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Nor'easter to bring high winds and cold rain to New York and New Jersey Nor'easter brings snow and strong winds to New York and New Jersey
(about 4 hours later)
Storm-weary residents in New York and New Jersey were braced Wednesday for further misery, as a nor'easter bore down on the region threatening high winds, rain and sleet. Wintery conditions heaped further misery on New Jersey and New York residents Wednesday as a nor'easter brought near-freezing temperatures and snow to a region still recovering from superstorm Sandy.
In advance of the fresh wave of bad weather, authorities in New York City were taking precautions including the closing of all parks and beaches, while urging the partial evacuation of coastal areas. Hundreds of flights to and from the states' main airports were cancelled as officials warned of the need for vulnerable homeowners still without power to evacuate to warm shelters.
Coming so soon after superstorm Sandy inflicted widespread damage across the north east, fears persist over the impact of cold weather and potential new flooding on residents still cut off from power. Rain, strong winds and further snow are expected throughout the day, with gusts of up to 65mph and tidal surges of up to 4ft possible.
Last week's storm has been blamed for at least 120 deaths in the US and Canada, adding to the scores already killed in the Caribbean. In itself, the fresh storm would not pose much a problem to a region used to blizzard conditions. But coming a little over a week after Sandy wiped out power to millions of customers across the north-east, concern has turned to those still cut off and how they intend to keep warm
And tens of thousands of households remain without power, necessitating the establishment of warm shelters to accommodate vulnerable residents in badly hit areas such as the Rockaways in Queens and the borough of Staten Island. In advance of the fresh wave of bad weather, authorities in New York City took precautions including the closing of all parks and beaches, while urging the partial evacuation of coastal areas.
Last week's storm has already been blamed for at least 120 deaths in the US and Canada, adding to the scores already killed in the Caribbean.
It is feared that with the onset of colder weather, the total could increase further, with hypothermia being cited as a potential risk to elderly and infirm people.
Tens of thousands of households remain without power in New York, necessitating the establishment of warm shelters to accommodate vulnerable residents in badly hit areas such as the Rockaways in Queens and the borough of Staten Island.
New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has said the city has adequate spaces to accommodate all those in need.New York mayor Michael Bloomberg has said the city has adequate spaces to accommodate all those in need.
But given the crippling of New York following the arrival on Sandy last week, officials are taking no chances over the incoming nor'easter. In a further bid to mitigate any risk to life, all parks will be closed in the city Wednesday, and construction work will be halted. In addition motorists are being warned to stay off the roads after 5pm.
Due to make landfall at around mid-day Wednesday, the storm could bring with it gusts of up to 65mph. City officials warned that tidal surges of up to 5ft could occur – far lower than last week, but still with the capability to bring flooding to low-lying areas.
In a bid to mitigate any impact, all parks will be close in the city, and construction work will be halted. In addition motorists are being warned to stay off the roads after 5pm.
No general evacuation of any zones has been ordered, but city officials have said that residents in the coastal regions of Breezy Point, Hamilton Beach and Gerritsen Beach should consider looking for alternative accommodation.No general evacuation of any zones has been ordered, but city officials have said that residents in the coastal regions of Breezy Point, Hamilton Beach and Gerritsen Beach should consider looking for alternative accommodation.
Aside from voluntary evacuations from a "handful of low lying areas", Bloomberg urged all New Yorkers to take care during the storm. "High winds are likely to bring down more limbs or entire trees," the mayor said Tuesday, raising the prospect of further power lines being ruptured.
"High winds are likely to bring down more limbs or entire trees," the mayor said Tuesday. "The waves are very dangerous and we don't need to send first responders into the ocean to save somebody who's being foolish."
Over in neighbouring New Jersey, mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in coastal areas left devastated by Sandy. The towns of Brick and Middletown were amongst those in which homeowners were being told to leave.
Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said it was preparing for the new storm and was "ready to deploy additional resources if needed to respond to the nor'easter."
More than half a million homes and businesses in New Jersey and 91,000 households in New York City are still waiting for power to be restored following Sandy-related outages.More than half a million homes and businesses in New Jersey and 91,000 households in New York City are still waiting for power to be restored following Sandy-related outages.
With overnight temperatures dropping to near freezing, the New York officials said they would deliver 1,500 electric heaters on Wednesday to elderly residents in the Rockaways who have power, but no heat. With temperatures dropping to near freezing, the New York officials spent Wednesday handing out blankets and around 1,500 electric heaters to elderly residents in the Rockaways who have power, but no heat.
Meanwhile, many gas stations still lacked electricity or gasoline, and motorists endured long lines at the stations that were open. Fuel rationing was in force in New Jersey, where some residents hired school children to stand in line with gas cans. Over in neighbouring New Jersey, mandatory evacuations were ordered for residents in coastal areas left devastated by Sandy. The towns of Brick and Middletown were amongst those in which homeowners were being told to leave in advance of the latest storm.
The regions airports were also being affected by the new storm. United Airlines said it was grounding about 500 flights between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday out of Newark Liberty, JFK and LaGuardia airports. Meanwhile, the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) said it was prepared for and was "ready to deploy additional resources if needed to respond to the nor'easter".
Along with making conditions on the roads more hazardous, the snow has affected the three main airports servicing New York City.
Tracking service FlightAware.com reported the cancellation of more that 1,200 flights Wednesday.
United Airlines was amongst the carriers affected, stating that it had grounded about 500 flights between noon Wednesday and noon Thursday out of Newark Liberty, JFK and LaGuardia airports.
Confronted with an overnight update on the latest storm, New Jersey governor Chris Christie remarked: "I am waiting for the locusts and pestilence next."