Jan 7 Winter Weather Advisory
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for Western Suffolk County in affect from 7am Saturday to 1am Sunday. Snow accumulations are expected to be 3-6 inches, with wind gusts up to 25mph and temperatures in the low 20s.
A Winter Storm Warning has been issued for Eastern Long Island, with expected snow accumulations at 4-8 inches.
Prepare for snowy conditions before the dangerous weather hits.
Nassau County Warming Centers
With the temperatures dropping to dangerous levels, Nassau County has opened warming centers across the county for those requiring assistance to stay out of the cold.
Tips and information on how to stay safe in frigid temperatures.
WARMING CENTERS
Nassau County warming center locations will be open to residents Thurs., December 15 & Friday, December 16.
Cantiague Park Ice Rink – 480 W. John St., Hicksville
Hours of Operation: 8:00am-11:00pm
Grant Park – Broadway & Sheridan Ave., Hewlett
Hours of Operation: 8:00am-11:00pm
Mitchel Field Administration Center – 1 Charles Lindbergh Blvd., Uniondale
Hours of Operation: 8:00am-5:00pm
Town Oyster Bay Ice Skating Center at Bethpage – 1001 Stewart Ave., Bethpage
Hours of Operation: 9:00am-10:00pm
Syosset-Woodbury Community Park Ice Rink – 7800 Jericho Turnpike, Syosset
Hours of Operation: 9:00am – 10:00pm
Marjorie Post Community Park – Unqua Rd. & Merrick Rd., Massapequa
Hours of Operation: 9:00am-10:00pm
Salvation Army – 66 Church St., Freeport
Hours of Operation: 9:30am-4:00pm
Salvation Army – 65 Atlantic Ave., Hempstead
Hours of Operation: 9:30am-4:00pm
Sandel Senior Center – 51 South Park Ave., Rockville Center
Hours of Operation: 9:00am-5:00pm
WARM BED – EMERGENCY HOUSING FOR THE HOMELESS
The Nassau County Winter Homeless Hotline – 1-866-WARMBED – is open and runs seven days a week through March 31st, 2016. Between the hours of 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. Monday thru Thursday, and Friday from 6:00 p.m. thru Monday at 8:00 a.m., employees from the Department of Social Services (DSS) will make appropriate referrals and provide shelter placement. Between 8:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m., Monday – Friday, call the Department of Social Services at (516) 227-8519.
First above-normal Atlantic hurricane season since 2012 produced five landfalling U.S. storms
Source: NOAA
As the Atlantic, eastern Pacific and central Pacific 2016 hurricane seasons end today, NOAA scientists said that all three regions saw above-normal seasons.
For the Atlantic, this was the first above-normal season since 2012. The Atlantic saw 15 named storms during 2016, including 7 hurricanes (Alex, Earl, Gaston, Hermine, Matthew, Nicole, and Otto), 3 of which were major hurricanes (Gaston, Matthew and Nicole). NOAA’s updated hurricane season outlook in August called for 12 to 17 named storms, including 5 to 8 hurricanes, with 2 to 4 of those predicted to become major hurricanes.
Five named storms made landfall in the United States during 2016, the most since 2008 when six storms struck. Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Matthew struck South Carolina. Tropical Storms Colin and Julia, as well as Hurricane Hermine, made landfall in Florida. Hermine was the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida since Wilma in 2005.
Several Atlantic storms made landfall outside of the United States during 2016: Tropical Storm Danielle in Mexico, Hurricane Earl in Belize, Hurricane Matthew in Haiti, Cuba, and the Bahamas, and Hurricane Otto in Nicaragua.
The strongest and longest-lived storm of the season was Matthew, which reached maximum sustained surface winds of 160 miles per hour and lasted as a major hurricane for eight days from Sept. 30 to Oct. 7. Matthew was the first category 5 hurricane in the Atlantic basin since Felix in 2007.
Matthew intensified into a major hurricane on Sept. 30 over the Caribbean Sea, making it the first major hurricane in that region since Poloma in 2008. It made landfall as a category 4 major hurricane in Haiti, Cuba and the Bahamas, causing extensive damage and loss of life. It then made landfall on Oct. 8 as a category 1 hurricane in the U.S. near McClellanville, South Carolina.
Matthew caused storm surge and beach erosion from Florida through North Carolina, and produced more than 10 inches of rain resulting in extensive freshwater flooding over much of the eastern Carolinas. The storm was responsible for the greatest U.S. loss of life due to inland flooding from a tropical system since torrential rains from Hurricane Floyd caused widespread and historic flooding in eastern North Carolina in 1999.
“The strength of Hurricane Matthew, as well as the increased number of U.S. landfalling storms this season, were linked to large areas of exceptionally weak vertical wind shear that resulted from a persistent ridge of high pressure in the middle and upper atmosphere over Caribbean Sea and the western Atlantic Ocean,” said Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center. “These conditions, along with very warm Caribbean waters, helped fuel Matthew’s rapid strengthening.”
Eastern and central Pacific Hurricane Seasons
The eastern Pacific hurricane basin, which covers the eastern Pacific Ocean east of 140 degrees West, produced 21 named storms during 2016, including 11 hurricanes of which 5 became major hurricanes. July through September was the most active three-month period on record for this basin. NOAA’s eastern Pacific hurricane season outlook called for 13 to 20 named storms, including 6 to 11 hurricanes, 3 to 6 of which were expected to become major hurricanes.
The central Pacific hurricane basin covers the Pacific Ocean west of 140 degrees West to the International Date Line. This basin saw seven tropical cyclones (includes tropical depressions and named storms) during 2016. All seven became named storms, and included three hurricanes of which two were major hurricanes. Tropical Storm Darby made landfall on the Big Island of Hawaii, marking the first time in recorded history that two storms in three years struck the Big Island (Darby in 2016 and Iselle in 2014). NOAA’s central Pacific hurricane season outlook called for 4 to 7 tropical cyclones. That outlook does not predict specific ranges of named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes.
New Outage Map Includes Icons for Shelters, Command Centers and Resources During Emergencies
Sudden Changes in the Weather – How to Manage
Lately, there have been some dramatic shifts in temperature. Some of this is caused by storms and fronts moving in, but also can be caused by atmospheric disturbances and humidity. Here are some steps you can take to protect yourself and your home from these sudden temperature peaks and valleys.
Programmable Thermostats – There are plenty of affordable and user-friendly programmable thermostats that will not only help you save on your heating bills, but will also help regulate the temperature with greater ease while you’re out of the house. Many modern programmable thermostats have built-in app support so raising the temperature while you’re at your desk getting ready to come home during a cold day is a nice benefit.
Test That Furnace – Make sure the boiler starts and if any service is required, be sure to contact a reputable and thorough company to ensure your furnace remains functioning for the long winter months ahead. Contact your local Department of Social Services to learn about programs that can help low to moderate income households with heating bills.
Insulate Yourself – Have an ugly Christmas sweater hanging in your closet? How about the blanket that’s been in your linen closet for months? Now’s the time to bring them out if you’re hanging around the house. It’s important to be able to not only handle the cold but the heat, too.
Pay Attention – Monitor yourself closely in the midst of climate changes. A nagging cough, irritability, stress and fatigue are common symptoms associated with a weakened immune system. Bolster your body’s natural defenses using a natural vitamin supplement or through a healthy diet rich in vitamin C, D and B.
Try these simple, important steps with the weather in flux this fall and keep in mind that the winter season is upon us!