New York City officials are waiting until tomorrow to decide whether to evacuate flood zones, but are urging residents to take steps to prepare for the worst.
• A storm surge can hit land five hours before the hurricane, and can also happen after the hurricane moves away, as the ocean water falls back to confined spaces like the Long Island Sound.
• Check this map to find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation zone. Here's a checklist from the Red Cross.
• If you live in a high-rise outside of the evacuation zones, prepare to move to the 10th floor or below.
Check the National Hurricane Center for updates.
Really, really, prepared. Like, the city is already getting ready to talk about evacuating areas susceptible to flooding like Coney Island, parts of Staten Island and even Battery Park City.
Hey, maybe we are overdue for a hurricane! Meanwhile, Bloomberg says he's got pretty much every city department going in overdrive to be prepared for the worst ("We're preparing for all possible scenarios, though there is an element of unpredictability in the weather."). One other thing the mayor emphasized this morning? Not surprisingly, Battery Park City, the Lower East Side, Redhook and Coney Island are all flashpoints, but so too are large swathes of Staten Island and the Upper East Side. The City has already seen the power of Mother Nature once this week, and Mother Nature may not be done with us yet. I’d like to give you an update on how we’re preparing our city for all possible scenarios.