The sky went dark Tuesday afternoon as a storm rifled through the Lower Hudson Valley, overturning houses, ripping trees out of the ground and causing power outages.
Here are some frequently asked questions about the storm and its aftermath. We'll update this story with more information as it becomes available.
Was there really a tornado?
Yes. Two, actually. The National Weather Service has confirmed that two tornadoes touched down, with wind speeds as fast as 110 miles per hour.
Westchester County legislator Mike Kaplowitz said NYSEG told him "the 15-minute storm had winds greater than 70 miles-per-hour."
What roads are still closed?
There are many roads closed across the Lower Hudson Valley due to storm damage, and the situation is changing constantly as officials work to clear blocked roadways.
Allan Drury, a spokesman for Con Ed, said Wednesday that 33 roads in Westchester and the Bronx were closed due to the storm, with fallen trees largely to blame for the closures and for widespread outages.
Among the roads affected areRoute 202, which is closed west of the Palisades Interstate Parkway in Haverstraw, between Spook Rock Road and Old Route 202;North Ridge Street, closed in Rye Brook between Sleepy Hollow Road and Fairlawn Parkway; and; Park Drive South,closed at Bellevue Avenue in Harrison.
Are the trains running?
All three commuter train lines were shut for the duration of the storm while crews cleared 160 downed trees, and service has largely been restored.There isregular service on the Harlem Line between North White Plains and Grand Central Terminal, but expect limited service between Southeast and North White Plains. Service remains suspended between Wassaic and Southeast.
Some trains will be canceled and combined, so riders should expect delays and crowding, the railroad said.
We need some help. Where can we go?
Officials in Putnam County, which was the hardest hit by the storm,have opened three comfort stations, all with charging stations and bathroom facilities. Please note, these locations may change.
The comfort stations for Wednesday May 16, 2018 are as follows:
- Putnam Valley Friendship Center, 117 Town Park Lane,Putnam Valley N.Y.9a.m.–4 p.m.
- Patterson Recreation Center,65 Front St., Patterson N.Y.7a.m.-4 p.m.
- Hudson Valley Cerebral Palsy Association, 15 Mt. Ebo Rd S., Brewster N.Y.7 a.m.-4 p.m.
How many people lost power?
Kaplowitz saidEveryone should settle in for multi-day outage.
In total, about 57,000 peoplewere without power as a result of the storm.
The number of outages peaked at more than 10,000 for Con Ed customers, with the majority expected to have power restored by 11 p.m. on Wednesday. Drury said mutual aid crews were not expected to be needed.
“The storm brought extensive tree damage, particularly in Westchester, where it caused nearly more than 11,000 customer outages,” he said. “But we have crews in the streets and they’ve already restored more than 2,700 of those. They’ll keep working until everyone has power.”
According toNYSEG, 28,043 customers lost power inPutnam County and 19,455 customers in Westchester County.
Orange and Rockland said 2,407 customers lost power in Rockland County.
Was the election affected?
The Putnam Valley school district was not able to retrieve its election results as of mid-day Wednesday due to power outages in the region.
The polls remained open until 9 p.m. on Wednesday, said Superintendent Frances Wills, but the school lost power forcing the machines to use battery power.
In addition, one machine stopped working, she said, and those results will need to be retrieved by the county, which is closed today.
In Greenburgh, Town Supervisor Paul Feiner said turnout was lower than expected as "many who intended to vote after they came home from work were unable to catch a train to Westchester in time."
"Voter turnout was not as high as it could have been and it's possible that some of the candidates who lost their election would have won if the weather did not cause the train service discontinuation or power outages," he said.
How do hospitals prepare?
Northern Westchester Hospital’s Chief of Emergency Medicine Jim Dwyer spoke to The Journal News/lohud after the storm.
During the hours before severe storms, Dwyer said Nothern Westchester Hospital generally sees patients who come to the hospital seeking safe shelter because they’re dealing with chronic illnesses.
The patients turning to the hospital include those who are oxygen dependent, in need of nebulizers, asthmatics and patients with chronic lung disease.
“After the storm ends can actually be the most dangerous time for people in the community,” Dwyer said. “We advise people not to be curious. Stay indoors until you are sure it is safe. Avoid down power lines, fallen trees and other dangerous debris that can cause injuries.”
Other storm preparations included making accommodations for hospital staff to stay at the hospital throughout the severe weather.
Michael Caruso, vice president of facilities management and safety officer at Northern Westchester Hospital addressed the plans to shift resources based on the storm’s impact.
“To ensure that we are well-prepared for a storm like the one we experienced yesterday, Northern Westchester Hospital conducts an annual Hazard Vulnerability Analysis,” Caruso said. “This helps us develop anticipated actions, emergency supply inventory, access to emergency supplies capability, and emergency services based on that assessment.”
Any advice for next time?
Gov. Andrew Cuomo, speaking at a press conference Wednesday morning, saidhomeowners can help with preparing for these disasters.
"Expect these storms," he said, adding that people should be ready these days for power outages and storm damage.
The following lohud.com reporters contributed to this story: Jorge Fitzgibbon, Mark Lungariello, Chris Eberhart, Nick Tantillo, Matt Coyne, Michael MicKinney and David Robinson.
