Tropical Storm Hermine: Tri-State Braces For Flooding, High Winds
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- The Tri-State area is continuing to prepare for Tropical Storm Hermine, as the storm makes its way up the eastern seaboard.
The storm is expected to hover off the New Jersey and Delaware coast on Sunday and Monday. Forecasters warned storm surge flooding could damage buildings near the coast.
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Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency for Ocean County, Atlantic County and Cape May County as a result of severe weather conditions expected throughout the Labor Day weekend.
A tropical storm warning was also issued for New York City, Long Island and parts of Westchester County. The alert went into effect at 11 a.m. Saturday.
"In the final hours before New Yorkers begin to feel the effects of Hermine, we are in an active state of preparedness," Governor Andrew Cuomo said. "The State Emergency Operations Center is fully operational and tracking the storm's every movement and deploying strategic assets to Long Island and New York City. I urge all residents and visitors in low-laying coastal areas to be vigilant of flooding during high tide and to check local weather reports before heading out to Labor Day celebrations tomorrow."
Along the Point Pleasant boardwalk, business owners spent Saturday filling sandbags, CBS2's Janelle Burrell reported. Homeowners were heeding the warning as well, securing their patio furniture and other belongings.
"We always hope it's a false alarm, but we prepare for the worst," one resident said.
Others are cutting their holiday weekend plans short, taking it as their cue to leave.
"After getting through Sandy… I'm not gonna stick around and see what's next," Paul Fondacaro, of Point Pleasant, said.
Beach erosion is also a major concern for residents, with officials keeping a close watch on the shoreline through the weekend.
Sea Bright mayor Dina Long is hoping all of the preparation for the storm will turn out not to have been necessary, 1010 WINS' Roger Stern reported.
"We've done everything we can to shore up the town and get the word out to our residents and otherwise be ready for what could be a bad storm," Long said. "We're hoping maybe to catch a break."
On Long Island, a voluntary evacuation was declared, with many residents urged to leave the Fire Island shoreline ahead of the storm. Though the ferries to and from the island are still running through Sunday evening, the voluntary evacuation advisory remains in effect thorough 6 p.m.
For many residents on Long Island, storm preparations have become almost routine following Hurricane Irene and the more recent Superstorm Sandy, CBS2's Ali Bauman reported.
Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano is asking residents to learn from storms like Irene.
"We are advising our residents that live in the flood plane that this could be similar to Irene," Mangano said. "We ask you to prepare your to-go kits, prepare to leave your home if you are instructed to do so."
Lifeguards are warning against going into the water, and homeowners are not taking the warnings of relentless winds and potential flooding lightly.
"We'll get up early tomorrow morning and take in everything that can fly, and then we hope for the best," Maryann Krause, of Island Park, said.
Electrical companies are urging residents to restock emergency supply kits and to charge the batteries on their devices.
Power companies prepared for the storm by recruiting hundreds of outside utility workers to help with potential outages, WCBS 880's Stephanie Colombini reported.
In New York City, all construction cranes have been ordered to stop work. The city's Department of Buildings ordered all crawler cranes to be lowered and secured and for all tower cranes to be secured to the ground.
The National Weather Service is forecasting Tropical Storm Hermine will impact the entire New Jersey shoreline, and Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May Counties in particular, beginning on September 3, bringing tropical storm force winds, very heavy and sustained rain, as well as moderate to major coastal flooding with heavy surf and beach erosion.
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