Sandy Responsible For Numerous Flight Delays And Cancelations

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Sandy Responsible For Numerous Flight Delays And Cancelations

By Steve Hall

October 28, 2012 - On Sunday cities and towns across the Northeast have been preparing for a super storm with forecasters warning New York could be in particular threat.

Sandy is expected to bring life-threatening storm surge flooding to the mid-Atlantic coast including long island sound and New York Harbor, with coastal hurricane winds and heavy Appalachian snow. Winds: northeast 30 to 50 mph with gusts up to 80 mph, becoming East Monday evening and then Southeast late Monday night.

Sandy whose center was located about 575 miles south of New York city at 2 pm Sunday will turn northwest and intensify before making landfall on the new jersey coast Monday evening.

Winds will gradually increase through tonight then conditions will rapidly deteriorate during the day on Monday, with prolonged major impacts Monday afternoon and night including damaging winds to hurricane force, life threatening storm surge and flooding rains.

The storm will weaken just west of the region starting Tuesday into Wednesday. High pressure will build in Friday into Saturday. The airlines have canceled over 5,000 flights, New York and Philadelphia have moved to shut down subways, buses, trains Sunday night and announced that schools would be closed on Monday. Boston, Washington and Baltimore also called off school.

Due to anticipated severe weather conditions from Hurricane Sandy, all New York City public schools will be closed to students Monday, October 29. Administrative offices will be open. All after-school activities and Public Schools Athletic League events will also be cancelled. A determination about whether schools will open on Tuesday will be made on Monday.

Governor Cuomo has ordered the Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) to move forward with a system-wide shutdown and suspension of all subway, bus and commuter railroad service at 7 p.m. Sunday. The decision was made to protect customers, employees and equipment from the wrath of Hurricane Sandy as the strong storm continues its march up the east coast.

MTA Chairman and CEO Joseph J. Lhota announced that service on NYC Transit subways will be curtailed beginning at 7 p.m., and the bus network within the following two hours. Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad will start their final trains by 7 p.m. from terminal locations. Subway and rail road stations will be closed after the last trains pass through stations. Outbound Access-A-Ride trips are being scheduled only until 12 p.m. today, and return trips will continue until 5 p.m. Any previously scheduled trips after that time, including subscription trips, are canceled.

Passengers are advised to adjust their plans and travel early in the day as possible and not wait until the last train or bus. Anyone who does not leave for their destination before 7 p.m. runs the risk of being stranded when service is suspended. From 5 p.m. until service is suspended in advance of Hurricane Sandy, New York City Transit subways and buses, the Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad are cross-honoring fares within the five boroughs of New York City in order to facilitate safe trips home or to evacuation points.

The MTA Hurricane Plan calls for suspending service hours before the approach of winds of 39 mph and higher. That gives MTA crews time to prepare rail and subway cars, buses, tunnels, yards and buildings for the storm, then return to safety. Winds of 39 mph and higher are predicted to reach the metropolitan region during the predawn hours Monday.

The MTA has been preparing to suspend service for days by readying recovery equipment, clearing drainage areas, moving vehicles from low-lying areas at bus depots and rail yards and sealing some tunnel access points. The duration of the service suspension is unknown, and there is no timetable for restoration. Service will be restored only when it is safe to do so, after careful inspections of all equipment and tracks. Even with minimal damage this is expected to be a lengthy process.

NYC Transit subways will run normal service until 7 p.m., service on the bus network will begin to be curtailed two hours later at 9:00 p.m. There will be sufficient bus capacity to allow people to leave vulnerable areas or reach safe destinations before service is suspended. All scheduled weekend construction projects have been canceled to allow for potential evacuation and suspension of service. MTA Bridges and Tunnels' seven bridges and two tunnels will remain open Sunday evening. Closures will be determined on a case-by-case basis based on high winds, rainfall and roadway conditions.