New York Governor Andrew Cuomo said the track of Tropical Storm Henri has shifted towards the Catskills and the capital region. Those areas should expect several inches of rain that can cause floods.
Cuomo said recent rainfall has saturated the ground. That means storm runoff cannot be absorbed, and even light winds could bring down trees.
“The storm hits Long Island, and then slows. A slow storm is a problematic storm, because when the storm slows, it continues to drop rain for an extended period of time,” Cuomo said.
Cuomo said Long Island still faces threats from wind, rain and storm surges along the north and south shores.
President Joe Biden has signed a pre-landfall emergency declaration for New York. That means local governments can get reimbursement for storm preparation like dune reinforcement.
Cuomo was asked by a reporter at Sunday’s storm briefing if he still plans to resign as of Monday. Cuomo said yes, but he is asking some of his staff to stay on past that time to aid with any storm cleanup.
"I have asked my emergency management team to the extent they were thinking of leaving Tuesday, that I would appreciate the accommodation for the good of the state if they could stay in place until this situation is completed, depending on what the aftermath needed to be," Cuomo said.
Cuomo also said he has been briefing Lieutenant Governor Kathy Hochul about the storm preparations. Hochul is scheduled to take the oath of office just past midnight on Tuesday morning, with a formal ceremony at 10 a.m., and a speech by Hochul to New Yorkers at 3 p.m. on Tuesday.
