Suffolk County Executive Ed Romaine and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman provided updates today on the incoming nor’easter and its effects on Long Island. The two discussed the precautions residents should take as the storm approaches on Friday and into the coming weekend.
“We are very concerned about the impact of the storm, and what we would urge everyone to do is, if you don't have to go out during the heavy rainfall, don't go out. If your street floods, don't drive through flooded areas. Also, if you have a downed wire and you have an outage, call PSEG,” Romaine urged.
The storm's track is predicted to push northward toward Long Island on Saturday. Heavy rainfall of four to five inches is expected to start at 5 p.m. Friday evening and continue into midday Sunday.
Brian Ciemnecki of the NWS New York City Weather Forecast Office said to expect strong gusty winds between 40 and 55 miles per hour that will continue to increase into early Sunday. Residents should prepare for trees and power lines to come down, which could lead to power outages.
Ciemnecki also said they are expecting multiple high tide cycles, which could cause moderate to major coastal flooding locally. The impending full moon will most likely bring higher-than-usual tides, increasing the severity of potential flooding.
“People who live right on the coast or people who live in areas prone to coastal flooding, you’re gonna have to move your car. You may have to evacuate because we are expecting those tide cycles to really cause an inundation,” Ciemnecki warned.
At the press conference, Romaine noted that eastern Suffolk, western Suffolk and Nassau County could flood depending on how far west the nor’easter continues to track.
In preparation for the storm, both Romaine and Blakeman signed executive orders declaring a state of emergency and have activated Emergency Operations Centers in both counties. They urged residents to keep devices charged as power outages are likely due to high winds.
The Orient–Connecticut ferry has stopped all operations, with the Port Jefferson ferry expected to follow. All county permits and activities scheduled for Saturday have also been canceled.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul echoed local officials’ warnings. She said residents should stay informed as the nor’easter develops and check on vulnerable neighbors and loved ones if it’s safe to do so.
"With a significant coastal storm starting to impact New York State, we are actively monitoring the track of the storm and any potential impacts," Hochul said. "I urge New Yorkers to stay informed, stay prepared, and closely monitor local weather updates as conditions develop over the weekend."
Hochul said the Department of Public Service, the New York State Police, and the Department of Environmental Conservation are all closely monitoring the storm, especially in areas that will be most affected, such as coastal towns.
While the nor’easter is expected to dissipate Sunday, the exact timeframe for when it will end is still unknown.
