A strengthening nor’easter is now expected to hit the New York-New Jersey region with significantly more rain and stronger winds than initially forecast, prompting emergency officials to issue warnings ahead of a weekend when tens of thousands of Jewish families will have sukkahs standing outdoors in preparation for Sukkos.
New York City Emergency Management issued a Travel Advisory from Friday afternoon through Sunday morning as updated forecasts shifted the storm farther west and closer to New York City.
The updated forecast calls for 2 to 3 inches of rain across New York City, with localized totals potentially reaching 4 to 5 inches in areas repeatedly hit by heavy bands of rain. Winds are expected to become an even greater concern, with gusts of 40 to 50 mph — and official alerts warning that gusts could reach 55 mph in parts of the city.
The strongest winds are currently expected from Friday night through Motzei Shabbos.
For the frum community, the timing presents an additional concern: sukkahs that have already been erected for Sukkos.
Residents across Brooklyn, Queens, Monsey, Lakewood, Passaic, the Five Towns and other communities throughout New York and New Jersey are urged to make sure their sukkahs are properly secured before the strongest winds arrive.
Particular attention should be given to schach, canvas walls, decorations, lighting, tarps and other loose materials that could be ripped loose by powerful gusts and become dangerous flying debris. Lightweight sukkahs and sukkahs erected on balconies, rooftops or other exposed locations may be especially vulnerable.
The National Weather Service warned that winds of this strength can bring down tree limbs and power lines and turn unsecured outdoor objects into projectiles. With trees still carrying their leaves and the ground expected to become increasingly saturated, the risk of downed trees and power outages could increase as the storm progresses.
Conditions are also deteriorating along the Jersey Shore and Long Island, where persistent northeast winds are driving rough surf and water toward the coastline. Coastal flooding warnings and advisories have been issued for multiple areas, with some vulnerable shoreline locations potentially seeing moderate flooding.
In New York City, officials are particularly concerned about the Rockaways, Jamaica Bay and portions of the Brooklyn and Staten Island shorelines. Coastal flooding is expected around the Friday evening and Saturday morning high tides.
Parts of Monmouth and Ocean counties in New Jersey are also facing significant coastal flooding concerns, while powerful surf and beach erosion are expected along the Jersey Shore.
Rain could begin as early as Friday afternoon or evening before intensifying Saturday. Flooding could develop on streets, underpasses and other low-lying or poor-drainage locations.
NYC Emergency Management has activated the city’s Flash Flood Emergency Plan and is coordinating with the National Weather Service, utilities and other agencies ahead of the storm.
Utility companies across the region are also preparing for possible outages.
The storm comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Jewish community, with Sukkos preparations well underway. Families who have already constructed their sukkahs should not wait until the winds begin to check that the structure and schach are secure.
Anything that could become airborne should be secured or brought indoors before the storm intensifies. Residents should also keep in mind that any steps taken to reinforce a sukkah should comply with the relevant halachos governing its construction and schach.
The exact track and intensity of the nor’easter remain subject to change, and even relatively small shifts could significantly alter rainfall and wind totals across the region.
Forecasters are urging residents to closely monitor updated weather information through Friday and the weekend.
(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)
