STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced the deployment of 50 soldiers from the New York National Guard to make preparations on Long Island as Hurricane Lee continues to move north.
The deployment comes as the storm gathers strength in the Atlantic Ocean. Although Lee is churning as a major Category 3 hurricane, New York is expected to dodge a direct impact, a forecaster told the Advance/SILive.com on Tuesday.
While the state may be spared from torrential rainfall, the city can expect fringe effects such as high surf, rip currents, coastal flooding and beach erosion later this week. However, despite the likelihood of avoiding the hurricane’s path, Hochul still urges New Yorkers to take precautions in the event Lee changes course.
“A major hurricane is currently churning in the Atlantic and we are keeping a close eye on this storm because it’s too early to predict what this potentially dangerous weather system will do,” Hochul said. “Out of an abundance of caution, I have deployed the National Guard and directed state agencies to prepare emergency response assets and be ready to respond to local requests for assistance. New Yorkers in coastal areas should watch the forecast and be ready to act, if necessary, to stay safe.”
As of Tuesday morning, Hurricane Lee was located north of Puerto Rico and east of the Bahamas as a Category 3 hurricane with maximum sustained winds approaching 115 miles per hour. As the storm moves northwest, agencies across the state are making preparations.
“While the final path of Hurricane Lee is still undetermined, preparations are already underway to help protect New York against any impacts the storm may deliver,” New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services Commissioner Jackie Bray said. “As the forecast continues to be refined in the coming days, New Yorkers should closely follow these developments and begin taking the steps necessary for keeping themselves and their households…
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