LI braces for heavy winds and flooding

Long Islanders are preparing for the worst-case scenario Sunday, as Hurricane Sandy is expected to bring hurricane-force gusts and widespread flooding to the region.

Sandy's impact will begin to be felt Sunday night and is expected to last through Tuesday, said David Stark, meteorologist with the National Weather Service's Upton bureau.

"It's going to start to deteriorate tonight," Stark said on Sunday.

A high-wind warning will be in effect from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday, with the strongest winds Monday afternoon and evening, Stark said.

Tropical-storm-force wind gusts of 40 miles per hour are expected to begin by sunset on Sunday, Stark said.

The winds will continually increase in power, so that by Monday afternoon and evening, Long Islanders can expect sustained winds of 40 to 55 miles per hour, with gusts of 70 to 80 miles per hour.

Strong winds will continue to batter the region through Tuesday afternoon, Stark said.

The winds will likely cause widespread downing of power lines and trees, especially since many trees still have their full canopies of leaves, he said.

Coastal flooding will also be a problem on both the North and South shores, Stark said.

"We could see a storm surge of 6 to 11 feet on top of already high tides Monday morning, continuing through high tides Tuesday morning," Stark said. "This is appearing to be a life-threatening situation for those on the coastal regions."

Stark said that flooding is expected to be the worst on Monday night, with major to record-levels of coastal flooding forecast for that time.
A coastal flood warning is in effect from 6 a.m. Monday to 3 p.m. Tuesday, and a flood watch will be in effect for the entirety of Long Island from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Tuesday, Stark said.

While the impact from the wind is the greatest concern, Sandy will also bring some rain to the area, Stark said. About 1.5 to 3 inches of rain is expected from the storm, with some areas receiving 3 to 5 inches, he said.

"The impact from the rain may not be as significant as the winds," he said.

While high-wind warnings continue into Tuesday night, the winds should slowly begin to subside by then, becoming breezy and the weather should be much improved by Wednesday, Stark said.