Governor Andrew Cuomo announced a volunteer effort for New York State residents to help each other clean up from Hurricane Irene's devastation in Schoharie Valley, Catskills and North Country. According to the press release, "Labor For Your Neighbor" will be a "Labor Day weekend effort to tap into the good neighbor instincts of New Yorkers and rally volunteers to pitch in on local clean-ups of public and private property following the devastation of Hurricane Irene."
1
Results tagged “storm”
Cuomo: You Can Help With Irene Clean-Up This Labor Day Weekend!
Now That We're All Okay, Here's Some Vintage Storm Porn
Now that Hurricane Irene has safely passed over us, it's safe to look at some old school destruction porn without being terrified. For now. Click through for a look back at how storms affected New York and other areas. If nothing else, natural disasters really do make for some amazing, surreal photos.
Bloomberg: "Everyone Should Stay Inside" (And Do Not Think About Kayaking)
Mayor Bloomberg gave his third and final press conference of the day about Hurricane Irene's approach to NYC, "Conditons are expected to deteriorate rapidly," and emphasizes, "The time for evacuation is over... [Now] Everyone should stay inside."
Hurricane Irene Insanity: Ten Tweets To Take The Edge Off
Between the possibility of the MTA shutting down, the survival guides and the evacuation zones, it's safe to say that everyone's a bit nervous hysterical about Hurricane Irene—but it's hard to tell right now whether we're overreacting, or if the city has a long-overdue weather disaster on the horizon. While we're sure you're busy reading all the updates on the storm, as well as trying to stock up on D batteries and ramen, it might be good to have some levity about now. And that's just what Twitter is for! So below, check out ten of our favorite Hurricane Irene-related Tweets:
Cuomo Outlines Hurricane Irene Plans: "We Are Preparing For The Worst"
Governor Cuomo has officially announced a full-on MTA shutdown starting tomorrow at noon ahead of Hurricane Irene. Subways, buses, LIRR, Metro-North and Access-A-Ride are all being cancelled, and, if things get really bad, bridges and highways will be closed, too.
MTA May Shut Down Transit Service During Hurricane Irene
The MTA is considering a partial or full shut down of its services if Hurricane Irene is especially messy.
NYC Readies For Hurricane Irene By Evacuating "Most Vulnerable"
After telling New Yorkers the city was preparing for the worst this morning, Mayor Bloomberg held another Hurricane Irene in the early evening and reassured everyone, "Whenever the City has faced a difficult, tough situation, New Yorkers have always shown courage, compassion, presence of mind, and have been innovative in dealing with whatever is thrown at them. And I have confidence that they will do that again." While the city will not make a decision about a Zone A evacuation (see what zone you're in with the map below) until Saturday at 8 a.m., Bloomberg has announced the evacuation of the "most vulnerable New Yorkers - hospital patients; those in nursing homes and homes for aged; and also New Yorkers who because of age or infirmity are homebound" in Zone A areas.
Photos: Sunday Rains Flood Streets, Subways, Homes
Flood warnings are in effect around the tri-state area today as a heavy, hard rain keeps a-fallin'. Suffice to say, it is supremely gross outside—and particularly dangerous if you need to drive anywhere. But even if you don't go outside, you may not be safe: the flooding has spread indoors as well.
Huge Hail Hits Queens, LIRR Suspended After Lightning Strikes
So that stormy weather headed our way? It's been happening in Queens and Long Island—the National Weather Service says its Doppler radar indicates a "severe thunderstorm capable of producing quarter-size hail" but Forgotten NY's Kevin Walsh sent us this photograph of hail that's "big enough to break things." In fact, there are many reports of vehicles and homes with broken windows due to large hail in New Hyde Park.
Before The Black Eyed Peas And Taylor Swift, Diana Ross Was Rained Out Of Central Park
The day after Taylor Swift and the Black Eyed Peas were rained out of Central Park, a look back at Diana Ross's famous 1983 weather-doomed concert in the same spot.
Is NYC Way Overdue For A Hurricane?
The devastating tornadoes in Joplin, Missouri, which were responsible for killing at least 142 people, were yet another reminder of the cruel indifference of the weather. And though it may seem like a midwest/southern problem, it really isn't: don't start panicking yet, but MSNBC finds that NYC is the 3rd most vulnerable and overdue city for a hurricane. And we don't think they're talking about appearances from Rubin Carter.
Photos: Darkness Washes Over NYC
If you're lucky enough to have an office with windows, you're probably doing your best to act calm and rational right now, telling yourself there's no reason to panic about the great dark cloud system that enveloped the city a little while ago. As one observer put it, it's like something out of Independence Day... or the Nothing in The Neverending Story, depending on how far back we want to date ourselves. From our vantage point in DUMBO the great darkness—darker than a black steer's tuckus on a moonless prairie night—has given way to diffuse light as a real rain comes to wash all the scum off the streets. Let's see, how many other movie references can we roll out here? Operation Dark Storm, anyone?
Brooklyn Bridge Emergency Roadwork Continues
Yet more Brooklyn Bridge-related road closures for those trying to head to Manhattan between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m. The Department of Transportation has been doing emergency roadwork because the span has been hit hard during our numerous storms. According to WABC 7, "The work includes milling existing pavement, pothole repair, new asphalt riding surfaces and new pavement markings. This effort supplements the overall rehabilitation of the Brooklyn Bridge ramps and approaches." Yet another reason for taxi drivers to hate going to Brooklyn!
New York's Storm Needs FEMA Help
Sometimes, weather is hard. And when that happens, FEMA is there to help (sometimes). FEMA has reportedly "deployed personnel" to New York to "help coordinate if additional support is needed" and has sent supplies like water, food, cots and power generators to "various locations" in case they're needed. FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate said, "We're continuing towork closely with our state and local partners and tribal governments to make sure they have all the support they need for the duration of this storm." They got any salt? Because at this rate we're going to be skating home.
It's Snowing (Again)!
That storm we mentioned has moved in and the National Weather Service issued a "Special Weather Statement": "A BAND OF MODERATE TO LOCALLY HEAVY SNOW WILL MOVE FROM WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE AREA THIS MORNING WITH ONE TO THREE INCHES OF ACCUMULATION EXPECTED. VISIBILITIES IN THIS BAND MAY BE REDUCED TO A QUARTER OF A MILE OR LESS AT TIMES. ROADWAYS ARE COLD AND SNOW WILL STICK RIGHT AWAY...CAUSING ROADS TO BECOME SLICK. MOTORISTS SHOULD EXERCISE EXTREME CAUTION WHILE TRAVELING THIS MORNING."
Bloomberg Prepares For Tomorrow's "Difficult" Commute
According to the Daily News, an internal MTA memo reads that in case of a future snowstorm, "We may need to shut down the system. We need to change the philosophy of how we operate, particularly in snowstorms. Keeping the service running regardless might not be the best option." Could that happen as early as tomorrow? Bloomberg did admit tomorrow's commute probably won't be smooth for anyone: “Tomorrow morning is going to be a difficult, difficult rush hour. The storm is predicted to be at its heaviest just a few hours before rush hour and there’s no way our city’s plows can get to all 6,000 streets in one or two hours." Please, give them at least a week.
Street-Level Look at Yesterday's Rainy Windageddon
While you were holding onto a lamppost to save yourself from getting blown out over the East River during yesterday's sideways rain and wind attack, photographer Bebeto Matthews was taking snapshots of you for the Associated Press. We can all laugh about it now, what with today's dazzling blue skies, but yesterday was such a mess! Trees were uprooted in Brooklyn and Jersey, the giant Christmas tree at the South Street Seaport was knocked down, and truckers and school buses on Staten Island were stranded for six hours because winds gusting up to 62 miles per hour forced a partial closure of the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge.
Hail Makes Surprise Appearance In Brooklyn Toilets!
While many people were startled by the hail pelting theirs windows last night, Mother Nature left some Brooklyn residents an unwelcome gift in their bathrooms—it seems that hail really knows its way around plumbing! One family wrote to us, "We were alternately thrilled and a little scared by the loud hail storm this evening. Then we heard rushing water from the bathroom... the golf-ball sized ice chunks backed up the storm drain, backed up the tub and toilet and sinks and came rushing into the bathroom. Sooty, dirt-laced water. It just kept coming, and coming. Two inches (?) filled the bathroom, spilled out into the hall, threatened to go further but for every towel in our closet."
Hail, Yes: Crazy Storm Hits, Flooding In Brooklyn & Manhattan
Well, that was something else: After a beautiful day, the evening brought a sudden thunderstorm to the NYC area—hail "the size of macadamia nuts" (as one reader who sent a photo put it) bombarded Brooklyn so severely that snow-like mounds formed. There's also flooding, and the Jets-Vikings game, which was supposed to start at 8:30 p.m., was delayed until 9:15 p.m. because of lightning! Check out these videos:
(Single) Rainbow Over The City
Know what yesterday's storm brought besides flooding? Yes, a rainbow! While it's not a double rainbow or anything, we'll take it.
Veterans Cemetery in Brooklyn Heavily Flooded
As a result of the heavy rainfall this morning, over 100 graves are under water at Cypress Hills National Cemetery in Brooklyn, where grave sites date back to the Civil War era. A cemetery spokesperson "appeared to be unaware of the flooding" after receiving a call from PIX 11 News, and told a reporter that a "major draining operation has been going on for the past year at the national gravesite." PIX reports that there are currently no clean-up crews in sight, so it looks like a zombie Civil War reenactment is inevitable this weekend.
Toppled Trees Bring Hotshots To New York
As the five boroughs watch for another tornado, the NY Times profiles the team cleaning up trees from the last time we were hit. Turns out parks commissioner Adrian Benepe was urged to bring in an outside "hotshot" crew to help with damages, and yesterday the Tennessee team (of 21 men and 1 woman) was cleaning up downed trees in Prospect Park.
Lightning Strikes The City
The severe thunderstorm watch is over—and so is the lightning show! Our readers have taken some photographs of the dramatic lightning storm.
Pastor Claims Real Life "Miracle" During Queens Tornado
Pastor Ted Chase of Flushing's George's Episcopal Church is claiming divine intervention during Thursday's tornado in Queens. The twister ripped the steeple of the church from the bell tower and sent it flying across the street. Luckily, nobody was harmed. He told the Daily News, "We believe it was a miracle."
NWS Surveying City To Determine Whether Tornado Hit
National Weather Service officials are all around the city looking at areas damaged by yesterday's storm to figure if a tornado did touch down. The Office of Emergency Management's Chris Gilbride tells us the NWS officials will be taking their surveys (both on the ground and aerial), photographs and videos, and the scientific data (plus other information) from the storm to make the determination, which could come in the next day or so.
New York City Picks Up After Massive Storm
After yesterday's huge storm rolled in and pummeled the city, especially Brooklyn, Queens, and Staten Island, authorities are taking a look at the devastation which left one person dead and caused transit delays and power outages for tens of thousands. National Weather Service officials will also look at the storm data and see whether it was in fact a tornado.
Video: Double Tornado All the Way?!
There are a couple of things you should know before watching this video of young men in Brooklyn going all "double rainbow" during last night's tornado/"microburst." First, their apartment—which they pay "a reasonable $1,900 for" according to the predictable anti-gentrification flame war on YouTube—has two balconies. Sadly, it may be "nicer" than your apartment. Secondly, they say "dude" excessively and are not (gasp!) native New Yorkers. Perhaps, as one uncharitable troll put it, "The real thunderstorm happens at the bank when their landlord deposits their parent's money into his bank account each month." That said, we were all freaking out a little when this thing hit; we're just glad nobody was videotaping us cowering under our desks. Definitely stick around for the two minute mark when a poor tree gets shredded by Mama Nature:
Post Storm: LIRR Service Running, Except Port Washington
According to the MTA, all service has been restored, except to the Port Washington line which is still suspended. Trains, which were stopped because of yesterday quick, pummeling storm that hit Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island hard, started moving around 11 p.m. last night and most service was back around 5 a.m. this morning. We've added some pictures of last night's totally haywire commute—make that non-commute, since service was shutdown.
After Tornado Warning, Major Damage In Brooklyn, Queens
Around 5:30 p.m., tornado warnings were issued for Brooklyn, Queen and Staten Island. While it's unclear whether a tornado did touch down (the National Weather Service's Doppler Radar indicated a tornado did touch down in Brooklyn or maybe on/near Staten Island), many people noted hail and the sky turning an ugly green before sheets of rain pounded the city. Numerous trees have fallen, causing street closures, accidents and mass transit delays. After the jump is our liveblog coverage with videos and you can share your photos and videos with us—just email them to photos@gothamist.com or tag them "gothamist" on Flickr—we'll be updating our post throughout the night.
Surfers Catch Earl's Waves, Storm Watchers Mope
Hurricane Earl was all bark but no bite as the tri-state area barely got hit, in spite of predications and preparations. A Montauk resident said, "Where is the hurricane everybody's been talking about?"
send a tip
tips@gothamist.comsubscribe
Use an RSS reader to stay up to date with the latest news and posts from Gothamist.