Tropical Storm Henri is expected to be “at or near hurricane strength” before making landfall in southern New England or Long Island by late Sunday, the National Hurricane Center said. Henri was over the Atlantic Ocean about 270 miles (435 km) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, at 8 p.m. EDT, and was moving northward up the East Coast near 7 mph (11 km/h), the NHC said on Saturday. Maximum sustained winds are near 70 mph (110 km/h) with higher gusts. “A continued forward motion at a faster forward speed is expected through early Sunday,” it added. “Strengthening is forecast to occur during the next day or so, and Henri is expected to become a hurricane tonight or Saturday and be at or near hurricane strength when it makes landfall in Long Island or southern New England.” Normally dry areas near the coast may be affected by flooding due to …