Life-Threatening Hermine Storm Surge Possible Along Long Island Coast

Here's the latest Tropical Storm Hermine advisory from the National Weather Service (sign up here for Patch breaking news alerts to receive the latest updates on the storm):

TROPICAL STORM HERMINE IS FORECAST TO MOVE SLOWLY NORTHEAST AWAY FROM THE MID ATLANTIC COAST TODAY. THE STORM IS THEN EXPECTED TO DRIFT NORTH NORTHEAST WHILE GRADUALLY INTENSIFYING TONIGHT THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK...BEFORE GRADUALLY PICKING UP PACE AS IT SLOWLY WEAKENS AND TRACKS SOUTHEAST OF LONG ISLAND AND CAPE COD DURING THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK.

A TROPICAL STORM WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FOR ALL OF LONG ISLAND AND THE FIVE BOROUGHS OF NEW YORK CITY...FOR SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST NEW YORK...HUDSON AND EASTERN ESSEX AND UNION COUNTIES IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...AND ALL OF COASTAL CONNECTICUT. SUSTAINED TROPICAL STORM FORCE WINDS ARE POSSIBLE IN THESE AREAS. TROPICAL STORM FORCE GUSTS ARE POSSIBLE FARTHER INLAND.

MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING IS LIKELY AND MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING POSSIBLE AROUND THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDE FROM SUNDAY ONWARD. BATTERING SURF CAUSING SEVERE DUNE EROSION AND WASHOVERS...AND DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS CAN ALSO BE EXPECTED THIS WEEKEND THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. RAINFALL OF UP TO ONE AND ONE HALF INCHES...WITH LOCALLY HIGHER AMOUNTS IS POSSIBLE...DEPENDING ON THE TRACK OF THE SYSTEM. HIGHER AMOUNTS MAY BE POSSIBLE IF HERMINE TRACKS FARTHER NORTH.

POTENTIAL IMPACTS
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* SURGE:
PREPARE FOR LIFE-THREATENING SURGE HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ACROSS COASTAL LOCATIONS OF NEW YORK CITY AND LONG ISLAND...TIDAL PORTIONS OF NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY...WESTCHESTER COUNTY...AND SOUTHWESTERN CONNECTICUT. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:
- AREAS OF INUNDATION...ACCENTUATED BY WAVES ALONG THE IMMEDIATE COAST...CAUSING DAMAGE TO SEVERAL BUILDINGS.
- SECTIONS OF NEAR-SHORE ESCAPE ROUTES AND SECONDARY ROADS BECOME WEAKENED OR WASHED OUT, ESPECIALLY IN USUALLY VULNERABLE LOW SPOTS.
- FLOOD CONTROL SYSTEMS AND BARRIERS MAY BECOME STRESSED.
- MAJOR DUNE EROSION WITH HIGH SURF BREACHING DUNES. VERY DANGEROUS SURF AND RIP CURRENTS.
- MODERATE DAMAGE TO MARINAS, DOCKS, BOARDWALKS, AND PIERS. SEVERAL SMALL CRAFT BROKEN AWAY FROM MOORINGS, ESPECIALLY IN UNPROTECTED ANCHORAGES.

* OTHER COASTAL HAZARDS:

BATTERING SURF CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DUNE EROSION AND OVERWASHES ARE LIKELY SUNDAY THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK. IN ADDITION...LIFE THREATENING RIP CURRENTS ARE EXPECTED THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH EARLY NEXT WEEK.

* WIND:

PREPARE FOR DANGEROUS WIND HAVING POSSIBLE SIGNIFICANT IMPACTS ACROSS LONG ISLAND...NEW YORK CITY...SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER COUNTY...HUDSON...EASTERN ESSEX AND UNION COUNTIES...AND COASTALCONNECTICUT. POTENTIAL IMPACTS IN THIS AREA INCLUDE:
- SOME DAMAGE TO ROOFING AND SIDING MATERIALS, ALONG WITH DAMAGE TO PORCHES, AWNINGS, CARPORTS, AND SHEDS. A FEW BUILDINGS EXPERIENCING WINDOW, DOOR, AND GARAGE DOOR FAILURES. MOBILE HOMES DAMAGED, ESPECIALLY IF UNANCHORED. UNSECURED LIGHTWEIGHT OBJECTS BECOME DANGEROUS PROJECTILES.
- SEVERAL LARGE TREES SNAPPED OR UPROOTED, BUT WITH GREATER NUMBERS IN PLACES WHERE TREES ARE SHALLOW ROOTED. SEVERAL FENCES AND ROADWAY SIGNS BLOWN OVER.
- SOME ROADS IMPASSABLE FROM LARGE DEBRIS, AND MORE WITHIN URBAN OR HEAVILY WOODED PLACES. A FEW BRIDGES, CAUSEWAYS, AND ACCESS ROUTES IMPASSABLE.
- SCATTERED POWER AND COMMUNICATIONS OUTAGES, BUT MORE PREVALENT IN AREAS WITH ABOVE GROUND LINES.

* FLOODING RAIN:
IMPACTS AT THIS TIME SHOULD BE LIMITED TO TYPICAL NUISANCE FLOODING MAINLY ACROSS THE NEW YORK CITY METROPOLITAN AREA AND LONG ISLAND...BUT WILL DEPEND ON EXACT TRACK OF THE STORM. A SLIGHT NORTHWARD SHIFT IN THE STORM TRACK COULD RESULT
IN HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS. PLEASE STAY TUNED.

LITTLE TO NO IMPACTS ARE ANTICIPATED AT THIS TIME ACROSS INTERIOR NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY, THE LOWER HUDSON VALLEY, AND INTERIOR SOUTHERN CONNECTICUT.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS
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* EVACUATIONS:
IF ORDERED TO EVACUATE, LEAVE AS SOON AS PRACTICAL WITH A DESTINATION IN MIND. GAS UP YOUR VEHICLE WELL AHEAD OF TIME. BE SURE THAT YOU TAKE ALL ESSENTIAL MATERIALS FROM YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT. LET OTHERS KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING AND WHEN YOU INTEND TO ARRIVE.

IF YOU ARE EXCEPTIONALLY VULNERABLE TO WIND OR WATER HAZARDS FROM TROPICAL STORMS, CONSIDER VOLUNTARY EVACUATION, ESPECIALLY IF BEING OFFICIALLY RECOMMENDED. RELOCATE TO A PREDETERMINED SHELTER OR SAFE DESTINATION.

* OTHER PREPAREDNESS INFORMATION:
NOW IS THE TIME TO CHECK YOUR EMERGENCY PLAN AND TAKE NECESSARY ACTIONS TO SECURE YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS. DELIBERATE EFFORTS SHOULD BE UNDERWAY TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY. ENSURE THAT YOUR EMERGENCY SUPPLIES KIT IS STOCKED AND READY.

WHEN MAKING SAFETY AND PREPAREDNESS DECISIONS, DO NOT FOCUS ON THE EXACT FORECAST TRACK AS THERE ARE INHERENT FORECAST UNCERTAINTIES WHICH MUST BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT.

IF YOU LIVE IN A PLACE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE TO FLOODING, SUCH AS NEAR THE OCEAN OR IN A LOW LYING OR POOR DRAINAGE AREA, PLAN TO MOVE TO SAFE SHELTER ON HIGHER GROUND.

ALWAYS HEED THE ADVICE OF LOCAL OFFICIALS AND COMPLY WITH ANY ORDERS THAT ARE ISSUED. DO NOT NEEDLESSLY JEOPARDIZE YOUR LIFE OR THE LIVES OF OTHERS.

WHEN SECURING YOUR PROPERTY, OUTSIDE PREPARATIONS SHOULD BE CONDUCTED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE BEFORE CONDITIONS DETERIORATE. THE ONSET OF STRONG GUSTY WINDS AND HEAVY RAIN CAN CAUSE CERTAIN PREPAREDNESS ACTIVITIES TO BECOME UNSAFE.

BE SURE TO LET FRIENDS AND OTHER FAMILY MEMBERS KNOW OF YOUR INTENTIONS AND WHEREABOUTS FOR SURVIVING THE STORM. FOR EMERGENCY PURPOSES, HAVE SOMEONE LOCATED AWAY FROM THE THREATENED AREA SERVE AS YOUR POINT OF CONTACT. SHARE VITAL CONTACT INFORMATION WITH OTHERS. KEEP CELL PHONES HANDY AND WELL CHARGED.

BE A GOOD SAMARITAN AND CHECK ON THOSE WHO MAY NOT BE FULLY AWARE OF THE SITUATION OR WHO ARE UNABLE TO MAKE PERSONAL PREPARATIONS.

CLOSELY MONITOR NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR OTHER LOCAL NEWS OUTLETS FOR OFFICIAL STORM INFORMATION. LISTEN FOR POSSIBLE CHANGES TO THE FORECAST.

Find tips on how to prepare for the storm here.