Irene - Northeast US Prep and Impact

[Bizzles]

BTW, all Atlantic City casinos are closing later today.

Has that EVER happened?

I think twice before since 1978.

[Bizzles]

HURRICANE WARNING for all counties from Monmouth and Burlington on south. Tropical storm warning for Mercer. Hurricane watch for NE NJ from Middlesex north, tropical storm watch and flood watch for NW NJ

[Stephanie]

BTW, all Atlantic City casinos are closing later today.

Has that EVER happened?

I think twice before since 1978.

Yes, they said this will be the third time.

[melhow]

I have cousins living on the south side of Long Island in Massapequa who are choosing to stay. The SLOSH modeling on a Cat 2 worries me very much for their area. Can anyone living in the area provide an details about the information locally the Long Islanders are receiving about evacuations?

[CrazyC83]

I have cousins living on the south side of Long Island in Massapequa who are choosing to stay. The SLOSH modeling on a Cat 2 worries me very much for their area. Can anyone living in the area provide an details about the information locally the Long Islanders are receiving about evacuations?

Tell them to evacuate! Categories don't really matter here as we saw with Katrina and with Ike.

[pkstinn]

Just rec'd info from family in Manhassetts...few people in the marinas are prepping their motoryachts for this storm, creating hazards for others. No word yet (Fri. 8 a.m.) on evacuations or open shelters on Long Island. Weather is good for preparations...so if you know of anyone owning sailing or motor vessels, please tell them to take their canvas down, stow their grills and other deck items, tape down their lazarrette hatches, etc. Very disturbing to hear about such little preparation activity STILL on Long Island! Also disturbing to learn that evacs/shelter information is not forthcoming to residents, tenants of these marinas.

[pkstinn]

Long Island Update (Nassau County, NY): I just spoke w/Emergency Management, Nassau County. As of 1:30 pm, three emergency shelters are open on Long Island, each toward the outer end. Since mandatory evacs haven't been issued yet (except outerbank), they don't feel urgent need to open shelters (?!?). General attitude from your Nassau County admin is "hope people find friends, family to move in with; listen to 98.3 FM for EM updates; and Nassau County website is not updated to include open shelters as they don't have internet access in the Office of Emergency Management" per phone conversation w/deskperson today. Really...I couldn't/wouldn't make this stuff up! If anyone knows of a safe place for tenants/residents/visitors in the vicinity of Port Washington, please post. Thank you.

[tina25]

Just heard the MTA is beginning to shut down tomorrow at noon.

[hurricaneCW]

How bad are things expected to get in NJ because it seems like the danger is slowly diminishing since yesterday, most people are not concerned in the slightest and I currently live in Middlesex County, NJ under a hurricane watch.

[micktooth]

2PM EDT, Mayor Bloomberg "Mandatory Evacuation Order" for all low lying areas by 5 PM tomorrow including the Rockaways.

[Fego]

My sisters live in Atlantic City and they just called me to let me know that they moved to a secure place far from the coast. But there are many people that are waiting until the last minute waiting.. oh man, I don't know what they are waiting for.

[lilac]

Suffolk County is the same thing. I keep hearing rumors that south of Sunrise will have to evacuate and Newsday had one line about it. Why aren't they making a bigger deal about informing us what is going on?

[scogor]

My younger daughter lives in NYC and just texted to let me know that ALL Broadway shows are cancelled for Saturday and Sunday.

[theweatherwatch]

Just checking in! I live in Portland Maine. Mets up here are comparing Irene to 1985's Hurricane Gloria for us here in Maine.

Got this this afternoon:

BREAKING NEWS: Gov. Paul LePage declares a state of emergency ahead of Hurricane Irene's arrival in Maine Sunday.

Here in Portland they might order Voluntary Evacs starting tomorrow morning for all low lying areas and the Islands.

[brunota2003]

Why aren't people in NYC and areas taking this more seriously? A friend (from N.O., he survived Katrina) and myself have been talking about Irene for a while now...and we both agree that unless something happens soon to turn Irene away, or people start taking her more seriously, there are going to be a lot of people who lose their lives this weekend. This is exactly what happened before Katrina! "Oh, it can't happen here." Gimme a break!

[Bizzles]

might be typical NY attitude, sad to say but at least next time they might listen.

[phwxenthusiast]

everything seems to be fine here in Suffolk! just mowed my lawn like everybody else in the neighborhood lol

never heard of any evacs yet in this part of LI.. went to Home Depot yesterday and weather radios and generators were all sold all out--a sign that people are kinda taking this seriously... our local grocery store were filled with people too buying milk and bread and all that stuff...

[pkstinn]

After I posted re:Nassau County NY, this came across the wire on WSJ regarding VOLUNTARY evacs include: "...The barrier islands include Long Beach, Lido Beach, Atlantic Beach and Point Lookout. Mangano (public official) says the county has opened three shelters. They are at Nassau Community College, the SUNY Farmingdale campus and Locust Valley high school. It is preparing to open 17 other shelters."

Also, around 6 pm Friday for Suffolk County, MANDATORY evacs include: ..."Officials in Suffolk County, N.Y. have mandated evacuations in vulnerable areas of Brookhaven as Hurricane Irene sweeps towards Long Island. The evacuations are set to begin at 8 a.m. EDT on Saturday morning and will affect about 70,000 residents who live in low-lying areas. Town Supervisor Mark Lesko declared a state of emergency in the town. While Lesko noted that the town was opening emergency shelters, he cautioned that "you don't want to end up staying" in one of them. Places to be evacuated are: Blue Point, south of Montauk Highway; Patchogue, south of Main Street, East Patchogue south of Main Street, east to the intersection of South Country Road and south of South Country Road; Bellport, south of South Country Road; Brookhaven, south of South Country Road; Shirley, south of Golden Gate Road at the intersection of Neighborhood Road, south all the way to Smithtown Park; the entire village of Mastic Beach; Moriches, south of Main Street; Center Moriches, south of Main Street; Cedar Beach Peninsula in Mt. Sinai; East Moriches, south of East Moriches Boulevard, including the Newport Beach community. More evacs could be ordered Saturday a.m., on a town-by-town basis".

[pkstinn]

Hey hey, whaddya say!! Here is a link to the Nassau County Emergency Mgmt Office - List of Shelters opening!

http://www.nassaucountyny.gov/agencies/ ... -2011c.htm

Thank you, Nassau County!!

[Stephanie]

How bad are things expected to get in NJ because it seems like the danger is slowly diminishing since yesterday, most people are not concerned in the slightest and I currently live in Middlesex County, NJ under a hurricane watch.

Well, from what I've seen in the news and heard on the radio, many people have been taking this seriously along the coast because the Garden State Parkway, and Atlantic City Expressway have been one long line of cars. Plus, the danger HAS NOT diminshed, regardless of whether Irene is a Cat 2 or a Cat 1. Philadelphia currently has had the wettest month on record, so flooding will be a big problem for the whole metro area. Also, power outages, up rooted trees, etc. are a real concern.

The biggest problem is storm surge.

BTW, have you been reading ANY of the hurricane discussions on Irene?