New York Hurricane Irene Part 1: We Wait

New York is prepared.

There’s an eerie sort of silence on the streets this afternoon. As I ate my sandwich in some random corporate park with a waterfall, I noticed the absence of people… the absence of rush. I was noticing a cliché “calm before the storm.”

Of course, two places are as frazzled as ever. Duane Read was full of lunch break employees grabbing water, batteries, and flashlights. Big bags of supplies were being pulled out of the store, and I couldn’t help but think drugstore owners must be squealing in delight over the impending hurricane.

“Any flashlights left?” one woman asked.
“No. Ha. Good luck,” a disgruntle employee replied.

The second overwhelmed space is virtual. Twitter has been erupting with constant news updates, Bloomberg tweets, and friendly advice for @bittfitz. In my office people are doing the normal 9-5 thing. But everyone is also texting under the table, tweeting behind open emails, and blatantly calling family members.

No one is sure what to do.

I’m under the impression that New York is slightly overreacting. Maybe it's the Virginian in me, but I only find this type of storm exciting or annoying. Still the images from Katrina are fresh in the minds of most and the general consesus is "better safe that sorry." This hurricane won’t be nearly the same category by the time it reaches our city, but the truth is, when something big happens in New York, it’s always BIG.

The highs are high and the lows are low, my friends.

Here is what we do know:

1) The MTA is closing all subway, bus, and Metro North

services starting at 12pm Saturday 27th.

2) Staten Island ferry service will be suspended

if winds reach over 46mph.

3) Bridges will be closed if winds reach over 60mph.

4) The Rockaways in Queens are being fully evacuated due

to isolation risks with bridge closures.

5) Zone A residents are being asked to evacuate ASAP. This includes

Coney Island, Manhattan Beach, and some costal areas of Brooklyn,

Manhattan, and Queens. Here is a map with all the zones highlighted.

Maybe we’re going to have the storm of a lifetime. Maybe we'll laugh about this Monday. But for now…

We wait.

The city before it's biggest threat of a hurricane since 1938.

New York Hurricane Irene Part 1: We Wait