to predict where extreme flash flooding could occur.

But even if scientists can’t pinpoint exactly where intense flooding will worsen in a warmer climate “It’s likely that extreme precipitation events will increase in frequency,” O’Donnell said.

“These events — 10 inches in a day, or 12 inches in a day — we should plan for that everywhere in Connecticut,” he said.

For every 1 degree Fahrenheit of warming, the atmosphere holds 4 percent more moisture.Climate Central

‘No infrastructure can sustain it’

State officials and climate experts say Connecticut’s roads, bridges, and stormwater drainage system, much of it aging and built for a climate that no longer exists, like that of Vermont, cannot withstand such extreme rainstorms.

Rain totaling 13 to 16 inches, roughly 6 inches an hour, quickly swelled into dangerous rushing floodwaters that coursed through the town of Oxford, about 25 miles northwest of New Haven.

“It was a catastrophic amount of rain — no infrastructure could sustain it,” said state Senator Tony Hwang, who represents Newtown and Bethel, two towns also hard hit by the severe flooding.

Much of Connecticut’s climate adaptation efforts have been focused on protecting communities from storm surges as sea levels rise, particularly after devastating flooding from Superstorm Sandy in 2012.

“It’s not just sea level rise and coastal storms, but also the potential for inland flooding that we need to think about,” said Christine Kirchhoff, who worked on Connecticut’s climate resilience planning efforts.

Flash flood damage on the grounds of The Waterview reception hall in Monroe, Conn., is shown Monday.Arnold Gold/Associated Press

The challenge, she said, is that adapting to a changing climate is “a moving target” so long as fossil fuel emissions are added to the earth’s atmosphere. “What we adapt to today will be different from what we need to adapt to tomorrow,” Kirchhoff said.

Michael Jastremski, watershed conservation director for the Housatonic Valley Association in western Connecticut, said that there are thousands of culverts in the state that carry stormwater and streams beneath roads, yet many of them are too small.

The association surveys culverts and advocates for larger storm infrastructure. In an initial assessment of culverts in the Housatonic River watershed, he said, about 18 percent of the culverts they’ve surveyed would fail in a flood that occurs on average once every 25 years, meaning that water would overtop the road that the culvert is intended to protect.

“This could’ve been a regional event, and that’s what keeps me up at night,” Jastremski said. “When this is happening in 20 towns or 30 towns instead of eight or 10.”

Meteorologist Chris Gloninger is a senior scientist in climate and risk communication at the Woods Hole Group. Follow him at @ChrisGloninger.

Erin Douglas can be reached at erin.douglas@globe.com. Follow her @erinmdouglas23.

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Connecticut

Ten people displaced after Bridgeport fire

Published

1 hour ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

Ten people displaced after Bridgeport fire

Ten people are displaced after a fire broke out at the 400 block of Washington Avenue in Bridgeport.

At around 5:30 p.m., the Bridgeport Fire Department responded to a fire alarm.

Upon arrival, firefighters located heavy smoke conditions after the fire was extinguished in one unit by the sprinkler system.

Nine units were affected, displacing ten people.

There were no reported injuries.

The American Red Cross is working to help those who were displaced.

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Connecticut

CT Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 3, 2026

Published

13 hours ago

January 4, 2026

Press Room

CT Lottery Powerball, Lucky For Life winning numbers for Jan. 3, 2026

The Connecticut Lottery offers several draw games for those willing to make a bet to win big.

Those who want to play in Connecticut can enter the CT Lotto, Lucky for Life and Cash 5 games as well as play the national Powerball and Mega Millions games. There are also two drawings a day for the Play 3 with Wild Ball and Play 4 with Wild Ball games.

Drawings are held at regular days and times, check the end of this story to see the schedule. Here’s a look at Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026 results for each game:

Winning Powerball numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

18-21-40-53-60, Powerball: 23, Power Play: 3

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Lucky For Life numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

01-02-28-30-43, Lucky Ball: 07

Check Lucky For Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Cash 5 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

12-13-16-20-32

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play3 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Day: 5-3-3, WB: 7

Night: 1-8-1, WB: 9

Check Play3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Play4 numbers from Jan. 3 drawing

Day: 3-5-9-4, WB: 4

Night: 7-0-2-6, WB: 4

Check Play4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

Connecticut Lottery prizes up to $599 can be easily claimed at any authorized CT Lottery Retailer without additional forms or documentation or by mail. For prizes between $600 and $5,000, winners have the option to claim by mail or in person at any CT Lottery High-Tier Claim Center or CT Lottery Headquarters. For prizes between $5,001 and $49,999, winnings must be claimed in person at the Connecticut Lottery headquarters or by mail. All prizes over $50,000 must be claimed in person at CT Lottery Headquarters. Winners are required to bring a government-issued photo ID and their Social Security card.

CT Lottery Claims Dept.

15 Sterling Drive

Wallingford, CT 06492

For additional details, including locations of High-Tier Claim Centers, visit the Connecticut Lottery’s claim information page.

When are the Connecticut Lottery drawings held?

Powerball: 10:59 p.m. on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
Mega Millions: 11 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Lucky for Life: 10:30 p.m. daily.
Lotto: 10:38 p.m. on Tuesday and Friday.
Cash 5: 10:29 p.m. daily.
Play3 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
Play3 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.
Play4 Day: 1:57 p.m. daily.
Play4 Night: 10:29 p.m. daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Connecticut editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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Connecticut

Connecticut leaders react to capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

Published

1 day ago

January 3, 2026

Press Room

Connecticut leaders react to capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro

CONNECTICUT (WTNH) — The United States military carried out “large scale” strike inside Venezuela in the early hours of Saturday morning, capturing Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife, according to President Donald Trump.

Leaders in Connecticut are responding to the military action.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) shared the following statement.

“If we’re starting another endless war, with no clear national security strategy or need, count me out. Maduro is a cruel criminal dictator, but President Trump has never sought approval from Congress for war as the Constitution requires – and our military deserves. We’ve seen several Administrations lead us into conflicts without objectives or timelines and with disastrous consequences. President Trump has also articulated no clear end game to prevent further chaos, violence, and bloodshed in Venezuela. The American people deserve—and Congress should demand—facts and clarity.”

Sen. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) called the strike the start of an “illegal war” between the U.S. and Venezuela.

“President Trump thinks he is above the law. He steals from taxpayers. He thumbs his nose at the law. And now, he is starting an illegal war with Venezuela that Americans didn’t ask for and has nothing to do with our security. How does going to war in South America help regular Americans who are struggling? How does this do anything about drugs entering the U.S. when Venezuela produces no fentanyl? What is the actual security threat to the United States? And what happens next in Venezuela? He cannot answer these questions – and that’s why there was no briefing to Congress to explain this action, and no briefing scheduled. And Maduro’s illegitimate election does not give the president the power to invade without congressional approval, nor does it create a national security justification. That contention is laughable. This is about satisfying Trump’s vanity, making good on the long standing neocon grudge against Maduro, enriching Trump’s oil industry backers, and distracting voters from Epstein and rising costs.”

Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) said the Trump administration acted without congressional approval.

“Maduro is an illegitimate ruler, but I have seen no evidence that his presidency poses a threat that would justify military action without Congressional authorization, nor have I heard a strategy for the day after and how we will prevent Venezuela from descending into chaos. Secretary Rubio repeatedly denied to Congress that the Administration intended to force regime change in Venezuela. The Administration must immediately brief Congress on its plan to ensure stability in the region and its legal justification for this decision.”

State Senate Republican Leader Stephen Harding (R-Conn.) shared that he hopes Maduro is brought to justice, calling him an “integral culprit” in the “narcotic ring” in the United States.

“President Maduro has been an integral culprit in fostering the narcotic ring in our country which has killed far too many Americans. I hope he is brought to justice and we can continue to address the substance abuse crisis that our state and country continues to face.

The Chairman of the Connecticut Republican Party Ben Proto shared the following statement.

“President Trump promised to stop the flow of drugs into the US that have been killing millions of Americans. Nicolas Maduro, who declared himself President, while getting about 30% of the vote in the last so called free election in Venezuela, was given multiple warnings to stop the flow of drugs from his country into America, was offered help by the Trump administration in stopping the flow, but he continued to, not only allow the flow of drugs, but condone it and profit from it. Presidents have long used their constitutional authority to intervene in other countries when those countries posed a danger to America and Americans. President Trump did just that. Unfortunately Democrats, particularly Jim Himes, Chris Murphy and Dick Blumenthal are more interested in playing politics than in protecting Americans. Nearly 1,000 Connecticut residents died from drug overdoses in 2024 and we have seen an increase in overdoses in 2025. If only Democrats cared as much about Americans as they do about a drug lord running another country who profits from the death of Americans.“

Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.) demanded that Congress must be briefed before further action.

“As information about U.S military strikes in Venezuela unfold, I have more questions than answers. Nicolas Maduro is a brutal dictator who caused so much harm to his people. However, as Americans we must seriously weigh the consequences of attacking a sovereign nation and committing to “run Venezuela.” Congress must be briefed immediately, before this situation continues to escalate. I will comment further as credible information becomes available to Members of Congress.“

Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-Conn.) shared the following statement, claiming that there could be “severe repercussions for American interests.”

“President Trump’s unilateral decision to attempt a regime change operation in Venezuela by using military force to capture Nicolas Maduro and declaring, ‘we will run the country’, threatens global order and is a fundamental violation of the Constitution, which gives Congress the responsibility of authorizing major military actions that could have severe repercussions for American interests.

“America’s unprecedented global strength and prosperity was built on this principle of restraining military force through democratic bodies like Congress. President Trump has shredded this principle, and along with it has destroyed American credibility and emboldened our adversaries to act with similar aggression. This new foreign policy that President Trump and his advisors have used to justify this act of war, including invoking the 200-year-old Monroe Doctrine as a justification for America to do whatever it pleases in the Western Hemisphere, is the exact same reasoning that China would use to justify invading Taiwan, and which Russia has used to assault Ukraine.

“President Trump has also now threatened Cuba with similar language, and is preparing a giant corrupt giveaway to oil companies by claiming that the United States will acquire Venezuela’s oil. This is corruption of the highest order. Maduro was an authoritarian who stayed in power despite the will of the people, but that does not justify the United States in starting a war to benefit some of the world’s wealthiest corporations.

“President Trump did all of this without the consent of Congress, and without providing any details or day-after plans. The full consequences of this act of war will not be known for some time, and they may require putting American boots on the ground in Venezuela, as the President has said he was prepared to do. The American people do not want to be dragged into another endless conflict distracting from the rising cost of living and the affordability crisis. Whatever happens next, the responsibility will be squarely with President Trump and his contempt for the Constitution and for Congress.”

Rep. John Larson (D-Conn.) echoed the statements of his fellow Democrats.

“This is yet another authoritarian power grab by Donald Trump. As he indicated in his address, it’s clear it’s about the oil!!! And securing that oil!!! And securing it with the use of our brave men and women in the United States military!!! The Constitution entrusts Congress, not the President, with the power to declare war for a reason. It’s Congress’s responsibility to decide whether the nation goes to war or not! That’s why I’m joining with others in calling on the President to immediately brief Congress—and for Congress to assert its authority under the Constitution and the War Powers Act—to let this President know he does not have the authority to unilaterally commit our country to yet another endless war.“

This is a developing story. Stay with News 8 for updates.

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