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Subscribe to RSSTowns in New Jersey scrambled to prepare for their first major winter storm not long after Hurricane Sandy destroyed huge swaths of coastline. NBC's Katy Tur reports.
Updated at 1 a.m. ET: Snow fell on damaged homes and debris piles in parts of the New York City area as a nor'easter moved in Wednesday, causing new power outages and calls for evacuations.
By Wednesday night, the winds had caused more than 100,000 new power outages in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast, the U.S. Energy Department stated. That brought the total number to 715,000, most of those remaining from Superstorm Sandy, which made landfall in New Jersey on Oct. 29.
Throughout the Tri-state area, people wore coats indoors as they endured yet another night without heat. Some of those who had weathered Sandy told NBC New York on Wednesday they were petrified.
"It's like a sequel to a horror movie," said James Alexander, a resident of the hard-hit Rockaway Peninsula. "Here we are, nine days later — freezing, no electricity, no nothing, waiting for another storm."
Alexander's home was spared when Sandy hit, but homes around him burned to the ground, and the boardwalk near his home was washed out to sea.
"They said it would be a rough winter," he noted to NBC New York.
One local resident refuses to be driven out by the latest storm, a combo of snow and rain that is threatening areas already ravaged by Hurricane Sandy. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports.
About 1,200 flights were canceled across the Northeast, while residents of a few areas hit hardest by Superstorm Sandy last week were urged to evacuate in case of new flooding. Long Island Rail Road service was also suspended before 7 p.m. because of weather-related signal problems, NBC New York reported.
A punishing nor'easter is expected to dump snow on storm-battered New York and New Jersey. NBC's Jay Gray reports.
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg directed police to use their patrol car loudspeakers to warn the 20,000 to 30,000 residents in vulnerable areas to evacuate. In Belle Harbor, in Queens, police patrolled the streets, advertising a warming shelter. Officers found that most had left their homes to stay with family, NBC New York reported.
In Toms River, N.J., residents of nearby barrier island communities lashed out at the city council because they had not been allowed to return to their homes since before Sandy hit.
Said one resident at a city council meeting: "These people need to understand it's our island, it's our home, and we need to defend it like it's a castle."
The snow from the latest Nor'easter is expected to continue through midnight before finally winding down in the early hours of Thursday morning. NBC's Janice Huff reports.
The nor'easter, dubbed "Athena" by The Weather Channel, could produce strong gusts that could also turn up piled debris from Sandy into projectiles. (Last month, The Weather Channel announced it will name noteworthy winter storms in an effort to “better communicate the threat and the timing of the significant impacts that accompany these events.")
"One of the bigger concerns ... would be the debris that's been piled up from all the residences and the businesses," Kevin O'Hara, police chief in Point Pleasant, N.J., told The Weather Channel.
From weather.com: Storm's city-by-city forecasts
"With winds picking up to 30-, 40-, 50-mile-per-hour gusts," he added, "our fear is that if people are out and about they could be hit by flying debris. We would urge people to stay in their houses, stay home, and let the storm pass."
The Long Island Power Authority dedicated more than 12,000 workers to restoring power to its customers -- 8,000 of those workers were linemen and tree trimming crews from around the country, including some who had been airlifted in by the National Guard.
Sea Bright, N.J., is among the areas fearing new flooding on Wednesday. Katy Tur reports.
Snow storms are unusual at this time of year in the New York area. Snowfall had never previously been recorded at Islip, N.Y., Kennedy and LaGuardia airports.
Central Park recorded 2.8 inches of snowfall, beating the 1878 record of 0.1 inches. Bridgeport, Conn., saw 3.5 inches, breaking the former record of 2.0 inches set in 1953. In Newark, N.J., 2.0 inches fell; trace amounts had been recorded in 1981.
"It's not a massive nor'easter by winter standards," said Weather Channel expert Tom Niziol, "but at this time of year immediately after Sandy's wrath and destruction, this isn't what we want."
"Mother Nature is not cutting us a break along the East Coast," he said.
As the day cooled into night, The Weather Channel forecast three inches of snow in Philadelphia with wind gusts over 30 mph, a combination of wet snow and wind in New Jersey, and snowfall totals of six to 12 inches in southeastern New York and New England.
NBCNewYork.com's coverage of nor'easter
In New York, Bloomberg expected up to three inches of snow. He said no new flooding occurred along the city's coastal areas "through the first and most dangerous cycle of high tide" on Wednesday afternoon.
Bloomberg had ordered three nursing homes and an adult care facility evacuated Tuesday from Queens' vulnerable Rockaway Peninsula. About 620 residents were moved.
Fearing winds could down more trees, the city also closed all parks, playgrounds and beaches at noon Wednesday, and ordered all construction sites to be secured.
Airlines cancel flights ahead of nor'easter
Sandy killed more than 100 people, mainly in New York City and New Jersey, and left more than 8 million homes and businesses without power.
John Makely / NBC News
Postal carrier Kenneth Henn delivers mail in the evacuated section of Belmar, N.J., on Tuesday as earth moving machines pile sand along the beach.
Fearing looters, Alex Ocasio told The Associated Press that he planned to ride out the latest storm in his first-floor Rockaway apartment — even after seeing cars float by his front door during Sandy.
As the water receded during Sandy, men dressed in dark clothes broke down the door and were surprised to find him and other residents inside, he said.
Full NBC coverage of Sandy's aftermath
"They tried to say they were rescue workers, then took off," he said.
He put up a handmade sign — "Have gun. Will shoot U" — outside his apartment and started using a bed frame to barricade the door. He has gas, so he keeps the oven on and boils water to stay warm at night.
"It gets a little humid, but it's not bad," he said. "I'm staying. Nothing can be worse than what happened last week."
NBC's Isolde Raftery, Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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- Underwear needed for Staten Island victims of Sandy, official says
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I'll be glad when these idiots quit blaming Bush for everything and realize if we hadn't had an idiot named Obama in the White House for the past 4 years.....things would be better. He only made it worse and that will continue until this country falls....and it will fall HARD!!
Know the difference between the idiots in the northeast and the blacks of New Orleans? Nothing. Neither has the sense god gave a brick. Neither group is self reliant enough to take care of themselves and to know how to get ready for a storm. Instead they sit on their thumbs and cry and expect the rest of the nation to bail their sorry asses out of the hole they dug themselves. Their support of incompetent Barry underscores it. It is pretty obvious that those in the Northeast occupy the lower part of the IQ bell curve. You get the government you deserve and I hope you get 4 more years of unemployment, energy shortages and high gas prices. As we said in the 80's, "Here's to your northerners freezing in the dark." Oh and don't expect us to compromise with you lame brains, that notion is like sharing a deck chair on the Titanic. I am encouraging all my Texas legislators to refuse to compromise and block every piece of legislation that smacks of handouts or furthers the decline fo the US, which is Barry's ultimate goal. You folks are just too stupid to see it. The man has done nothing. Period, Ever.
mud, 20$ says your a proud christian.
Looks like climate change is trying to flush the libtards from NJ, I pray it's a success. No more charity for the "poor". I'm sick of these leeches!
And FOX just reported that they still don't have a projected winner in the race for President. They are still counting.
I really feel for all of the folks on the east coast, but have heart, Barry will take care of you. That is unless he can find a way to blame the weather on Bush. He should show up real soon with truckloads of money to make all of your problems go away.
Don't ask me for any help. After last nights f' up I need everything I got.
Tell them to call Obama. They have one of his phones don't they. Isn't this why they voted for him. They were worried this would turn out like Katrina if Obama was not the president...
Man, thank God GW Bush wasn't president or these people might be in big trouble.
With any luck this new storm will finnish the job that Sandy left undone. You liberal scum deserve no sympathy or compasion. All you left wing haters keep crowing about obamas win, when you get your tax bills see how happy you are then, thats assuming you actually work and pay taxes. Too bad this storm will be a few days late.
baron, got two words for ya.f..k you.
@ Creek Dog - hope you, along with everyone else in that area of the country, are able to stay safe and get warm. Having this dumped on you after Sandy totally blows :(
Feel bad for the innocent people, especially the children because they do not understand. Just amazed the libs are not outraged at Chris Matthews,
I am glad this storm hit... Chris Matthews, MSNBC
"Just amazed"
Are you really ?
After reading all this ??? 12212012 ??? Get it? If you don't! You will! Bye Bye! NE and
West!
Sounds like this is the beginning of the return of Nibiru; 12/21/12 is coming!
No, not really of course. I'm figuring that a giant marshmallow will attack NYC next. That's before people start resorting to soylent green in order to survive. Then things will really start getting interesting!
who cares, let them all freeze to death. @!$%# the north east and @!$%# obama.
You're a disgusting piece of subhuman filth and you deserve all the drought, tornadoes, wildfires and illegal immigrants that are coming your way.
Have a nice day ;-)
"and @!$%# obama." ......... you first.
(sorry, I know I shouldn't)
martink, you're absolutely right. Because, as everyone knows, since a states electoral votes went to President Obama, that must mean that every single person voted for him. Except they didn't. You republicans sure are showing your true colors. If they live in a blue state? Let 'em die. Who cares if they've been loyal to the republican party their entire lives? You'd throw your own grandmother under a bus if she lived in blue state, regardless of who she voted for, wouldn't you? Quite the statement on your own values there. Really. It's good to see just how your party feels about other human beings, even those who voted with you. Very eye-opening. Thanks for the lesson...but I'm afraid if people in a red state need help, I'll be there.
Can send robots to Mars but helping humans on land is tuff ?
Too bad $$ dictates the health,safety and well being of humans. Guess we are not that smart yet.
we can always count on ourselves to start breaking down doors, looting the less fortunate the first chance we get.....it's just plain disgusting.
"we can always count on ourselves"
Gotta get them rewards how ever one can, nothing compared to Wallstreet though.
People who live on the east coast are idiots. California is the only place to live. And don't give me that earthquake @!$%#. We haven't had a major earthquake in 20 years. Minor earthquakes you hardly feel. We have perfect weather all year round.
But you east coast people have hurricanes every year that are devastating. ON the other hand, don't move to CA because we have enough people here already.
Well, cracker. it won't, so suffer your guts out!
At least your head is protected, being so far up your ass and all.
No, I prefer normal sex. But you go do what you gotta do.
"I hope California, and everyone in it, breaks off the United States and gets sucked into the sea! F U ALL!"
That's it .... get it all out, feel free to cry, it's ok.
"People who live on the east coast are idiots"
All of them ?
just as i dont care about nyc,i also hope for a natural diaster happens in ca. so all the liberal idiots fall in the ocean and become shark food
I hope you get cancer. ;-)
And you spelled your name wrong.
Well, why don't you call your buddy Obama to help you out. Don't bother. While you suckers that voted for him are freezing your asses off and starving in total darkness, Obama is going to be going on vacation and sipping champagne paid for with your tax dollars. As for that donation to hurricane relief I was going to make to help you people - forget it (and forget about any other charity from me to you Obamanistas). I just lost a bundle in the Obama stock market crash today. When are you losers going to wise up?
Was going to invest in a Roth IRA this week, but since Odumbo is back in for a term and the electorate has decided we're headed in another direction I'm OUT.
My customers are also OUT.
Think you're goin' to get to the 1%'ers! Think again...
i live on the east coast and i dont give a damm about nyc and i think who ever voted for obameee are the trash of this country and america deserves what ever happens to it and i hope it is all bad
that soildier must be an a..hole too.
Before the election I felt real bad and sorry for those on the east coast. Now I have a hard time feeling sorry for those who voted for Obama and I only feel bad for those who voted for Romney, they wanted real help and now want get it for how long? The ones who voted for Obama (aka the dictator) get what they deserve, which is help not coming anytime soon. Obama could care less about them and if they can not or could not see that I don't feel too sorry for them. Romney would have helped way more even after he would have been sworn in January than Obama did the day of!
you know what most of us new yorkers dont give a damm about new york city,we want the city to become its own entity so they stop drainning the rest of the state,something like the obamenites drainning the taxpayers
Oh, wow; jersey is really dirty. Somebody should call obama. Oh man, I can't even go surfin'
hey trash liberals i hope all buisness's close up ,so all you scum liberals and the rest of the trash that put that idiot back in the whitehouse can get all your entitlements that bozo promised you,and i dont give a damm about nyc,and i hope it gets real cold for all you nyc idiots
I hope you get AIDS. ;-)
And you spelled your name wrong.
I am just recovering from 9 days of power outage from a Hurricane and
it is now a snowy winter wonderland outside. WTH is going on? For those
people who doubt climate change. Move to Venus if you don't mind warmer
crazier weather. It's about my kids now and the gloves are off. The fossil fuel industry
take note, your days are numbered.
Just FYI, electrical lineman came up there to help with the power outages and were turned away because they weren't union!!! REALLY!!!
Well, wndy, it's union now and forever!
Freezing to death on account of an outage? Too bad, scab!\
G'bye!
Yeah we saw how great unions were when the blizzards hit NYC last year. How many people died?
Well hey here, Are we going to have another New Orleans here with no help for these people? Whats Obama going to do here? This aint no southern state it gets cold in the North, Obama better get on board real fast, this should be his first and only priority right now to provide some kind of housing for people other than a tent city.
Remember that governor of Texas who welcomed all the Katrina victims to Texas? Well, why can't Obama welcome all the storm victims to DC ?
Those poor storm victims went out in that storm to vote for him. It's the least he could do.
Suckas! They deserve to freeze to death for being so stupid
Bunch of puzzies in NYC!!!
WOW by these comments you can tell how people voted. Is this really coming from adults? Is this the way you teach your kids to be good sports, or at the very least compassionate human beings?
Wonder how many of you " Christian"hypocrites would whine for help from Obama supporters if tragedy strikes your town, home, family.
You cry babies have a long 4 years ahead of you if you intend to keep sulking. LOL!
I wish for these people in this storm ravaged area to get help quickly and stay safe.
They're a bunch of puzzies!!!
Puzzies?
Robin.. your leadership was more worried about unions and Justin Bieber Concert so I guess you are going to have to suck it up until all of the VIPS are taken care of.
So how did that marathon thing go. Remember, it was suppose to bring you all together.
I have to get on with my life. I don't have the desire to sit around for 4 yrs exchanging insults. You voted one way, I voted another. It doesn't matter. Suck it up Buttercup and move forward....or sit where you are whining about things.
Not sure what the marathon thing is that your talking about...don't care.
Look, be adult and wish people health and happiness, just as you would want people to wish for you and your family. I hope disaster never strikes where you are, it probably will and good people will come to your aid.
Have a terrific night.
President Obama'll be "Johnny on the spot" to help out in this disaster. He'll want'a look good thinking ahead for his next re-election in 2016. That's after repealing the 22nd amendment to the constitution which prohibits a 3rd term. The 2nd amendment, right to bear arms, that goes as well.