The Storm Is Already Here
A massive nor’easter is ripping into New York City, bringing coastal flooding and winds that could hit 50 mph. The worst of it hits Saturday, turning our streets into rivers and threatening to knock down trees on our train lines. Mayor Zohran Mamdani has issued a travel advisory starting Friday at 2 p.m., telling New Yorkers to stay off the roads. It is a long duration event that demands we take cover.
MTA Fights for the Yards
The MTA has moved to protect its most vulnerable spots, closing storm doors at the Coney Island and Howard Beach train yards. Janno Lieber, the MTA Chair, cautioned that flooding in these low-lying yards disrupts electrical operations and halts train movement. “When the train yards, many of which are in low-lying areas, get flooded, it impacts on our ability to put out service,” Lieber said. The agency is also watching open cuts and depressed areas where old trees could fall on the tracks. Lieber stated that downed trees typically result from wind, which is what they handle under such conditions.
City workers are clearing catch basins and positioning emergency resources to handle the expected 2 to 4 inches of rain. However, the National Weather Service has issued a laundry list of advisories, including high surf and wind warnings. The storm has tracked south, meaning the Jersey shore could see the worst flooding, but our boroughs are still in the crosshairs. Accuweather meteorologist Kerry Schwindenhammer told the New York Post, “This storm has been moving slowly, so we’re tracking this as a long duration event.”
Our Take: Don’t Count on Perfect Service
We love our city, but we also know that when the wind blows hard enough, our old infrastructure breaks. The MTA is doing what it can, but the risk of downed trees in open cuts is real and dangerous. Lieber admitted that system weaknesses persist, observing, “But that work has not yet been completed.” This means we could see service interruptions that leave commuters stranded. It is not enough to just clear the basins; we need to know why our tracks are so exposed to falling timber.
Mayor Mamdani’s team is telling us to stay home, which is good advice, but the reality is that many New Yorkers have no choice. As Mamdani advised, residents of basement apartments must be prepared to relocate to higher floors if conditions turn dangerous. The city is preparing, but the combination of high tides and heavy rain creates a perfect storm for flooding in southern Queens and Brooklyn. We are watching the situation closely because a paralyzed subway system is a paralyzed city.
Metropolitan transit is the lifeblood of this town, and when the power goes out, everything stops. The MTA is focused on protecting the yards, but the open cuts remain a weak link. We need a plan that goes beyond just closing doors and hoping for the best. If the trees fall, the trains stop, and the city grinds to a halt. That is the risk we face this weekend.
What Happens Next
From Friday at 2 p.m. until Sunday morning, the Mayor’s office travel advisory remains in effect. Long Island could see gusts up to 60 mph as high winds persist from Friday night through Saturday night. New Yorkers should verify train, ferry, or flight status before departing and avoid low-lying coastal roads during high tide. The storm will be with us for days, so prepare now.
This is opinion and commentary from the RapForMayor team.
