(Updated- 11:33 a.m.) The National Weather Service has posted a tropical storm watch for the Atlantic seaboard from Sandy Hook, New Jersey to Watch Hill, Rhode Island, including Long Island and New York City.
Hermine is moving toward the northeast near 18 mph and this motion is expected to continue for the next 48 hours with a gradual reduction in forward speed expected on Saturday, the National Weather Service said. On the forecast track the center of Hermine will move across coastal South Carolina later today, move over coastal North Carolina tonight, and move offshore of the North Carolina coast on Saturday, according to the update.
Maximum sustained winds are near 50 mph with higher gusts. Little change in strength is expected through Saturday morning. Strengthening is forecast once the center of Hermine moves offshore Saturday afternoon.
Tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles, mainly to the east of the center.
PSEG-Long Island said in a statement it is ensuring that all available personnel are prepared to respond throughout the Labor Day weekend and into next week. The utility is also ensuring that additional supplies, including poles and transformers, are on hand, according to a press release.
“Depending on the track of the storm, Hermine may stall off Long Island’s coast, bringing prolonged periods of wind and rain to our service territory,” said John O’Connell, PSEG Long Island vice president of transmission and distribution operations. “In addition to having additional personnel and equipment at the ready, we are installing barriers at a number of substations to keep water out. We have already elevated several substations above flood level in preparation for this kind of severe weather.”
PSEG-LI urges customers to be cautious if they see downed lines. Downed wires should always be considered “live.” Do not approach or drive over a downed line and do not touch anything it might be in contact with.
Original story: Hurricane Hermine, downgraded to a tropical storm after making landfall in northern Florida early this morning, will make its way up the southeast coast over the next few days, bringing potentially heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding impacts to eastern Long Island, according to a hazardous weather outlook statement issued this morning by the National Weather Service.
The storm’s impacts will begin being felt late tomorrow and could last well into next week as the system, blocked by upper level ridges, sits off the Delmarva/New Jersey coast through the middle of next week, the National Weather Service said in a forecast update early this morning.
There is a high risk for rip currents as well as beach erosion through the weekend and into early next week.
Hermine’s wind and rain impacts on the North Fork will depend on how close to Long Island the storm system gets before being pushed out to sea, forecasters say.
The current local forecast from the National Weather Service:
Sunshine and moderate temperatures will prevail today with highs in the upper 70s. Tomorrow will be partly sunny with highs in the mid-70s, with winds from the east of 10 to 15 mph gusting to 25 mph. Sunday will become mostly cloudy with winds from the northeast of 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph.
Tropical storm conditions are possible Sunday night through Tuesday.
