Sandy: another ‘perfect storm’? Local officials keeping a ‘watchful eye,’ urge preparedness

(Updated 9:50 am) The latest National Weathter Service advisory (8 a.m.) says Sandy, which had been downgraded to a tropical storm overnight, is again a Category 1 hurricane, with maximum sustained windsof 75 mph. Its central pressure has dropped from 969 MB reported at 5 a.m. to 960 MB as of the 8 a.m. report.

Forecasters at the National Weather Service Hurricane Center said earlier they expected the storm to strengthen again to hurricane strength and its wind field grow even larger, as it interacts and converges with a couple of other weather systems moving in from the west.

Sandy is a very large tropical cyclone with hurricane force winds extending 100 miles from its center and tropical storm force winds extending outward up to 450 miles from its center, according to the weather service.

The storm will likely dump “several inches of rain” on our area sometime between Sunday night through Tuesday, according to the NWS in Upton, which has issued a coastal flood watch for Long Island from Sunday evening through late Monday night. Tides are expected to be 1 to 1 1/2 feet above astronomical tides Sunday night and 2 to 3 feet above astronomical tides Monday morning — possibly higher depending on the track of the storm. Monday is also a full moon, so tides are already at an astronomical high.

High tide times in our area Sunday are just before midnight, and on Monday late morning – noontime. Tuesday’s high tide is just after midnight and just before 1 p.m.

Forecasters believe the center of Sandy will make landfall somewhere between Delaware and Long Island on Monday. The latest NWS forecast discussion predicts the center of the storm will cross the Jersey shore in the vicinity of Long Beach Island.

If the center of the storm passes to the southwest of Long Island as predicted, strong winds out of the northeast will likely cause “major beach erosion” Monday, especially along western Long Island Sound and the south shore, according to the weather service.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo yesterday declared a state of emergency throughout New York “to help mobilize resources to local governments and rapid response efforts.”

Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone declared a state of emergency in Suffolk County Saturday morning and ordered the mandatory evacuation of Fire Island by all residents before 2 p.m. Sunday.

Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter has called a second meeting of the town’s emergency operations committee for this afternoon at 3 p.m. in town hall. The committee met Friday morning for preliminary discussions and preparations.

Riverhead Police Chief David Hegermiller issued an advisory Friday evening asking residents to be prepared for the storm’s arrival. Residents in low-lying areas and areas prone to flooding should be ready to evacuate. Have a “go-bag” ready, the chief says. If you will remain in your home, make sure you have food, medication and supplies needed to ride out the storm and any power outages caused by the storm.

“The town is keeping a watchful eye on Hurricane Sandy,” Hegermiller said. At this point, the town is not planning to open any shelters, Hegermiller said. But it will be ready to do so if necessary, he said.

“Do not let your guard down. Stay safe by staying informed and being prepared,” Hegermiller said.

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