Listen to the weather man

From the NWS Mt. Holly NJ the lessons of Katrina are remembered

Personal plea 

•If you are being asked to evacuate a coastal location by state and local officials, please do so. 

•If you are reluctant to evacuate, and you know someone who rode out the ‘62 storm on the barrier islands, ask them if they would do it again. 

•If you are still reluctant, think about your loved ones, think about the emergency responders who will be unable to reach you when you make the panicked phone call to be rescued, think about the rescue/recovery teams who will rescue you if you are injured or recover your remains if you do not survive. 

•Sandy is an extremely dangerous storm. There will be major property damage, injuries are probably unavoidable, but the goal is zero fatalities. 

•If you think the storm is over-hyped and exaggerated, please err on the side of caution. You can call me up on Friday (contact information is at the end of this briefing) and yell at me all you want. 

•I will listen to your concerns and comments, but I will tell you in advance, I will be very happy that you are alive & well, no matter how much you yell at me. 

•Thanks for listening. 

•Gary Szatkowski – National Weather Service Mount Holly

Image from NPR Minnesota, which also has updates.  Surge level at the Battery in NYC is already a meter over high tide level, barometer is 990 and falling off a cliff