Irene updates: Power may be out for days

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9 p.m. -- LIPA: POWER MAY BE OUT FOR SEVERAL DAYS

The Long Power Authority says it may take several days to completely restore power to its customers “due to flooding and unsafe conditions, especially in heavily damaged areas.”

The authority said the majority of outages -- more than 500,000 at one point -- were a result of uprooted trees and downed power lines.

More than 1,500 workers have started assessing damage to the authority’s service, and restoration efforts have begun, LIPA said.

7:20 p.m -- AIRPORTS TO REOPEN MONDAY

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has announced that the major area airports will reopen Monday morning.

The authority said in a news leaser that John F. Kennedy International and Newark Liberty International airports will open to arriving flights at 6 a.m., with departures set to resume at noon. LaGuardia Airport will reopen to both arrivals and departures at 7 a.m. tomorrow.

6:25 p.m. -- MONTAUK BUSINESSES GO RELATIVELY UNSCATHED

When predictions for Hurricane Irene were at their worst, there was no doubt in anyone’s mind that the Napeague stretch, a 2-mile-wide strip of land between Napeague Bay and the Atlantic Ocean, would flood, possibly even becoming impassable.

As the rain stopped Sunday morning and the wind died down, business in the resort town began to resume as usual -- at least for establishments serving breakfast or alcohol.

Read Erin Geismar's full story

6 p.m. -- MANDATORY EVACUATION LIFTED IN BROOKHAVEN

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko lifted the mandatory evacuation order for all areas in the, except Mastic Beach Village, effective at 3 p.m.

5:30 p.m. -- POLL: HOW BAD WAS IRENE?

More than 400,000 Long Island Power Authority customers had their power knocked out by the strong winds and resulting damage wrought by Hurricane Irene. Soem areas, however, went releatively unscathed. What was your experience like? Vote here

4:30 p.m. -- POWER MOSTLY OUT, ROADS BLOCKED IN SMITHTOWN

It's a tough time in Smithtown. About 39,000 of 41,000 homes are without electricity, the town's public safety buildings are running on generators and trees are down across Long Beach Road, blocking the main entrance to the Village of Nissequogue's peninsula. Residents there can't get in or out.

John Wagner, deputy director of public safety for the town of Smithtown, said LIPA called Nissequogue a high priority because its downed trees and power lines are leaving residents trapped.

4:15 p.m. -- BROOKHAVEN LIFTS BAN ON ALCOHOL SALES

Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko lifted the sale of alcohol in the town as of 1 p.m.

Using powers afforded him under the town's state of emergency, Lesko ordered the halt to alcohol sales at 11 p.m. Saturday following reports of loud "hurricane parties" in bars.

Read the full story

4 p.m. -- DOWNED TREES, POWER LINES IN DIX HILLS

Dix Hills Fire Department First Assistant Chief Tom Magno said there are a lot of downed trees and power lines in the area.

In one case, a family on Brycewood Drive was in their living room when a tree came right into their house and "just missed them," Magno said.

Read Joie Tyrell's full story

3:45 p.m. -- IN HEMPSTEAD, TREE CLEARING NO. 1 PRIORITY

Hempstead Town supervisor Kate Murray said the first priority was to clear "hundreds of trees" downed from Irene to make roadways passable.

"Our first priority is to send our crews out clearing the streets, Murray said late Sunday morning. She said the first order of business for the crews was to move trees off the roads so goes can travel.

On Monday the towns tree crews would chop up the trees and clear the wood away. Murray said the town has situated its tree crews geographically throughout the town to be able to respond to quickly.

Read Olivia Winslow's full story

3:35 p.m. -- Montauk closed in East Islip

Montauk Highway is closed in both directions in East Islip near Brookwood Hall because a power line that carries electricity between Islip and East Islip is down on the shoulder of the highway, according to a Suffolk police officer at the road block.

-- Jennifer Maloney

3:27 p.m. -- Fallen trees major problem for Huntington

Supervisor Frank Petrone said Sunday that the major problem the town faced was felled trees.

"I rode through the town and it's trees," he said. "The major problem is trees blocking roads."

He said the town is coordinating with LIPA for tree removal. He said highway crews are out and also the town contracted with private tree removal companies to work to clear debris. He thought the problem would have been flooding, but "this storm surprised us" and the tides receded early.

Petrone said extra crews will also be out Monday. Most major roads were cleared by Sunday afternoon and the secondary roads were also being worked on Sunday. He is planning a meeting at 7 a.m. Monday to develop a strategy.

He does not have an estimate of how much this would cost the town and said he was hoping that costs would be covered by federal aid as the region was declared an emergency. Petrone expects everything to be back to normal in about a week. He said he hadn't heard about any major injuries due to the storm.

He said the beaches appeared not to be too damaged and the town had five amphibious trucks on hand in case they would have had to make water rescues.

-- Joie Tyrrell

2:54 p.m. -- BAYVILLE RESIDENTS USE KAYAKS, BOATS TO GET AROUND

By noon on Sunday, Bayville residents were using rowboats, kayaks and surfboards to navigate a flooded stretch of Bayville Avenue where water pooled thigh-deep.

The power in most of the low-lying area cut out here by about 4:30 a.m. Bayville usually floods in storms, but appeared to fare pretty well during Irene because a switch in the winds ended up pushing storm surge up into Mill Creek.

“It was worse in ‘92,” said resident Barbara Tucker, referring to a particularly damaging nor’easter. “We had water up to the doorstop then.”

She stood barefoot in her driveway, calf-deep in floodwater.

“But this was pretty bad anyhow,” Tucker said.

She looked back her house. “It is an island.”

Over on the Long Island Sound side of Bayville, contractor L.J. Furthner was bailing water out of his backyard on Pine Lane with 5-gallon buckets. He sloshed the water back over the seawall.
An hour’s work had brought the level down from a foot to four or five inches of water.

“Just the bathroom got flooded,” Furthner said.

-- Olivia Winslow

2:36 p.m. -- ASHAROKEN AVENUE FLOODED

Asharoken police said Asharoken Avenue is flooded, and a cruiser is working to drain it.

-- Sandra Peddie

2:13 p.m. -- Check out this video a reader sent in of what the storm surge did in Lindenhurst.

1:56 p.m. -- UPDATE ON AIRPORTS, TRAINS

Kennedy and LaGuardia airports are still closed because the FAA hasn't opened the airspace yet, the Port Authority said.

Also, Metropolitan Transportation Authority Chairman Jay Walder said there is no clear timeline yet on when LIRR and subway service would be restored.

1:50 p.m. -- EVACUATION LIFTED IN LONG BEACH

Long Beach police have said that the evacuation has been lifted and bridges over Long Beach Road and the Atlantic Beach Bridge are open.

-- James T. Madore

1:45 p.m. -- TOWN OF BROOKHAVEN UPDATE

The Cedar Town Beach area of Mount Sinai was an area of deep concern, Brookhaven Supervisor Mark Lesko said. The beach, which sits on a peninsula, also flooded, as did downtown Port Jefferson, which saw as much as 2 feet of water.

Between 850 to 900 people spent the night in hurricane shelters in Brookhaven, Lesko said -- including 30 people who spent the night at an impromptu shelter set up by a local ambulance crew.

-- Thomas Maier

1:34 p.m. -- PARTS OF FDR DRIVE REOPENED

All lanes of FDR Drive are now open between 34th and 125th streets,
a spokesman for Mayor Bloomberg said.

Northbound FDR Drive from 63rd to 78th streets, left and center lanes
are still blocked for DEP repairs.

-- Emily Ngo

1:24 p.m. -- MAJOR TREE DAMAGE IN WEST ISLIP

In West Islip, town supervisor Phil Nolan called in public works crews after seeing major tree damage, including many limbs hanging precariously on power lines.

On Sequams Lane, resident Regina Jacoby said she and her family had a "guarded" night in their house inside an evacuation zone. "We were very concerned because of the water and trees," Jacoby, the mother of two teenagers, said. "The kids slept downstairs and my husband and I had a guarded night getting up to make sure everything was OK."

She said their basement flooded and the power was out, but the family was fine.

-- Sarah Crichton

1:18 p.m. -- HUNTINGTON DAMAGE "NOWHERE NEAR HURRICANE GLORIA"

Town of Huntington spokesman A.J. Carter said about 170 workers, including 120 highway workers, are out to clear streets of debris with the goal of clearing all streets for later pickup. He said that the damage is "nowhere near Hurricane Gloria." One issue is that there are still power lines down.

-- Joie Tyrrell

1:10 p.m. -- STATE DOT REPORTS ROAD CLOSURES

The state Department of Transportation reported four partial road or full road closures on Long Island's state highways today. The include:

* State Route 25, Jericho Turnpike, between Route Port Egypt Marine and Albertson Lane closed because of flooding.

* The Long Island Expressway at Exit 50 closed eastbound because of tree down.

* The Meadowbrook Parkway between Exits M6-M5, two lanes closed northbound because of tree down.

* The Long Island Expressway at Exit 38, right lane, westbound, closed because of tree down.

-- Keith Herbert

1:05 p.m. -- PROMISING REPORT FROM MASSAPEQUA PARK

Massapequa Park Mayor James Altadonna Jr. surveyed his village late this morning, and said it appeared residents were mostly fortunate.

"Flooding is pretty much limited to the Bar Harbor area," he said, noting that many of the main roads -- deluged in past storms -- were spared.

Still, with about 50-75 trees down and an estimated 60 percent of residents without power, Altadonna said there is much work to be done.

"This will have a significant financial impact to the village," the mayor said. "We'll be spending a significant amount on overtime, but it's what we have to do. We have to keep our roads open and our residents safe."

-- Paul LaRocco

12:55 p.m. -- NASSAU POLICE WARNS RESIDENTS

Nassau County police advises residents that "as a result of the hurricane, there are numerous downed power lines throughout the county.  They may be entangled in down tree limbs. Residents should use caution and assume that all downed lines are live and pose danger of serious physical injury."

12:38 p.m. -- Babylon Residents living on Mortimer Avenue (above) couldn't just stand by and watch a neighbor potentially destroy his Mercedes on flooded Robbins Avenue. As he approached his house the neighbors started to scream for him to stop.

-- T.C. McCarthy

 11:50 a.m. -- ASHAROKEN AVENUE IN NORTHPORT CLOSED

Northport Mayor George Doll said "we've fared fairly well" so far. He said some trees are down and some power is out. There was one non-storm related injury when a pregnant woman tripped and hurt her ankle and had to be transported to Huntington Hospital. He said there is an extremely high tide which is coming over the dock already. Doll said Asharoken Avenue is closed and people there may be headed for higher ground.

-- Joie Tyrrell

11:30 a.m. -- DUNE ROAD IN SOUTHAMPTON SUBMERGED

Dune Road in Southampton is submerged and closed. Despite downed trees and four structural fires, there are no reported injuries.

-- Kery Murakami

11:22 a.m. -- TREES BLOCK MASTIC BEACH STREETS

On the heavily tree lined streets of Mastic Beach, several main streets were blocked off due to arcing or tree-stretched power lines. On Alder Drive, the sound of arcing power lines could be heard for blocks as a yellow flash pulsed from where a tree limb fell onto wires, leaving a pool of sparks on the street.

-- Mark Harrington

11:10 a.m. -- PUMPING OUT IN BAYVILLE

In the North Shore community of Bayville, residents began losing power at about 4:30 a.m. The area is also beginning to flood from the rain, and village crews are out pumping the water.

Still, residents are waiting for high tide to begin at about 11:30 a.m., which is roughly when the storm is scheduled to pass over the area, to find out how extensive the water damage will be.

As of Sunday morning, it appeared that the Oyster Bay Harbor side of Bayville had gotten the worst of the storm. At West Harbor Beach, the parking lot was under several feet of water, and dingys and rowboats had washed up across the lot. The soccer field was under water, and the floating dock was submerged.

--BILL BLEYER

11:08 a.m. -- FLOODING IN BABYLON VILLAGE

10:56 a.m. -- 441,237 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

10:36 a.m. -- Newsday's Jennifer Maloney on Twitter @maloneyfiles: Tracey Sloup, Bay Shore fishery owner who defied evac order, has a foot of water in house. “We've got some good surfing waves in the canal." She and husband defied evac order to keep watch over boats on Orowoc Creek. 'We're out pumping them constantly. We're hanging in there.'”

10:36 a.m. -- 431,361 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

10:09 a.m. --  404,481 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

9:56 a.m. -- LIPA CREWS TO MAKE NO REPAIRS YET

The Long Island Power Authority said it's too soon, and too dangerous, to send out crews to start repairs to restore power to hundreds of thousands of its customers who lost power during hurricane-turned-tropical storm Irene. Read the full story

9:53 a.m. -- 382,943 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

9:24 a.m. -- IRENE DOWNDGRADED TO TROPICAL STORM

The National Hurricane Center downgraded Irene to a tropical storm at 9 a.m., saying its maximum sustained winds were 65 mph.

Irene’s eye was expected to make landfall in Nassau County by about 10 a.m. — as a tropical storm.

9:22 a.m. 364,362 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

9 a.m. -- HEMPSTEAD RELIEF STATIONS OPENED

The Town of Hempstead announced Sunday that has opened nine public relief centers for the roughly 74,000 town residents who have lost power due to the storm.

The nine centers located across the town will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday, and will feature air conditioning, lighting and other "basic amenities," powered by generators, according to a statement released by the town.

The centers are for senior citizens and others who have lost power, but the town cautioned residents to stay at home if weather conditions were still too dangerous to go outside. The town is not offering public transportation to the centers.

The centers are located at:

1810 North Grand Ave. in Baldwin
2000 Bellmore Ave. in Bellmore
138 Elmont Rd. in Elmont
1182 Martha Place in Franklin Square
555 North Newbridge Rd. in Levittown
The Rosa Parks Senior Center, 2 Babylon Turnpike, in Roosevelt
460 Salisbury Park Dr. in Westbury
840 Uniondale Ave. in Uniondale
750 Jerusalem Ave. in Uniondale

8:22 a.m. 307,230 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

8:08 a.m. RIVERHEAD ANIMAL SHELTER IS FULL

A pet shelter in Riverhead run by the Suffolk County SPCA for evacuees and their animals is completely full, but a sister shelter in Brentwood is still accepting people and their pets, SPCA chief of department Roy Gross said Sunday morning.

The shelter at the Suffolk Community College's eastern campus in Riverhead reached capacity late Saturday evening, with 70 people and about 50 pets seeking shelter from the storm, Gross said.

"That facility was really not large enough" for the demand, Gross said. "We could have used a larger facility."

However, the shelter at the Brentwood Recreation Center at 99 Third Ave. is still accepting people and animals, Gross said. He said it has a capacity of hundreds of people.

People seeking shelter with their animals should bring the creatures in carriers, along with food and any medicines that the pets take.

-- Jennifer Barrios

7:50 a.m. 271,534 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

7:36 a.m. 256,785 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

7:09 a.m. -- 251,201 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

6:59 a.m. -- LIE CLOSED BETWEEN EXITS 39 AND 40
The westbound lanes of the Long Island Expressway were closed between exits 39 and 40 due to flooding, Nassau County police said shortly before 7 a.m.

6:43 a.m. -- 216,642 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

6:30 a.m. -- 208,924 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

6:20 a.m. -- LONG ISLAND BEACH WEBCAMS

Check out the list of links to Long Island beach webcams at bayfisherman.com.

6:10 a.m. -- 185,892 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

6:06 a.m. -- HUNTINGTON MOVES ITS WEB ADDRESS

The Town of Huntington has moved its web address to huntingtonny.gov after its old address at town.huntington.ny.us was knocked out to Irene, which is now a tropical storm.

Supervisor Frank P. Petrone said the move to the new address had been in the works for some time, but was hastened by the storm.

The town plans to restore the old address when its back in service and support it alongside “HuntingtonNY.gov” for a transition period.

6:05 a.m. -- NO, IT'S NOT REALLY 136 DEGREES!

For those who could use a moment of levity, check out the National Weather Service forecast for Forest Hills. According to the page, the temperature at LaGuardia is 136 degrees.

5:52 a.m. NON-EMERGENCY NUMBER IN NASSAU

We've gotten multiple messages from officials reminding Nassau County residents that they should call 911 only in the case of an emergency. The non-emergency number is 888-684-4274.

5:35 a.m. MORE THAN 182,000 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

Lashing winds continued to wreak havoc on the local electric grid, as power outages climbed to 182,595 by 5:30 a.m. LIPA, which has 2,150 crew members preparing to restore power, had expected winds to thrash and damage tree limbs, impacting electric lines, across Long Island. The outages are spread out across Long Island, though some of the largest concentrations are at the end of both forks. There are more than 1,000 outages in each of Orient and Montauk.

-- Mark Harrington

5:29 a.m. MESSAGE FROM OLD BROOKVILLE MAYOR

Old Brookville Mayor Bernie Ryba sent a note reminding residents that fallen trees, downed power lines and other storm-related emergencies are to be reported to the Old Brookville Police at 516-626-1300.

5:15 a.m. NASSAU COPS ORDERED OFF ROADS

5:07 a.m. UPDATE AT NEWSDAY

Had to swerve to avoid a couple of branches on 110 North heading to Newsday in Melville. And several trees have come down at Newsday's offices (none on building).

-- Josh Stewart

4:47 a.m. TORNADO WARNING ENDS, BUT WATCH REMAINS

Check out story here.

4:35 a.m. 117,000 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

4:00 a.m. 90,468 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

3:08 a.m. 74,476 HAVE LOST POWER ON LI

According to LIPA, here are the number of outages across LI:

Nassau: 45,289, Suffolk: 28,348, Rockaway Penninsula: 839

2:41 a.m. -- 63,643 WITHOUT POWER ON LI

2:24 a.m. -- 55,514 LOSE POWER ACROSS LI

There are major outages in Babylon and Hempstead.

1:30 A.M. -- MAKE THAT 32,000 OUTAGES

LIPA has updated its count to 32,000.

1:03 A.M. -- 20,000 LIPA CUSTOMERS WITHOUT POWER

The Long Island Power Authority's web site shows 20,000 customers are without power across Long Island as winds and rain have picked up across the region. Hempstead Town has the most outages, with 7,659, followed by Brookhaven, with 4,815.

12:49 a.m. MORE READER QUESTIONS ANSWERED

Q: Should I be taping up my sliding glass door? How useful is this in preventing glass from shattering? -- From Laura Matuza on Facebook.

Newsday: This is from fema.gov
"Make plans to secure your property. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8” marine plywood, cut to fit and ready to install. Tape does not prevent windows from breaking."

Q: Are they closing highways or roads?-- @MrCalvarado asks on Twitter

Newsday: There are scattered road closures. Check informny.com for more information.

Do you have any questions about the hurricane warnings and what's happening on Long Island? Who is evacuating? Who should you call if you need help? We'll do our best to get you an answer. Post your questions to our Facebook page, mention us on Twitter, send an email to newstips@newsday.com or leave your question in the comments below.

11:30 P.M. -- ALCOHOL SALES HALTED IN BROOKHAVEN

Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko has ordered the halt to alcohol sales in the town as of 11 p.m. following reports of "hurricane parties" in bars.

Lesko said the town received a number of complaints at around 10:30 p.m. from residents that some bars in the town were packed and having loud “hurricane parties.” He had also heard that the Patchogue Village Mayor Paul Pontieri’s call for bars to close at 10 a.m. was not being heeded.

Those issues, combined with a surge of winds and rain in the area that started knocking down trees, Lesko said he wanted the streets cleared.

“I didn’t want people driving around in the town of Brookhaven under the influence,” he said.

Lesko said he has the power to order the sales stoppage while the town is in a state of emergency.

10 P.M. -- BABYLON OPENS PIERS FOR NON-RESIDENTS

After earlier closing its piers to non-resident boaters, at around 4 p.m. the Village of Babylon began gave the OK for all boaters to use its property to pull their vessels out of the water, Mayor Ralph Scordino said.

Scordino said about a half dozen non-resident boaters used the village’s ramps until they were closed at dark.

9:39 p.m. READER QUESTIONS ANSWERED

The following questions were submitted by Newsday readers on Twitter, Facebook and via email:

Q: When will those of us under a mandatory evacuation be able to return? Will this info be posted? -- From Barbara Levy on Facebook

Newsday: Nassau officials say that will be after flooding subsides and downed trees and wires are cleared, which may not be until Monday. Newsday is checking with Suffolk officials as well.
 
Q: Anyone know of any Long Island curfew due #Irene? cc: @LongIslandPress & @newsday -- From @nrojas0131 on Twitter

Newsday: The only curfew we've heard of so far is in Southold, where  town police stopped allowing cars on town roads after 7 p.m. Saturday. Only emergency vehicles can be on the roads.
 
Q: Will electricity be cut off in Brentwood? -- From reader via email

Newsday: The electricity cutoff is a rumor that's been floating around all day and is untrue, officials say, except for Fire Island, Robert Moses State Park, Captree and Oak Beach, where power was shut down to reduce damage to substations.

9 P.M. -- 'DAM' INSTALLED TO MINIMIZE FLOODING AT PENN

The Long Island Rail Road said it has installed an Aqua Dam -- long tubes filled with water and buttressed by sandbags -- across the tracks leading into Penn Station and the East River tunnels to minimize flooding.

8:12 p.m. -- TORNADO WATCH ISSUED

A tornado watch has been issued for Long Island and New York City, the National Weather Service said on its website Saturday.

The watch was issued at 8:12 p.m. and is in effect until 5 a.m. It covers Nassau, Suffolk and all of New York City, as well as Rockland and Westchester counties.

Tornado watches are standard in hurricanes, the weather service said.

7:50 p.m. -- MONTAUK AWAITS IRENE

In typical Montauk fashion, businesses were boarding up on Saturday but not without a lighthearted stab at the Hurricane Irene hysteria.

“Welcome Irene, Bob was here '91’” was scrawled across wood panels in black spraypaint on one.

But playfulness aside, Montauk was preparing for whatever came its way.

Read Erin Geismar's full story.

7:15 p.m. -- HEMPSTEAD TO OPEN RELIEF STATIONS

Hempstead Town has designated nine senior centers as relief stations on Sunday for residents who have their power knocked out.

The centers, which have generator backup power, will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., the town said in a release. Air conditioning, lighting and other basic amenities will be available.

The centers include:

Baldwin, 1810 North Grand Ave., Baldwin
Bellmore, 2000 Bellmore Ave., Bellmore
Elmont, 138 Elmont Rd., Elmont
Franklin Square, 1182 Martha Pl., Franklin Square
Levittown, 555 North Newbridge Rd., Levittown
Roosevelt, Rosa Parks Senior Center, 2 Babylon Tpke., Roosevelt
Salisbury, 460 Salisbury Park Dr., Westbury
Uniondale/Hempstead, 840 Uniondale Ave., Uniondale
Uniondale/Merrick, 750 Jerusalem Ave., Uniondale

Transportation is not available. The town said people shouldn’t leave their homes during dangerous conditions.

7:10 p.m. -- AT THE N. BABYLON HIGH SCHOOL SHELTER

Newsday community journalist T.C. McCarthy has a profile of Carl and Kathy Pannullo, a West Babylon couple that evacuated to the Red Cross shelter set up at North Babylon High School. Carl harkens back to the hurricane of 1938.

6:20 p.m. -- STONY BROOK STUDENTS MOVE IN SATURDAY

The impending arrival of Hurricane Irene forced thousands of Stony Brook University students to move in earlier than expected to avoid getting caught in the storm.

The university, which houses about 9,000 undergraduate and graduate students, made the decision early Thursday morning to let students move in Saturday.

“You don’t want to go out inside of a hurricane with your stuff, next thing you know there goes your laptop,” said Asheik Hussain, a junior who is part of the welcome wagon that helps freshmen students move in.

Tarasha Dewan, resident assistant and senior, feels they did the best they could to give freshmen as much help moving in and adapt to college with one of the worst storms in recent history bearing down on Long Island.

“Safety is the foremost thing,” she said. “Personally I think classes should be postponed, but if not even if some people move in late that’s the safer thing.”

Stony Brook has canceled move in for all students on Sunday and told them to move in Monday after the storm has passed. Though this may be a problem for some students who have class on Monday.

As of Saturday night classes have yet to be canceled.

-- Frank Posillico

5:54 p.m. -- TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS

Do you have any questions about the hurricane warnings and what's happening on Long Island? Who is evacuating? Who should you call if you need help? We'll do our best to get you an answer. Post your questions to our Facebook page, mention us on Twitter, send an email to newstips@newsday.com or leave your question in the comments below.

5:36 p.m. -- ISLIP: CLEAR OUT VEHICLES, TOWN LOTS OPEN

Islip Town Supervisor Phil Nolan is urging residents to move their vehicles North of Montauk Highway in low-lying areas, and to keep them off the streets in the rest of the town. Additionally, overnight parking restrictions at all Islip-owned owned parking lots are lifted.

“We are going to need the cooperation of our residents to ensure as quick a clean-up as possible after this major storm,” Nolan said in a release. “There is the potential for vehicles to be swept away in the storm surge. It is also vital that all residents move their vehicles into their driveways or a public lot in order to keep them clear for emergency vehicles and clean-up crews.”

5:23 p.m. -- LIPA TURNS OFF POWER TO FIRE ISLAND

The Long Island Power Authority has turned off power to Fire Island, Captree Island, Robert Moses and Oak Beach, spokeswoman Vanessa Baird-Streeter said. She had no estimate of the number of customers affected.

It's routine practice, Vanessa Baird-Streeter said, for areas under severe flood watches after mandatory evacuations. Turning off the power, she said, allows LIPA to reduce damage to substations and other equipment in flood areas.

Crews from out of state, meanwhile, continue to arrive on Long Island, bringing the total outside force to some 1,230 over the next several days, and more than 2,180 including National Grid and on-island contractors.

Outside crews aren't likely to be deployed, Baird-Streeter said, until after the storm's worst has passed. Crews can't be deployed in winds of 50 miles per hour or more.

LIPA will stage crews in three areas: at Christopher Morely Park in Nassau, near Long Island MacArthur Airport in Islip and at East Hampton airport.

LIPA is expecting outages "Islandwide" Baird-Streeter said, though she declined to provide an estimate.

-- Mark Harrington

4:50 p.m. -- NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE AT CAPACITY

Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano announced at a 3:30 press briefing that the Nassau Community College shelter is at capacity. The college holds 5,000 people. Mangano spokesman Brian Nevin said the college received buses of orthodox Jews, many who cannot travel on the sabbath. The county is directing residents to SUNY Farmingdale and C.W. Post, the two largest shelters.

-- Robert Brodsky

4:45 p.m. -- MORE RESOURCES FOR REPUBLIC AIRPORT

More resources are on the way. Republic Airport will receive a delivery of 1,000 cots, blankets, tarps and FEMA emergency personnel in the coming hours.

-- Robert Brodsky

3:50 p.m. -- PHONE NUMBER FOR DISABLED IN SUFFOLK

Disabled people in Suffolk, including those on ventilators or in a wheelchair, can call 631-852-4900 to coordinate an evacuation, with accommodations, from precarious areas. But call as early as possible, officials urge.

-- Matthew Chayes

 3:42 p.m. -- LINDENHURST HIGH SERVING AS REFUGE CENTER

Lindenhurst High School is serving as a refuge center during the storm. No food or bedding is available, but it will provide shelter for those who need it until they can be transported to a Red Cross-supported shelter.

-- T.C. McCarthy

3:28 p.m. -- GAS IN WEST BABYLON

Looking for gas in the West Babylon area? If you tried the Hess station on 109 last night, you may want to give it another shot. After running out last night, the station got 10,000 gallons delivered Saturday morning, and the clerk said earlier they're not as busy as before.

-- T.C. McCarthy

3:24 p.m. -- LONG BEACH ENTRYWAYS COULD CLOSE SOON

Long Beach City Manager Charles Theofan said Saturday afternoon that he expects Nassau County police to block all three entryways to the city, beginning at 5 p.m.

The officers, he said, will only allow drivers "with legitimate reasons" into the city. Exits will not be blocked, he said.

The three entry points are: Long Beach Boulevard from the north, Atlantic Beach from the west, and Loop Parkway from the east.

Theofan said he recently took a drive through the city, and "it looks like a large portion of the city has left."

-- Paul LaRocco

2:25 p.m. -- IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT SUFFOLK PET-FRIENDLY SHELTERS

If you're bringing your dog to one of the pet-friendly shelters in the towns of Islip and Riverhead, you must bring a cage if your dog weighs 60 pounds or more.

-- Matthew Chayes

2:17 p.m. -- NOTES FROM NASSAU NEWS CONFERENCE

* Emergency shelters are relatively empty in Nassau County. Only 150 people have moved to county shelters, most at Nassau Community College.

* At 6 p.m. all roads leading into the Barrier Islands will be closed to traffic. Cars will be able to exit the area, which includes Long Beach, Atlantic Beach and Lido Beach, said Nassau Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter.

* The county may consider closing the Long Beach and Atlantic Beach bridges at some point if conditions become dangerous, Krumpter said.

* Roughly 1,000 disabled people have been moved from flood zones.

* County Executive Edward Mangano urges people in flood zones to move out before the 5 p.m. mandatory evacuation, adding, "There has not been any good news to alter our warnings."

-- Robert Brodsky
 

1:37 p.m. -- SCENES FROM LINDENHURST

Lindenhurst's youth soccer league tried to get its playoffs in Saturday morning, but the action was called off after a few games due to the weather. But residents are still heading to the park, local schools, etc., and leaving their cars in parking lots. Any space where trees aren't close has become very popular.

-- T.C. McCarthy

1:18 p.m. -- EMPTY SHELVES AT ALDI IN BAY SHORE

Grocery store Aldi in Bay Shore is closing at 2 p.m. Saturday because it has run out of stock. Check out a photo of its empty shelves and more photos of Long Islanders dealing with Hurricane Irene here.

-- Jessica Kelley

12:35 p.m. -- LONG BEACH MEDICAL CENTER EVACUATING

Long Beach Medical Center is evacuating patients from the hospital and nursing home. About 52 hospital patients were transferred to Nassau University Medical Center starting at 7 a.m. About 50 residents of Long Beach Komanoff Nursing Home were taken to the A. Holly Patterson Extended Care Facility in Uniondale.

-- Ridgely Ochs

12:17 p.m. -- LONG BEACH CITY MANAGER DOESN'T WANT ROADS CLOSED

Long Beach City Manager Charles Theofan said this morning that he's advocating for no official closures of the roads leading into his barrier beach city.

"We have people with very legitimate reasons for coming here," he said, noting city officials and police officers who live out of town.

The city has yet to receive any word on road closures. Theofan said he was only aware of one, just over the municipal line: Atlantic Beach bridge to the west.

Regardless, Long Beach had the look of a place bracing for the worst. Stores along Park Avenue were boarded up, whether they were still open or not. Some, like a popular Starbucks near City Hall, had sandbags against its locked doors and its floors inside cleared.

"It's a good message to get to people," the city manager said of the closed businesses supporting the mandatory evacuation order.

The last Long Island Rail Road train from the city will leave at 12:28 p.m., and the last bus at 3 p.m.

But Theofan said he'll find a way to get people out after that.

"Based on all the people asking about the last bus," he said, "we may have a stampede."

-- Paul LaRocco

12:02 p.m. -- ACTING NASSAU POLICE COMMISSIONER SPEAKS ON IRENE

Nassau police will be alerting residents of affected areas using megaphones from police vehicles. Don't expect knocks on your door, Acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said.

"At a certain point, personal responsibility needs to kick in," he said.

Right now Nassau Police have about 400-500 officers on duty. At 3 a.m. Sunday that number will leap to 900 to 1,000 cops -- about three times the average weekend force, Krumpter said.

Once winds pick up beyond 55 miles per hour there will be "limited capacity" for law enforcement to respond to emergencies, said Krumpter. He adds that police, with the exception of the Bureau of Special Operations, will have to cease operations during the height of the storm.

-- Robert Brodsky

11:37 a.m. -- ANIMAL-FRIENDLY SHELTERS IN SUFFOLK

Animal-friendly shelters in Suffolk -- Islip and Riverhead -- will have pet food but officials say evacuees should try bringing their own (e.g., pet food and dog bowls). (That's because pets are used to their routines, emergency commissioner Joe Williams says.) And by the way, he said, only conventional pets. "No snakes, no horses," he said. 

-- Matthew Chayes

11:30 a.m. -- BAYVILLE OFFICIALS URGING FOLKS TO LEAVE

Despite a county mandatory evacuation order for homes less than 10 feet above sea level by 5 p.m., Bayville Mayor Doug Watson said at 9:30 a.m. Saturday that “I’ve never seen it so quiet.”

Village Hall was to open at noon and remain open through the storm “just so if someone calls they can get someone on the phone,” Watson said. Two trustees will be stationed there for four-hour shifts around-the clock with employees.

Watson said public works employees will pump out storm drains on low-lying First Avenue and employees will rescue trapped people in flooded areas until winds get above 55 mph.
The evacuation order will cover some Long Island Sound shoreline houses from Cliff Road in the center of the village east to the Centre Island village line as well as properties along Mill Neck Creek and the eastern end of the village south of Bayville Avenue.

Watson said he would be going to those areas with trustees and police Saturday afternoon to make loudspeaker announcements and talk to people about leaving.

“We’re going to tell people that it’s better to get out and go to your friend’s house and come back after the storm,” he said. “We’re not going to be able to rescue people in 5 feet of water.”

He said the mandatory evacuation order did not mean that people had to leave. But it means that “if you don’t get out, nobody is going to come and rescue you.”

-- Bill Bleyer

10:53 a.m. -- EVACUATIONS ADDED ON EAST END

Southampton town officials Saturday morning called on residents in coastal, low-lying areas or in mobile homes to evacuate. Fire, EMS, or police personnel began going around those areas at 10 a.m.

Riverhead Supervisor Sean Walter also announced mandatory evacuations in flood areas south of Peconic Bay, starting at around 11:30 a.m. He also said Riverhead school buses will going around to mobile home parks to help residents evacuate. The town has called for voluntary evacuations of the mobile home parks.

Village of Westhampton Beach on its website also declared a mandatory evacuation beginning at 10 a.m., south of Main Street and South Road.

-- Kery Murakami

10:12 a.m. -- UPDATE ON EAST END CLOSURES

Southold Town Police are now saying no cars will be allowed on any town roads after 7 p.m. Saturday night as they institute a curfew to keep people off the highways. Only emergency vehicles can be on roads. Meanwhile, the major city-to-East End bus routes run by the Hampton Jitney and heavily used by local residents will be cut off by this evening, as the Jitney can not guarantee they can get their busses into Manhattan tonight.

Also, Southold and Southampton are expected to shortly announce voluntary evacuations of anyone living within a half mile of the ocean or Peconic Bay system.

-- Steve Wick

9:43 a.m. -- ROAD CLOSING IN WESTHAMPTON

Dune Road in Westhampton is closing at 10 a.m. There will be no entry. People will only be allowed to exit.

8:25 a.m. -- GAS BACK?

In Hicksville, places that ran out of gas called in for more. The Exxon station on Broadway ran out Friday night, but a truck soon arrived to replinish the pumps. At the Hess station on Newbridge Road, the only gas available is premium, but they're expecting a delivery shortly.

12:30 a.m. -- GAS GONE?

It's getting dfifficult for some to find a place to fill up. A Hess station on William Floyd Park way in Shirley was completely out earlier Friday night but got a shipment later -- regular only. A Coastal station down the road on William Floyd Parkway also was only offering regular.

SATURDAY, AUG. 27

6:30 p.m. Friday -- MANGANO ORDERS RESIDENTS OUT OF LOW-LYING AREAS

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano tells residents they must begin leaving areas south of Sunrise Highway from the Queens line to Rockville Centre, as well as low-lying and storm-surge areas of the North Shore.

5:30 p.m. -- HUNTINGTON BUS SERVICE TO RED CROSS SHELTER

The Town of Huntington, now under a state of emergency, will provide bus service Saturday to a Red Cross shelter at Walt Whitman High School. The buses will run from Asharoken Village Hall, the First Presbyterian Church in Northport, West Neck Beach and the Village Green Senior Center from noon to 6:30 p.m., thew town said.

5:20 p.m. -- N. HEMPSTEAD CALL CENTER OPEN

The Town of North Hempstead 311 Call Center is open now for information on where evacuations are being recommended . Dial 311 or 516-869-6311 (Town-311) from outside the town to speak to a representative.

5:03 p.m.-- Here's a list of the latest mandatory and recommended evacuation areas. 

4:09 p.m. -- EVACUATIONS ORDERED IN BROOKHAVEN

Parts of Brookhaven are under a mandatory evacuation order starting at 8 a.m. Saturday Brookhaven Town Supervisor Mark Lesko said Friday.

Those communities include:

*Blue Point, south of Montauk Highway
*Patchogue, south of Main Street
*East Patchogue, south of Main Street east to the intersection
*Bellport, south of South Country Road
*Brookhaven hamlet, South of South Country Road
*Shirley, south of Golden Gate/ Neighborhood Road
*Mastic Beach village
*Moriches, south of Main Street
*Center Moriches, south of Main Street
*Cedar Beach Peninsula, Mt. Sinai
*East Moriches, south of East Moriches Blvd, Newport Beach Community

3 p.m. -- MANGANO TO BRIEF MEDIA

Edward P. Mangano's office says the Nassau county executive will hold a press conference at 5 p.m. to provide "an important public safety announcement" regarding preparations for Hurricane Irene.

2:30 -- HOSPITAL EVACUATIONS

Good Samaritan Hospital Medical Center in West Islip and Southside Hospital in Bay Shore said that they were beginning evacuations based on the latest track of the storm. Meanwhile, Long Beach Medical Center and South Nassau Communities Hospital in Oceanside said they were awaiting a decision by Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano on whether to evacuate. 

1:45 p.m. -- SUFFOLK OFFICIALS TO BRIEF MEDIA; MORE EVACUATIONS EXPECTED

County Executive Steve Levy and Suffolk town supervisors will brief the media at 3 p.m. Low-lying flood prone areas on the South Shore – and some on the North Shore – are likely to begin with mandatory evacuations at 8 a.m. Saturday, according to a release. News 12 will carry the press conference live.

1:35 p.m. -- BAY SHORE LOWE'S FINALLY GETS GENERATORS

A truck full of portable generators finally got to the Lowe's in Bay Shore, appeasing some 150 customers who have been waiting to buy them since as early as 5 a.m.    -- TC McCarthy                                      

1:03 p.m. -- MANDATORY EVACUATIONS POSSIBLE IN SOUTH NASSAU

Nassau County Executive Ed Mangano announced that, in addition to a previous call for voluntary evacuations in the City of Long Beach, he is adding to Atlantic Beach, East Atlantic Beach, Lido Beach, Long Beach and Point Lookout to the list.

He said that if Hurricane Irene continues on its path, he may order mandatory evacuations later Friday or Saturday  morning. “Residents of these communities should begin contacting friends and family for alternative sheltering locations that are North of Sunrise Highway and south of Route 25A,” he said in a release.

12:40 p.m. -- MANDATORY EVACUATION OF FIRE ISLAND AT 3 P.M.

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy, together with the supervisor of the towns of Islip and Brookhaven, has announced a mandatory evacuation of Fire Island as of 3 p.m. 

Here's the full news release:

Suffolk County Executive Steve Levy and town supervisors Mark Lesko of Brookhaven and Phil Nolan of Islip Friday have upgraded evacuation status to “mandatory” for the population of barrier beach communities on western Fire Island, beginning 3 p.m. Friday.

The officials also said that mainland evacuations of low-lying, flood prone areas on the south shore – as well as some on the north shore – are likely to begin Saturday morning. (Further details will be released this afternoon.)

Under the mandatory evacuation, ferry service to the barrier beach communities will allow only homeowners over to Fire Island in order for them to secure their homes and properties. Ferry service is likely to end at 3-4 p.m. on Saturday – or sooner if conditions dictate – and residents are urged to plan accordingly.

Residents leaving Fire Island in need of shelter can report to the Brentwood High School, 1 Fifth Ave.,  or the Longwood High School, 100 Longwood Rd., in Middle Island. The Brentwood facility can also accommodate those with pets.

Additional shelter information will be made available as they are opened to accommodate possible mainland evacuations.

12:33 p.m. -- EVACUATION CENTER FOR PETS ON EAST END

The Animal Rescue Fund of the Hamptons is making space for some temporary boarders this weekend should Hurricane Irene hit the East End.

The animal shelter and adoption center, at 90 Daniels Hole Rd., will serve as a pet evacuation center for East Hampton Town residents if the town declares a state of emergency.

ARF has room for about 50 dogs and 30 cats; pets will be accepted on a first come, first served basis.

"It's an emergency shelter for animals, not people," said Jamie Berger, director of marketing and communications for ARF. "People would have to be willing to leave their pets."

ARF also reminds pet owners, "if your home is not safe for you to remain in, it's not safe for your pet."

ARF issued the following tips for pet owners in the event of an evacuation:

* Make sure your pet is wearing up to date ID.
* Include a cellphone number in case you need to evacuate. Ideally your animal should be microchipped. It’s the best form of identification if your animal gets lost.
* Photo of your pet with you or have a photo of your pet on your cellphone.
* Pet carrier or crate for each animal as well as a leash. Make sure the carriers are labeled with your information including your cellphone number.
* Ample supply of dry food and water.
* One week supply of medications, along with health and vaccinations records.
* Cat litter and litter box, plenty of plastic bags for pickup, piddle pads, and towels.

"These are things that should be prepared now," Berger said. "Not on a moment's notice." -- Erin Geismar

12:18 p.m. -- STATE PARKS TO CLOSE SATURDAY

State parks in the Long Island region will be closed Saturday at 5 p.m. until further notice, officials said Friday.

A news release said Hurricane Irene’s winds and storm surges pose potential harm to park visitors.

All four-wheel-drive fishing areas will be closed Friday at 5 p.m. Areas include Montauk Point, Camp Hero, Napeague, Hither Hills, Robert Moses and Gilgo state parks. Hither Hills and Wildwood State Parks campgrounds will be evacuated Friday at 6 p.m.

No boats, kayaks and canoes can be launched after 8 a.m. on Saturday.

12:11 p.m. -- BLUE CLAW CRAB FESTIVAL CANCELED

The Mastic Beach Property Owners Association has canceled this weekend's Blue Claw Crab Festival. In its place, the group is planning a crabcake dinner for Friday, Sept. 9,
at the Clubhouse, 31 Neighborhood Rd.

The event will begin with drinks at 6 p.m. A raffle will be held to benefit a local 6-year-old girl fighting severe aplastic anemia.

For further  information, call 631-399-6111 or visit the Mastic Beach Property Owners Association at www.masticbeachpropertyownersassociation.org/home.html. 

12:04 p.m. -- SUFFOLK EVACUATION PROGRAM FOR DISABLED
Suffolk County officials are urging residents to register with the Suffolk County Department of Fire Rescue and Emergency Services Joint Emergency Evacuation Program, which provides shelter and transportation assistance for disabled individuals who have no other way to evacuate their homes in a natural disaster or emergency.

Residents must apply for the program. To get an application, call Fire Rescue and Emergency Services at 631-852-4900 or the Office for People with Disabilities at 631-853-8333 or 631-853-5658 (TTY) 

11:52 a.m. -- DUCKS WEEKEND GAMES CANCELED
The Long Island Ducks have rescheduled their Saturday and Sunday games, the team said in a news release Friday.

Both games will be made up at the Bethpage Ballpark. Saturday’s game will be made up on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. Gates will open at 5:35, “giving young fans the opportunity to cheer on the Ducks, but get home early enough to be well-rested for school the next day,” the team said in the release.

Sunday’s game will be made up Tuesday as part of a single-admission doubleheader, with both games slated for seven innings. The first game is 6:05 p.m. For more information, go to liducks.com or call 631-940-8499.

11:50 a.m. -- UPDATE ON NASSAU CLOSINGS, CANCELLATIONS
As Hurricane Irene churns its way toward the East Coast and up to Long Island, we’ll keep you updated on the latest emergency information, closures and reports from the field.

In preparation for Hurricane Irene, Nassau County has announced that all of its parks will close to the public beginning at 10 p.m. on Friday.

Nassau parks are scheduled to reopen on Monday.

All events that were scheduled for Nassau parks this weekend have also been canceled. They include Neil Berg’s “100 Years of Broadway” at Eisenhower Park’s Harry Chapin Lakeside Theatre.

The impending hurricane also led Nassau’s Office of Emergency Management to close all county senior centers Friday through Monday.

The Nassau County Civil Service Commission’s Police Officer Physical Fitness test, scheduled for Friday and Saturday at Nassau Community College, has also been canceled, officials said.  -- Robert Brodsky

11:35 a.m.: The Suffolk County website is back up.

11:17 a.m. -- SUFFOLK COUNTY WEBSITE DOWN
People looking for Hurricane Irene information on the official Suffolk County website are finding an error screen. The site is currently down.

10:50 a.m. -- MANGANO: PARKS TO CLOSE AT 10 P.M.
Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano has taken to Twitter to provide updates to the public. Mangano, @edmangano,  just tweeted: "We're closing all Nassau County Parks from 10 p.m. tonight until Monday."

10:30 a.m. -- LONG LINES AT LOWE'S
At Lowe's in Bay Shore, the waiting game for Hurricane Irene has turned into a wait for generators. Customers started lining up at 5 a.m. for generators, which are on the way to the store. They were told that the generators would be there by 6 a.m., but as of 10:30 a.m. about 150 people are still waiting in a roped-off line for the shipment to arrive. -- T.C. McCarthy

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10:24 a.m. WTC WORK CONTINUES
Work continues at the World Trade Center construction site, but storm preparations also are under way there.

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Friday it is securing all cranes and other construction equipment at the site. It also is securing debris and smaller objects that could be blown off the building at 1 World Trade Center. Sandbags were being installed in areas that could be subject to flooding.

UPDATE: All crane work at the World Trade Center site will stop at 2 p.m. Saturday.

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10:08 a.m.  HAMPTON CLASSIC POSTPONED
The Hampton Classic Horse Show has postponed its start Sunday because of Hurricane Irene, a spokesman said in a news release Friday. The show will now start Wednesday.

Organizers are delaying the start because they need to take down the tents and horse stalls and reconstruct them after the storm, according to the release. Competition originally scheduled for Monday and Tuesday and some competitions scheduled for Sunday’s opening day will be rescheduled for later in the week. Horses will be allowed onto the grounds starting Tuesday at noon. Vendors and boutiques may also begin setting up starting Tuesday at noon.

“Our conversations with the National Weather Service and the Town of Southampton’s head of emergency management have made it clear to us that we need to be prepared for hurricane-force winds,” said Shanette Barth Cohen, executive director of the Hampton Classic. “Therefore, in addition to keeping horses off the grounds until Tuesday, in the interest of safety, we now must take down the tents and stalls. We will put them back up on Monday and Tuesday morning and be prepared for horses to arrive starting Tuesday after 12 o'clock.

“On a positive note, the weather forecast for the rest of the week looks beautiful,” Barth Cohen said.

The ASPCA Adoption Day scheduled for Monday will not be held, but a virtual adoption day may be held later on the Hampton Classic website. The 36th annual horse show will run through Sept. 4, and will culminate with the $250,000 FTI Grand Prix.

For more information, go to hamptonclassic.com and the Hampton Classic’s Facebook page.

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10:05 a.m.
First, here’s our main coverage, which includes a tracking map and prep tips. Right now, Irene is set to hit Long Island Sunday. A hurricane watch has been issued for New York City and Long Island.

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Starting Saturday, the Fire Island Ferry will only take people away from Fire Island, not to it, the service said on its website. The first returning trip on the regular Saturday schedule will only carry passengers back to Bay Shore. No passengers will be carried from Bay Shore to Fire Island.

The service said it would decide Saturday when the last boat would return on Saturday. Ferry service will continue as normal Friday. For more information, check fireislandferries.com or call 665-3600, 631-666-3600, 631-665-2115 or 631-647-3743.