How to Weather Hurricane Sandy

Grand Central Terminal closed from Hurricane Sandy

New York City isn't usually a target for a hurricane.  But we've now had two in the past two years, Irene and now Sandy. And a freak snowstorm just one year ago today.  Combined with a full moon, and the prospect of cold weather colliding from the West with the hurricane rain and winds from the South, a Snowicane (yes, that's the term I read today) is possible.

For those of you tempted to walk outside to see the waves crashing over the FDR or the West Side Highway, don’t.  Stay tuned to local news stations like New York 1 and stay indoors. And, if you’re located in the Zone 1 areas that are in immediate danger including the Rockaways, City Island, Battery Park City, and low-lying areas of the East Village, we hope you’ve heeded the warning to find shelter in the city’s evacuation centers.

This is a “perfect storm,” the likes of which haven’t been seen in NYC… ever.  Hurricane Irene was a baby compared to this one.  If the Western-generated snow front collides with the rain and wind from the South, we’re in for a biggie here in the New York-New Jersey area.  If you’ve been advised to evacuate, it's probably already too late.  What you must do, at this point, is stay away from your windows, keep tuned to the radio or TV, and hope.  There are restaurants open in some areas, but we aren’t advising that you venture outside unless you really need to.  Hopefully, you've already stocked up on lots of water, batteries, bread, milk, cereal and other non-perishables.

Branches from trees, weakened from last year's snowfall in October, could fall at any point and debris from rooftops could drop anywhere.  The crane collapse at 57th Street and 6th Avenue is an example of unexpected destruction from the up to 80 mph winds forecast.


Stay safe and stay indoors.  Follow me on Facebook (MDP Publicity or Meryl Pearlstein) to see other photos.