Gov. Andrew Cuomo has mobilized nearly 2,000 New York Army and Air National Guardsmen Sunday as Hurricane Sandy closes in on Long Island.
The National Hurricane Center said Sandy is a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph as of the Sunday 11 a.m. advisory. It’s moving to the northeast at 14 mph about 575 miles south of New York City.
The forecast cone includes most of Long Island, and its latest track has Sandy making landfall along the New Jersey coast early Tuesday. The National Weather Service in New York has issued a high wind warning for the region.
Watch: Radar
Cuomo declared a state of emergency Friday afternoon in anticipation of the storm impacting the region. Sunday he called up the Guard, mobilizing first on Long Island.
Troops will go to Farmingdale Armed Forces Reserve Center to act as a response force in Suffolk County. The Air National Guard's 106th Rescue Wing will have 50 airmen on duty at the Gabreski Air National Guard Base to handle missions on eastern Long Island and provide National Guard liaison officers to work with emergency management officials in Suffolk and Nassau counties. By Monday evening, a total of 250 soldiers will be assigned to the center in Farmingdale and 150 airmen assigned to Gabreski.
Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone declared a state of emergency for Suffolk County and Islip Town Supervisor Tom Croci ordered a mandatory evacuation of Fire Island. Suffolk emergency shelters will open Sunday 8 a.m.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano declared a state of emergency Saturday and mandatory evacuation of storm surge zones, particularly the South Shore, Sunday at 2 p.m. He also announced the closing of all county parks, marinas and senior centers Sunday at 5 p.m. Visiting hours at the Nassau County Correctional Center are cancelled for Monday.
"We are expecting record storm surges – with current models predicting surges greater than Tropical Storm Irene," Mangano said. "Experts predict between 4-8 feet of storm surge."
The National Hurricane Center calls for a storm surge, combined with extreme high tide, of 6-11 feet along the Long Island Sound.
The Long Island Rail Road will suspend all service starting Sunday at 7 p.m.
NICE bus service in Nassau will be suspended at 7 p.m. Sunday. There will be no bus service Monday.
North Shore-LIJ Health System said its hospitals would discharge non-acute patients ahead of the storm.
LIPA warned of extended power outages, as much as 10 days. The state said LIPA and National Grid have 730 linemen and 187 tree trimmers ready to roll.
A tropical storm warning has been issued from Cape Fear to Duck, N.C. The storm had been downgraded from a hurricane to tropical storm overnight Friday, but regained strength as it hit the warm Gulf Stream. It's being blamed for at least 58 deaths in the Caribbean.
Sandy is expected to bring extreme weather to Long Island – depending on the track – beginning late Sunday. The latest forecast calls for the region to get between 1-4 inches of rain with western Long Island possibly seeing more.
Long Island has a 70-90 percent chance of getting tropical storm-force winds. Tropical storm-force winds have been measured 520 miles from the storm's eye.
The NWS issued a hazardous weather outlook for the region and warns of high winds causing widespread downing of trees and power lines along with coastal flooding.
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Tracking Sandy: Sunday 2 p.m. Update
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Fred Weintroub June 19, 2013 at 10:45 am
That STUPID Trapeze thing and the fence around it on the lot adjacent to the Boardwalk is going to…Read More cost us Volley Ball players and Beach goers about 30 to 40 parking spaces. Whoever thought this thing up should get their Heads
AEA President June 18, 2013 at 04:46 pm
yes - by sheer coincidence, their employees work more overtime than ever before in their last 3…Read More years of employment before retirement (as it so happens, their pension is based in part on their last 3 years of employment).
Jack Kett June 18, 2013 at 07:41 pm
Bottom line re: LIRR is that people in suburbs who ride LIRR and Metro North are paying to subsidize…Read More the bankrupt NYC Subways and subsidize minority riders in the outer boros. Its the price we pay to not live in NYC. The subways charges a cheap fixed fare to subsidize low income NYC residents. Its a form of socialism.
Joe June 18, 2013 at 08:19 pm
Jack, racist much? Why don't you go have a tea party with the rest of the little Republican girls?
Eddie June 18, 2013 at 02:55 pm
Great photos, Richard. With joists like those, you could drive a firetruck up that thing!
Eugene Torres June 17, 2013 at 07:57 am
Heron St is like a bombed out war zone. Many of the residents
drive the wrong way to avoid the…Read More potholes at the beginning of the street.
Charlie Cheswick June 18, 2013 at 03:13 pm
"Working" storm drains like the one between Regent & Greenway on Lido Blvd?
Susie Pennachio June 15, 2013 at 09:13 am
yeeeepppp i always see people trying to get thru it or go around it to get onto the beach
Jaime Sumersille (Editor) June 15, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Thanks for the notice, Ally! I posted this on Facebook to make people aware! - Jaime Sumersille,…Read More Regional Editor, Nassau County
RackEmUp Gomez June 14, 2013 at 03:55 pm
Those murderers from Boston were students, right?
How about importing some kids from Brooklyn that…Read More need help?
Lets stop being patsys.
Me June 13, 2013 at 08:49 pm
What would be the basis for that demand? The govt only has to turn over exculpatory evidence or…Read More evidence it intends to use against a defendant and as far as I know in a civil matter (especially divorce) the govt is generally not a party to the action so how would they be compelled to do so?
Look under the "severe weather" tab to get the latest on Sandy
Where is AlGore when we need him ?
THE SCHREIBER HIGH SCHOOL ROOF HAS BEEN LEAKING ACROSS THE SCHOOL. IT IS STILL LEAKING, AND HAS GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE IN CERTAIN AREAS, ESPECIALLY IN THE SOCIAL STUDIES WING. BECAUSE OF THE WATER WHICH GETS BUILT UP ON THE ROOF, CERTAIN CLASSES NEED TO CHANGE CLASSROOMS EVERY DAY. THESE ISSUES HAVE BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS NOW. WHO IS RUNNING THE SCHOOLS? WHERE IS THE MONEY? WHAT IS BEING DONE TO SOLVE THIS? WHY HASN'T THIS BEEN RESOLVED YET? THESE ARE THE QUESTIONS WHICH THE PORT WASHINGTON PATCH SHOULD BE PRESENTING. GIVE US AN UPDATE. CONTACT THE SCHOOL.... IF THE TOWN OF NORTH HEMPSTEAD WAS AWARE, THIS SCHOOL WOULD BE SHUT DOWN UNTIL REPAIRS ARE MADE...
Yesterday afternoon they already had a major list....Mt Sinai, closed Mon & Tues...Comsewaque closed Mon & Tues...Port Jeff...Closed Monday.... Google WALK RADIO...Go to "Storm Center" for a full list of closings....