By Jen Samuel, Managing Editor
EAST WINDSOR — On Friday, the municipality issued a warning to residents of Hurricane Sandy — scheduled to hit the Northeast within the next few days.
”The National Weather Service is stating that New Jersey could be in line for a landfall of Hurricane Sandy. Regardless of the exact day/time and landfall of the storm, our area is certain to be affected by strong winds and heavy rain,” East Windsor’s Oct. 26 special notice stated.
”In preparation for the storm, East Windsor Township staff are making every effort to clear all of the storm drains and to vacuum all of the leaves in the gutters to reduce the chance of localized street flooding,” the release stated. “In order for this effort to be successfully completed in advance of the storm, it is requested that residents do not place any leaves at the curb between now and the departure of the storm, which may be Wednesday or Thursday of next week.
”In addition, please do not put out garbage or recycling until the morning of your scheduled pickup and please remove empty garbage cans from the curb after collection is done, as these objects may scatter in high winds.”
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), Sandy is a very large tropical cyclone with tropical storm force winds extending outward up to 450 miles. The latest forecast indicates a turn to the northwest by early next week, with direct impacts expected for the Mid Atlantic and Northeast.
The NWS has issued a coastal flood watch, flood watch, high wind watch, and hazardous weather outlook for East Windsor as of press time.
Hurricane Sandy, which is also being referred to as Frankenstorm across the nation, is anticipated to strike the Northeast by Monday, with heavy rainfall slated to reach the area as early as Sunday night.
As of a 2 p.m. Saturday warning issued by the NWS, Sandy was producing tropical storm-force winds over the Atlantic from the northern Bahamas to near the coast of North Carolina. It is anticipated that the winds will increase in speed as it moves up the Atlantic.
On Saturday, due to the severe weather conditions anticipated to hit New Jersey from Hurricane Sandy — including high winds, rain, flooding, Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency.
”At the state level, we are taking immediate steps to prepare for the storm’s impact and ensure that state, local and county governments have the tools they need to manage and respond in a coordinated way,” Gov. Christie stated. “With this, government at every level can respond more effectively to conditions on the ground, activate emergency operations plans, and ensure that resources are being marshaled to assist and protect the public through this storm.”
The governor’s declaration activates parts of the State Emergency Operations Plan, broadening powers of the state police including traffic control, limiting access and egress from impacted areas and issuing evacuation orders if needed, according to a release from Gov. Christie’s office.
It has been more than a year since Hurricane Irene struck the region as a tropical storm — causing immense flooding to East Windsor roads as well as to the downtown of neighboring Hightstown.
Visit the East Windsor website, www.east-windsor.nj.us, for any schedule changes for garbage or recycling collection that may be necessary due to the impending storm.
For general safety and preparedness information, visit www.ready.nj.gov.
