Summer is over but hurricane season isn’t.
A meteorologist attended last week’s meeting of the Manhattan Beach Neighborhood Association (MBNA) to warn community residents that they could be hit hard by a major storm in the coming weeks.
“Climatology says that every 70 years or so a big storm hits the New York area,” News 12 Brooklyn meteorologist Mike Favetta said in the auditorium at P.S. 195 on Irwin Street.
“The last one was in 1938,” he continued. “That means this is the year.”
Hurricane season runs from June to November 30. In New York, the roughest storms occur from late August to early October, Favetta said.
“It takes a while for the ocean to warm up,” he explained.
If Brooklyn faced a severe storm, Manhattan Beach could be flooded because the neighborhood’s mini-mansions are right by the ocean.
A storm surge – when heavy winds push ocean water onto the shore – could have devastating effects in Manhattan Beach, especially since there’s only one roadway allowing cars to exit the neighborhood during an evacuation.
“If there was a storm surge, on the east end [of Manhattan Beach] there would almost be an island effect and it would be hard for people from the east end to get out,” Favetta said.
If meteorologists see a potentially dangerous storm heading to Brooklyn, they can notify the public only three to four days before it would hit.
That’s why city officials encourage residents to have a “go bag” ready in case there’s an immediate evacuation.
The city Office of Emergency Management (OEM) encourages, “Every household should pack a ‘go bag’ – a collection of items you may need in the event of an evacuation. A ‘go bag’ should be packed in a sturdy, easy-to-carry container such as a backpack or suitcase on wheels. A ‘go bag’ should be easily accessible if you have to leave your home in a hurry. Make sure it is ready to go at all times of the year.”
The bag should include a flashlight, battery-operated AM/FM radio along with extra batteries, first-aid kit, bottled water, non-perishable food such as energy or granola bars, and child care supplies. Also include information about where to meet up with other family members, a small regional map, and a list of medications each family member takes.
For more information about preparing for a hurricane, log onto www.nyc.gov/oem.
To find out which reception center you should head to in case of an evacuation, call 311.
