The New York City Emergency Management Department is closely monitoring Hurricane Isaias and the possible effects the storm may have on the city as it potentially makes its way up the east coast in the coming days. The current forecast track shows the storm making its way up the east coast and beginning to impact New York City with intermittent rain on Monday afternoon and more widespread impacts on Tuesday. These impacts may include moderate coastal flooding, heavy rain, and strong winds. Three to six inches of rain, with higher amounts locally, is possible as well as sustained winds of up to 50 mph with gusts up to 65 mph.
“NYC Emergency Management has been closely monitoring this system since before it became a tropical storm, and we’re gearing up for any possible impacts the city may face as a result of the storm,” said NYC Emergency Management Commissioner Deanne Criswell. “We encourage New Yorkers to make a family emergency plan, pack a Go Bag, including hand sanitizer and extra face coverings, charge cell phones, and have an emergency supply kit to be ready for any kind of emergency.”
NYC Emergency Management remains in constant communication with the National Weather Service to track and monitor Hurricane Isaias and share storm updates with City, state, federal, and private sector partners. New Yorkers are encouraged to take necessary steps to prepare for a coastal storm and should make a plan, know their hurricane evacuation zones, and stay informed through local weather forecasts and Notify NYC updates. They can access additional resources on coastal storms and hurricane preparedness by visiting NYC Emergency Management’s Plan for Hazards: Coastal Storms & Hurricanes webpage.
Due to Isaias’ forecasted track, the potential threat of minor-moderate storm surge exists for the South Street Seaport location in Lower Manhattan. To mitigate this threat, NYC Emergency Management is deploying its Interim Flood Protection Measures in this area. This location was implemented in 2019 to protect the community from low level flooding due to a coastal storm. This site consists of pre-deployed HESCO barriers (large sand-bags) and Tiger Dams (large water-filled tubes) that are in the process of being set up now. It will span nearly a mile from Wall Street to Catherine Slip and South Street to Water Street.
Deployment began at 07:00 a.m. this morning. People will see a visible presence of emergency personnel and construction crews in the area during installation. Established in 2016, the IFPM program is designed to reduce today’s flood risk while permanent risk reduction projects are evaluated and implemented. There are now 55 operational sites in the program. Based on the forecasted impacts of Tropical Storm Isaias, the South Street Seaport site is the only site in the IFPM portfolio that requires protection for this storm.
The City’s Flash Flood Emergency Plan has been activated to help mitigate potential flash flooding and ensure a quick, effective, and coordinated response to any flash flood events that do occur. NYC Department of Environmental Protection, Department of Transportation, and Department of Sanitation teams are out clearing catch basins in preparation for the storm. The City has also placed the Downed Tree Task Force on alert. This multi-agency task force is responsible for coordinating the response to a large downed tree event.
The City will activate a virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Monday at 08:00 p.m.
Safety Tips
Preparing for a storm
- Make a plan before a storm arrives to help keep you and your family safe. Prepare a Go Bag that you can grab in case you need to leave your home in a hurry. Be sure to pack hand sanitizer and extra face coverings in your Go Bag. For more information about what to pack in a Go Bag, please visit here. If you live in a flood-prone area, keep materials such as sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, and lumber on hand to help protect your home. If you have a disability or access or functional need, make sure your plan addresses how your needs may affect your ability to evacuate, shelter in place, or communicate with emergency workers. Arrange help from family, friends, or service providers if you will need assistance.
- The City is divided into six hurricane evacuation zones (1 through 6); about 3 million New Yorkers live in these zones. To find out if you are one of the three million New Yorkers living in a hurricane evacuation zone, please visit here or call 311 (212-639-9675 for Video Relay Service, or TTY: 212-504-4115).
- Sign up for Notify NYC, the City’s free, official source for information about emergency events and important city services, to receive emergency information via e-mail, text, phone, or Twitter. Notify NYC provides multilingual messaging in 13 and American Sign Language (ASL). To sign up for Notify NYC, call 311, please visit here, or follow @NotifyNYC on Twitter.
