Hurricane Sandy – Afternoon Update – Schools Closed Tomorrow, More National Guard On Their Way

Ned Berke -

Mayor Michael Bloomberg said the worst of the storm is expected to strike at 8:00 p.m., just hours from now. The National Weather Service is warning of “life threatening” flooding in the area.

The city announced that schools will remain closed tomorrow, probably a good indicator that mass transit will continue to be shuttered for at least part of the day. New York City tunnels will close down at 2:00 p.m. today, and the state has ordered an additional 1,000 National Guardsmen to the New York City area. They are also shifting all naval equipment from upstate to downstate, positioning them to help in the aftermath.

Locally, police are closing Emmons Avenue to vehicular traffic. Motorists who must travel will be directed to use the Belt Parkway service roads (Shore Parkway). Also, due to flooding in the Manhattan Beach Area, Shore Boulevard will be rendered impassable and will be closed to vehicles. Those who must enter the Manhattan Beach area will be directed to do so via south bound West End Ave to Oriental Boulevard. Alternate side parking and meter enforcement will be suspended again tomorrow.

Department of Environmental Protection crews are positioned throughout Zone A neighborhoods to help pump water out in the case of flooding. They’re on standby. If you do go outside, be sure to thank them for being there (police and other city workers, too!).

Current projections suggest wind speeds along Long Island and Brooklyn’s south shores will reach 50 mph with gusts up to 90 mph. The high speeds will come during high tide, and the projections on that have not budged – they’re expected between six and 12 feet of water to push in off the Atlantic.

Con Ed has several safety reminders for customers:

  • Do not go or touch downed wires. Assume any wire is electrified.
  • If your power does go out, turn off your appliances so the circuits don’t get overloaded when the power comes back on.
  • Double-check your flashlights and radios and make sure you know where they are and where your spare batteries are.

To report an outage, call 1-800-75-ConEd or log on to coned.com. You can also call 311. Please do not call 911 for non-emergencies.