It’s Tuesday.
Weather: Stormy (see below). High in the upper 70s.
Alternate-side parking: In effect until Aug. 15 (Feast of the Assumption). Read about the amended regulations here.
Keep flashlights close, make sure your phones are fully charged and watch out for flooding. That’s what state officials advised as Tropical Storm Isaias moved up the Eastern Seaboard and made its way to New York today.
A tropical storm warning is in effect through early Wednesday morning for regions across New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. The storm, which made landfall in North Carolina about 11 p.m. Monday as a Category 1 hurricane, is likely to bring strong wind and heavy rain to New York. It might have a greater impact than Tropical Storm Fay did last month.
The storm may wallop New York with the strongest wind the city has experienced since Hurricane Sandy in 2012, but officials don’t expect it to cause significant damage in the region.
“But we have been surprised before,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a news conference on Monday. “So we’re in a very vigilant state right now.”
Here’s what you need to know:
The forecast
Two to four inches of rain may fall in the region, the National Weather Service said. Strong wind may begin around noon, but the most intense rain and gusts are expected in the afternoon and the evening, when heavy downpours may occur in New York City and the lower Hudson Valley.
If the wind reaches those speeds, the Metropolitan Transportation Authority might suspend some service.
The storm is expected to weaken as it moves through the region, according to the National Weather Service, with its effects in the area diminishing by Tuesday night. In North Carolina, flooding, home fires and power outages were reported as the storm passed through.
The preparations
Emergency crews set up barriers throughout Lower Manhattan, which state officials said was particularly vulnerable to flooding.
The South Street Seaport is the only area in New York City expected to be at risk of storm surge, which could reach one to three feet, though minor flooding may occur in other neighborhoods, officials said on Monday.
While evacuation orders were not put in place for any regions in the state, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo said motorists should anticipate poor weather and take precautions for potential flash flooding.
In New York City, restaurants were told to bring in all outdoor furniture and to secure all barriers and platforms that were recently created to accommodate outdoor dining.
