Winds speeds forecasted over 70 mph – with gusts near 90 mph – has the mayor calling Irene a “very dangerous storm.”
Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced mandatory evacuations for low-lying areas of the city – including all of the Rockaways.
Hurricane Irene is expected to hit North Carolina by tonight and continue up the east coast.
A hurricane watch is in effect for Queens and the area should begin to impact the area beginning Saturday afternoon, with the worst conditions coming late Saturday night through Sunday afternoon.
Queens is forecasted for 70 mph winds with gusts over 80 mph and six to 12 inches of rain is possible for the area.
The NWS forecasts the chances for hurricane conditions at approximately 10 percent. That does not mean the area will not be hit with a severe storm with forecasts of tropical storm condition at 75 percent. Tropical storms bring winds up to 73 mph.
“Best case scenario is high winds, a lot of rain and very high tides,” the mayor said.
Governor Andrew Cuomo declared a state of emergency and the MTA announced service will be shut down beginning Saturday at approximately noon.
A state of emergency enables New York to use state resources to assist local governments more effectively and quickly, allows the state to activate the national “Emergency Management Assistance Compact” to bring in resources from out of the state, and enables New York to access key federal resources earlier in anticipation of an emergency.
“In this emergency I am activating all levels of state government to prepare for any situation that may be caused by Hurricane Irene,” Cuomo said. “We are communicating with our federal and local partners to track the storm and to plan a coordinated response, and we will deploy resources as needed to the areas expected to be hit the hardest. I urge New Yorkers to personally prepare for hurricane conditions and to cooperate with emergency officials if needed. By working together, we will all be able to face this storm in a calm and organized manner.”
The Office of Emergency Management’s (OEM) command center has been activated and the city is in constant contact with the National Weather Service (NWS) and state agencies, Bloomberg announced.
The cleanup is just one of the steps the city is taking to prepare for the storm. The city activated its command center at the OEM yesterday and the mayor said that the NYPD, FDNY, transportation, health and buildings departments were taking extra steps to handle whatever emergencies the storm might cause.
“We hope for the best and prepare for the worst,” Bloomberg said.
The strength of the winds associated with Irene the Department of Buildings has warned residents to secure outdoor objects that can become dangerous projectiles in the heavy winds. Loose, lightweight objects such as lawn furniture, potted plants, garbage cans, garden tools and toys should be brought inside. Gas grills and propane tanks should be anchored. Windows should be secured.
Borough President Helen Marshall urged residents and businesses to take precautions and stock up on emergency supplies like flashlights, batteries, first aid kits and to check on elderly neighbors.
Stay with The Courier for updates as they become available.
