City Announces Frankenstorm Precautions, Possible Subway Suspension (UPDATED)
Though you’re probably dressed up as a binder full of women at some Halloween party right now, you may want to consider stocking up on goods and emergency supplies. (By goods and emergency supplies, we mean whiskey, Scrabble, and a candle or two.) There is now a 90% chance that Hurricane Sandy, a.k.a. the “Frankenstorm” will hit the East Coast in the coming days.
Earlier this evening, the mayor’s office announced that this city is not ordering any evacuations, but there will be 65 shelters open where people can sleep and eat. (That sounds like the last place we would ever want to go.) The mayor also said, “Although we’re expecting a large surge of water, it will be a slower pile-up and not a sudden wall of water.” So don’t expect a Day After Tomorrow-type of scenario.
According to an MTA announcement hours ago, the city is preparing to suspend subway service if necessary. “MTA has begun planning for an orderly suspension of all subway, bus & commuter railroad service, if Hurricane Sandy continues to bear down on the area,” the announcement states. MTA will make the call on Sunday and the suspension would take effect at 7 p.m. Sunday night. This would be only the second weather-related suspension in the subway’s 108-year-old history, the first time being for Hurricane Irene last year. Metro-North and LIRR would also suspend service Sunday night, so, yahtzee! No work on Monday!
Update 10/28/12 10:45 a.m.: It’s official: MTA will suspend all subway and railroad service beginning at 7 p.m. tonight.
