New York City, Long Island under State of Emergency as nor'easter settles in

The nor'easter the First Alert Weather Team has been tracking for days now is slamming New York City and the Tri-State Area this weekend. 

Strong winds, a deluge of rain and coastal flooding are bringing impacts to our area. The coastal flooding is a particular concern with this storm. 

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul declared a State of Emergency for New York City, Westchester County and Long Island ahead of the storm. 

"We're expecting dangerous coastal flooding, strong winds and potential power outages through the weekend. Take this storm seriously. Stay alert, and avoid unnecessary travel," Hochul said.   

Transit and travel advisories

A travel advisory went into effect in New York City at 2 p.m. Friday and will last through Sunday morning. 

The Metropolitan Transportation Authority said employees will be ready to respond to down trees that may fall onto tracks, or other issues. New York City Transit has deployed emergency trucks, flood mitigation equipment and debris trains ahead of the storm. Personnel are checking drains in flood-prone areas. 

"Island Park, Far Rockaway are of particular concern. We have pumps up there. We have high water monitors there as well. We have plumbers there in response, just in case we don't see any conditions," an MTA official said. 

Access-A-Ride paratransit will continue to provide service, the MTA said, although the storm is expected to impact travel time. 

The MTA said it is prepositioning diesel locomotives and crews in order to minimize service disruptions on commuter railroads. 

Empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks will be banned on bridges from midnight Saturday through 2 a.m. Sunday. 

NYC Emergency Management monitoring storm

New York City is staying ready to respond to any storm problems this weekend. At New York City's Emergency Management Operations Center in downtown Brooklyn, they will monitor and respond to any weather emergencies. 

The watch command center is a 24/7 operation where city agencies keep an eye on the railway, roadway, waterway and everything in between, watching for unsafe conditions, flooding, downed wires, and coordinating any needed emergency response. 

City Hall says it is bracing for 3 inches of rain and wind gusts of up to 50 mph throughout the weekend. Coastal flooding is expected to begin as early as Friday night, especially in southern Queens. 

"We're activating the emergency operations center tonight. We have agencies going out checking catch basins, deploying resources and making sure we're monitoring the hotspots throughout the storm," said Heather Roiter, deputy commissioner of planning and resiliency at NYCEM. "The storm is gonna bring multiple impacts. We'll have rain, coastal flooding and winds. So it's that trio to prepare for. We want to make sure you secure belongings outside your home. If you live in a basement, make sure you have an evacuation plan if you need to. If you are in a coastal area, move your car to high ground."

Residents in vulnerable areas prepare for storm impacts

The storm has already prompted organizers of the Global Citizen Festival to cancel their planned concert for Central Park Saturday. 

In the Rockaways, the staff at the Bungalow Bar brought in all the furniture from the waterside deck. 

"We're getting everything tightened so we don't have to worry about projectiles flying," Katie Gray said. 

Bungalow Bar was supposed to host a wedding reception Saturday - now it will host the ceremony, too. 

"They were supposed to be married on the beach, so they have to move the ceremony here as well," Gray said. 

The waves are growing on Rockaway Beach, and surfers were taking advantage. 

"Usually when there's a big storm, it means the waves are coming in. That's when it's worth checking out," surfer Preston Head said. 

NYCEM reminds New Yorkers that beaches are closed to swimming and lifeguards aren't on duty.

A portion of a street in Howard Beach began to flood Friday night before the storm even hit.

Maura and Kenneth Cook say they moved into their home near 164th Avenue and 95th Street more than three decades ago, and with every storm they've weathered, they've made improvements to help protect their home and belongings from flooding.

Friday, they prepared for the weekend nor'easter by putting furniture and appliances on step stools to lift them off the ground.

"Hopefully it doesn't get higher than that, but Sandy, it was up to the ceiling," Maura Cook said.

Locals say they've done all they can, and now they wait.

"You have to prepare for the worst and hope for the best," Kenneth Cook said.

At the Howard Beach Motor Boat Club, members and employees gathered to secure boats and prepare the business as water seeped into the patio.

"All the water will come from this port over here. This will all get flooded, including our club. Sometimes we get 2 and 3 feet of water in the club," said Laura Rosenberg, with the boat club.

"The biggest concern is what we are going to lose," said Harold Lynch, with the boat club. "It's gonna be a total loss if the tide comes in the way it's gonna come in."