Hurricane Sandy path headed for Hudson Valley
Photo credit: Getty Images | People walk by a boarded-up building on the beach as the first signs of Hurricane Sandy approach Fairfield, Conn. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that New York City will close its bus, subway and commuter rail service Sunday evening ahead of the storm. (Oct. 28, 2012)
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As Hurricane Sandy whipped into the Tri-State region, authorities warned of power outages that could last for weeks, a "life threatening" storm surge along the Hudson River and floods forcing evacuations, closing roadways and destroying property.
On Sunday night, as most Hudson Valley schools and businesses announced closures for Monday, President Barack Obama declared a federal emergency in New York, freeing up funds for Empire State crews preparing for the storm.
Governor Andrew Cuomo suspended Metro North and MTA train service at 7 p.m. and bus service at 9 p.m. He warned motorists that he would close the Tappan Zee Bridge if winds became too strong and mobilized 1,175 National Guard troops to deploy to crisis areas.
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As crews geared up for the coming deluge, the National Weather Service forecast gusts reaching 75 miles-per-hour on Monday, continuing into Tuesday. Coupled with saturated soil, those winds could easily bring down trees and electrical lines, causing outages, the service warned.
Westchester County Executive Robert Astorino said blackouts were potentially the storm's greatest menace.
"If the storm hits as hard as it might, we could be without power in certain sections of this county for many days, maybe even weeks, depending on the severity of it," Astorino said at a Sunday press conference in the county's emergency operations center in Hawthorne. "People need to have another place to go or be prepared."
Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said his residents were already following Astorino's advice. "A lot of constituents have already booked their hotels," he noted.
ConEd cautioned people to steer clear of downed power lines. Other authorities warned homeowners using generators to be wary of carbon monoxide from the machines' exhaust.
Neighborhoods along the Hudson River and Long Island Sound faced the additional danger of a storm surge that was expected to crest at a record-breaking 8.2 feet at about 1 a.m. Monday.
In Rockland County, Piermont police closed roads near the Hudson, while elsewhere officials told residents to move their vehicles to higher ground and marinas to lock down their docks. "It's going to be pretty vicious down by the river," said Victor Overton, superintendent of public works in Nyack.
The storm surge led officials in the Village of Mamaroneck to order residents living on Long Island Sound and Mamaroneck Harbor to evacuate before 10 a.m. on Monday. In Port Chester, the anticipated surge and flooding led officials to advise residents to evacuate low-lying neighborhoods along the Byram River.
Piermont closed the Northshore walkway, the Piermont Pier and two parking lots. Village police recommended that residents on streets near the river evacuate, with the option of moving to a shelter in the village's fire department.
Six inches of expected rainfall continued to raise fears of flooding, too, though officials didn't expect floods like those produced by Hurricane Irene last year.
Westchester County police prepared to reroute traffic from flooded areas, while Astorino ordered the Bronx River Parkway to close early on Monday morning.
In Nyack, Overton said he had dispensed 1,200 sandbags to residents hoping to stop rainwater from flooding their basements and garages.
Westchester County police were adding extra officers to their roster for Monday to deal with parkway closures, said Sgt. James Genesi. The force was making sure its vehicles were fueled up and stocked with flares and other equipment for redirecting traffic.
"We are ramping up personnel," said Genesi. "We're prepared not to give anyone time off, prepared to do 12-hour tours."
Others hustled to head off water damage. In Bronxville, 50 school workers emptied out first-floor classrooms and offices, moving supplies and equipment onto four 18-wheelers that could transport the items to higher ground.
Meanwhile, if efforts to staunch the waters failed, the Red Cross prepared to open emergency shelters at the Mt. Kisco Boys and Girls Club, New Rochelle's Albert Leonard Junior High School, Port Chester High School, Yonkers' Lincoln High School and Longfellow Elementary School in Mt. Vernon, said Red Cross spokeswoman Carolyn Sherwin.
The organization also was planning to soon open a shelter in Rockland County, she said.
"We've been preparing for this since early this week," said Sherwin. "It's a huge operation."
Orange County Executive Edward A. Diana issued a statement last night stating that all schools, government buildings, parks and recreational facilities will be closed Monday and likely Tuesday as the area experiences sustained winds of 40-50 mph, with gusts of 80 mph. The Hudson River also could have a tidal surge of up to five feet.
