The Coast Guard was prepping for flooding and vicious seas from the mid-Atlantic through the Northeast as a powerful storm bearing hurricane-force gusts began plowing into the region.
“With the potential for severe weather, our overall concern is ensuring the safety of the people and mariners who live and work on the water,” said Capt. Jason Tama, deputy, Coast Guard Sector New York. “We want to stress the importance of safety and advise everyone to stay vigilant and to avoid putting themselves at risk as the storm passes through our region.”
The USCG warned mariners and swimmers to avoid going out to sea and to properly secure their vessels as dangerous winds roar in. Because of expected extreme conditions, there may be limited emergency response ability.
The Coast Guard cutter Spencer is staged offshore to respond to search-and-rescue needs. The 270-foot cutter is homeported in Boston.
The National Weather Service said that a strong coastal low was forecast to develop southeast of the New England coast and
“rapidly strengthen during the day on Friday with only slow movement before the low departs eastward Friday night.”
“Rain will move into eastern New York and most of New England by Friday morning but as the low strengthens, colder air will allow a changeover to snow from west to east for many locations. The snowfall is expected to be a heavy and wet consistency given surface temperatures near to above freezing,” NWS said.
Winds from the northern Mid-Atlantic into the Northeast are expected to gust at possibly 40-50 mph. “From Long Island to southern portions of coastal New England, wind gusts to hurricane force will be possible Friday night, just northwest of the surface low. Heavy rain and flooding, both coastal and inland flooding, are expected from eastern Pennsylvania to Long Island and southern New England along with significant beach erosion possible,” the Weather Service continued. “By the time the storm system departs Friday night, snowfall of one to two feet is expected across portions of western New York into the Catskills with six to twelve inches possible into the higher terrain of New England.”
