Hurricane Sandy is coming to Queens (and beyond)

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    Image source: NYC Office of Emergency Management

    As you are no doubt aware, we’ve got a hurricane nipping at our heels. Hurricane Sandy is on its way here and it looks bad – and it will become even worse because it’s scheduled to have a meetup with a Nor’easter – the collision of these two storms have caused some weather folks to nickname the whole thing, “Frankenstorm” – this is ironic especially since we are so close to Halloween. “Turduckenstorm” has also made an appearance as well – a storm within a storm.

    On a more serious note, over on the Facebook page for Craig Allen – the meteorologist at CBS 880 AM, is some good information. Here’s a storm tracking map – all the possible predictable paths the storm could take.

    Image source: CBS 880 AM

    Would have been great if the storm took the path of that outer green path. And here’s the storm along the Southeast coast (click to enlarge).

    hurricane-sandy-southeast-coast

    Image source: CBS 880 AM

    It’s a big one. Craig Allen on CBS 880 says, “From the way it looks right now, the date of October 29, 2012 will certainly go down in the historical weather annals; forensic meteorologists will be writing technical papers about this for years to come.” Hat tip to Jeff Orlick for recommending this page.

    What you need to know – stay inside, naturally. Before that, secure things around your home that could become IFOs – identified flying objects. The winds will be intense at times. This is expected to be a Category 1 hurricane with winds up to 75 mph. There is a high wind warning from 6am Monday to 6pm EDT Tuesday

    Governor Cuomo had a news conference today and shared the following info:

    • Subways, LIRR, and Metro-North will shut down by 7pm tonight (last train leaves at that time); buses by 9pm.
    • Bridges and tunnels will be shut down in a case by case basis.
    • At the time of this writing, airports have not been shut down.
    • Utility crews are on alert and utility workers outside NYC are on standby to come in and help when/if needed
    • The Mayor has ordered a mandatory evacuation of Zone A, which includes the Rockaways, LIC, and other areas close to the East River and the Atlantic. Red zones on this map are Zone Amay choose to evacuate certain areas of the city
    • LI Sound will likely see a storm surge of 4-8 feet.

    The East River Ferry is also shutting down later today. Public schools are closed on Monday, too.

    Our friends at LIC Partnership sent out an email about what to do in the case of a power outage, and shared this important information from ConEd

    • If you see downed electrical wires, do not go near them. Treat all downed wires as if they are live. Never attempt to move or touch them with any object. Be mindful that downed wires can be hidden from view by tree limbs, leaves or water.
    • Report all downed wires to Con Edison and your local police department immediately. If a power line falls on your car while you’re in it, stay inside the vehicle and wait for emergency personnel.
    • If your power goes out, turn off all lights and appliances to prevent overloaded circuits when power is restored.
    • Check to make sure your flashlights and any battery-operated radios are working. Also, make sure you have a supply of extra batteries. Weather updates and news on power outages can be heard on most local radio and television stations.
    • Avoid opening your freezer to see if food is still frozen. Every time you open the door, room-temperature air enters and speeds the thawing process. Most fully loaded freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 36 to 48 hours; half-full freezers will keep food frozen for approximately 24 hours.

    Helpful resource links are the NYC Office of Emergency Management; the OEM’s Hurricane Preparedness Guide; and this map of NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zones. WNYC has a nice hurricane evacuation zone map that is clickable.

    We welcome you sharing your photos, videos, and other observations around Queens during this storm. Feel free to tweet us at @queensnycity, comment on our QueensNYC Facebook Page, or send us an email. Stay safe, everyone!

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