Emergency Calls Ramping Up in Meriden, Hurricane Expected to Make CT Landfall at 11 a.m.

Calls of downed power lines and trees are starting to ramp up in Meriden's Emergency Operations Center at the Meriden Police Department as of 6:15 a.m.

The city's Emergency Management Team said that Hurricane Irene is expected to make landfall in Stamford near 11 a.m. – 3 to 5 hours later than originally predicted. With it, officials said, Meriden could get sustained winds of 80 miles per hour and flooding.

“It is moving slow," said Capt. Donald Parker, Emergency Management Co-director, in a 4 a.m. meeting of the city's department heads. "What we hoped would be something that would be over by 6 p.m. tonight may not be.”

A tornado watch is in effect for the area until 11 a.m.

Overnight the city has had intermittant thunderstorms and gusts up to 40 mph.

No streets were flooded as of the 4 a.m. meeting. The stop-and-go nature of storms has allowed water to recede, according to officials.

Twenty people were at the city's storm shelter at Washington Middle School as of the 4 a.m. meeting. Though officials expected to be able to close the shelter by 6 p.m. Sunday, the hurricane's later-than-expected arrival may push the shelter to be open another night.

Police spent much of the night searching the trails of Hubbard Park for a Bristol woman whose car with her purse, phone and iPod were found in the park. (Full story )

A parking ban has not been imposed on city streets as of 6:50 a.m.

Department heads will meet again at 10 a.m. about the storm.

Developing story, more details to come

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