Mamaroneck Hunkers Down For Impending Storm: Latest Warning from VOM

As the weather alerts become more and more dire with Sandy's impending arrival, the Village of Mamaroneck (VOM) has issued the following update:

We expect rainfall in the approximate amount of five inches over a 2-3 day period. Rain is projected to start after 7 p.m. tonight. We expect heavy rain Monday and Tuesday of 1 to 2 inches each day, with winds of 50 to 75 miles an hour each day.  At this time we do not expect river flooding to affect the Washingtonville, Howard Avenue area and Warren Avenue sections of the Mamaroneck and Sheldrake Rivers. However, please be alert and prepared to evacuate in case conditions change and rainfall exceeds the amounts forecast.

The National Weather Service has projected coastal tidal surges as follows: 

1. Between 1 and 2 feet above normal tides Sunday and Sunday night.

2. Between 2 and 4 feet above normal tides Monday morning.

3. Between 6 and 11 feet above normal tides Monday night into Tuesday midday.

4. Considerable wave action projected to reach as high as 15 feet in some areas, especially at the western coast of Long Island Sound.  We are advised to plan for a Category 1 Hurricane, in terms of flooding and wind speeds. 

Based on these projected conditions, the village is declaring an emergency, effective at 7 p.m. tonight. We are implementing a mandatory evacuation along the coast of Long Island Sound and Mamaroneck Harbor.  People evacuating should leave before 10 a.m. Monday morning from coastal flood prone areas.  These areas include all of Orienta and Shore Acres.  If you stay after this evacuation has been issued, emergency vehicles and crews may not be able to reach you.  Remember never to drive into standing water. 

Effective at 4 p.m. today, the Emergency Evacuation Shelter is opening at Mamaroneck High School on the Boston Post Road.  If you evacuate, whether or not to the shelter, please bring at least three days worth of clothes, medicine and food to address any special dietary needs.  The shelter will also assist with any pets that need to be relocated – pets will be handled at a separate shelter location, and will not be allowed to stay with their owners in the shelter. 

Closures and suspensions:  Metro North is suspending all service effective at 7 p.m. tonight, Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012, with no estimate on restoration.

Rye Neck Schools are closed on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012.

Mamaroneck Schools are closed on Monday, Oct. 29, 2012. 

Residents should secure all items in yards or other open areas that may be subject to strong winds. If you are staying, have items available in your residence such as batteries, flashlights, candles, water, medicine and non perishable foods that do not require cooking.  Fill up your car and back up generator gas tanks.  

Since an emergency is being declared with requirements to evacuate the Sound Shore neighborhoods, residents are advised to stay off the roads as much as possible to prevent interference with emergency response vehicles and operations. Avoid unnecessary travel during and immediately after the storm, to allow utility and road crews time to clear trees and downed wires, and re-open roads. 

Additional links for information on hurricane preparedness:

American Red Cross: http://www.redcross.org/prepare/disaster/hurricane

Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): http://www.ready.gov/hurricanes

Con Edison (outage map): http://apps.coned.com/stormcenter_external/default.html or www.conedison.com

Metro North: www.mta.info

Dan Natchez, owner of Daniel S. Natchez and Associates, Inc.—an environmental waterfront design consulting company—has sent out a helpful list of areas that are vulnerable to flooding in the village.

They include: 

Low-lying coastal areas: All of Orienta except either side of Orienta Avenue between the hill and Westchester Day School (but the high properties may be cut off from the rest of the village including Flagler Drive, Rushmore Avenue, Orienta Avenue by Flagler and the Boston Post Road, and Hommocks Road have previously been underwater).

Shore Acres: Shore Acres Drive, The Parkway from Alda/Shore Acres Drive to the Club.

Lawn Terrace and Guion Drive, South Barry Avenue near Guion Creek and adjacent streets near Lawn Terrace as well as South Barry Avenue near Otter Creek. 

Continental View Area: All of Taylors Lane past the hill as well as the lower portions of Barrymore Lane Shore Road.

ALL LOW LYING AREAS NEAR OR NEXT TO ANY STREAM, RIVER or WATER BODY. All the areas along rivers and steam have flooded in the past and have included but are not limited to the Sheldrake River, Mamaroneck River and Beaver Swamp Brook are ALL VENERABLE due to HEAVY RAINS and river back-up due to storm surges.  This also includes the area of Columbus Park and most of Washingtonville, North Barry Avenue and First Street as well as the LOW LYING AREAS OF Louis Street, Bradley Street, River Street, Urban Street, North James Street, Ellis Place, Chestnut Avenue, Warren Avenue, Travers Avenue, Sound View Avenue, Grant Terrace, the Boston Post Road near Harrison Avenue (between CVS and Toyota), North Barry Avenue at First Street and numerous other portions of streets within the village.