# State of Emergency for New York City and Long Island Through Sunday

New York City — Governor Kathy Hochul has declared a state of emergency for New York City, Long Island, and Westchester County as a powerful nor'easter takes aim at the region this weekend.

## What is happening:

A strong coastal storm is bearing down on the New York metropolitan area, bringing dangerous flooding, heavy rain, and high winds from Friday night through Sunday. The declaration, announced Friday, covers the five boroughs of New York City, Nassau and Suffolk counties on Long Island, and Westchester County. The state's Emergency Operations Center has been activated to enhanced monitoring, and crews from the Department of Transportation, State Police, and the Thruway Authority are staged to respond. Staten Island is under a National Weather Service Coastal Flood Warning through 6 PM Sunday.

## Local impacts:

Two to three feet of water above ground level is expected in vulnerable waterfront and shoreline areas — roads, parking lots, parks, lawns, and homes and businesses with basements near the water. Numerous road closures are likely, and cars parked near the waterfront will likely flood. Flooding will push inland along tidal rivers and bays. Strong winds threaten to knock down trees and power lines, and outages are a real concern. The MTA will ban empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks on its bridges and tunnels from 12:01 AM Saturday through 2 AM Sunday, and pedestrian walkways on bridges could close.

## What to do:

- Text your county or borough name to 333-111 to get real-time weather and emergency alerts on your phone.

- Never drive through flooded roads — turn around and find another route. You cannot tell how deep the water is or how fast it is moving.

- Move vehicles away from the waterfront and low-lying areas before the water rises.

- Secure outdoor furniture, trash cans, and anything else the wind can turn into a projectile.

- Charge your phones and keep flashlights and fresh batteries handy in case the power goes out.

- Stay away from downed power lines and report them to your utility.

- Check on neighbors who may need help, if it is safe to do so.

*Source: SILive.com, Sept. 26, 2026. Reported by TNW News.*