AccuWeather Alert: Storm preparations across the Tri-state area
NEW YORK (WABC) -- The Tri-state area is bracing for what could be a one-two punch of severe weather, with rain and possible flooding for Thursday night and Friday, followed by the potential effects of Hurricane Joaquin.
NEW JERSEY
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie has declared a state of emergency ahead of a storm expected to bring heavy rain and flooding.
The declaration will allow state and county government to manage the storm, including the possibility of Hurricane Joaquin affecting the state.
Christie says it's too soon to know whether the hurricane will have a direct impact on the state, but warned of coastal flooding Friday and Saturday.
"We are not quite yet sure about whether this is going to be a single punch or a double punch," Christie said. "There's no question there's going to be a single punch that's going to start this evening and there are going to be winds up to 75 to 85 miles per hour in the southern part of the state, in addition to the rain which we expect to be 5 to 6 inches."
Flood warnings and watches are in effect up and down the New Jersey coast already. Christie says he will consider evacuations if necessary, but that it's too early to know if that will be needed. He told residents to prepare themselves Thursday.
Hurricane Joaquin's approach could intensify the damage, but rain is forecast across the region regardless of the storm's path.
According to the AccuWeather forecast, the looming threat comes with heavy storms Friday and the possible arrival of the hurricane Sunday.
In flood-prone Hoboken, barricades are up and parking is restricted, while city vehicles are being moved to higher ground. Officials are not taking any chances with potentially dangerous weather on the way.
"At this point no one can be certain, so I have an obligation to make sure the city is ready if the worst does come to pass," said Hoboken Mayor Dawn Zimmer.
In Neptune, an area where more than 400 homes were destroyed by Superstorm Sandy, an emergency planning committee meeting was held to discuss a strategy for the coming days.
"We're not going to unnecessarily trigger the alarm, but certainly we want people to be aware," said Michael Bascom, the town's emergency management coordinator.
Meanwhile, crews in Belmar drained nearby lakes and utilized bulldozers along the boardwalk to create a massive sand dune along Ocean Avenue protecting nearby homes and businesses.
The latest AccuWeather forecast:
LONG ISLAND
On Long Island, officials are taking precautions as forecasters closely follow Joaquin's uncertain track.
"Our state has seen the damage that extreme weather can cause time and time again - and I am urging New Yorkers to take precautions for more heavy storms in the coming days," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said. Cuomo did not declare a state of emergency.
In Hicksville, PSEG trucks were already getting into place and on Long Beach Island, they were building protective dunes. They all learned the hard way.
"We learned a lot from Sandy obviously, so we are ready," said Angie Carpenter, the Islip Town supervisor.
That's true in Islip and Long Beach Island, too.
"We're all very sensitive post Sandy, so anytime any potential storm is on the horizon everyone is, for good reason, hyper vigalent and we ask residents to stay alert and to keep monitoring things," said Jack Schnirmer, the Long Beach city manager.
They're also preparing the beaches in the town of Hempstead.
"We've been moving sand to make sure our dunes are in very very good shape which we do all the time anyway. So we'll be watching and monitoring the beach erosion as we go through the weekend," said Town Supervisor Kate Murray.
Local governments say they're ready for whatever happens.
"We are a little concerned, we are prepared, we have checked out all of our equipment since this is the first major storm of the season, we have upgraded all of our contacts to make sure that we have everything in place," Carpenter said.
With relentless thunderstorms expected to pound the Northeast for the next few days, and Joaquin potentially threatening off the coast, dozens of communities are wasting no time taking precautions and urging residents to be prepared.
"I feel a little more confident now, that we're not going to have a direct hit, of everything floating," Lido Beach resident Henry Cuttler said. "Because of the dune, we didn't have the extensive dune structure."
New Army Corps of Engineer approved dunes with grass stretch through neighboring Long Beach, not to mention a new berm that Public Works has been constructing as the area braces for a heavy hit.
"We're all very sensitive now, post Sandy," Long Beach City Manager Jack Schnirman said. "So any time any potential storm is on the horizon, we're all now, for good reason, hyper-vigilant."
NEW YORK CITY
Mayor de Blasio says New York City is on a state of high alert.
Deputy Commissioner Frank McCarton and his team at the Office of Emergency Management are monitoring the weather.
"The only way the public helps us is plan for right now, what they should be doing if we ask for evacuations," said McCarton.
Following Superstorm Sandy, parts of the city's hurricane evacuation area were rezoned, and berms and walls were put in parts of Lower Manhattan.
The storm heavily damaged the subway system. The MTA says, as a precaution, it is repositioning equipment, putting out generators and pumping systems. If necessary, it is ready to act.
"We have a complete moveable closure at South Ferry that will essentially seal off the entire staircase to prevent water from coming into the station," said the MTA's Kevin Ortiz.
When asked whether the subways will be shut down, as was the case during Hurricanes Irene and Sandy, MTA Chairman Tom Prendergast said it is part of the hurricane plan. But it is "way too early" to know if the hurricane plan will have to be implemented, he said.
