Death Spiral

A depressing headline! Deal with it!

So, Hurricane/Nor 'Easter Sandy destroyed thousands of trees. Trees breathe in carbon dioxide and breathe out oxygen (the latter of which we thank them kindly for, since we humans breathe that). Oh, and then we humans produce too much carbon dioxide by our cars and stuff, which in turn is warming the planet, which in turn creates humongous storms like Sandy, which in turn destroys thousands of trees which are no longer there to breathe in the extra carbon dioxide (and give us oxygen to breathe), and all that extra carbon dioxide which these nice trees are no longer there to breathe in creates the global warming which creates the humongous storms which destroys more trees...(rinse and repeat)

From The NY Times:

Sandy Uprooted Trees by the Thousands in NY, NJ They fell by the thousands, like soldiers in some vast battle of giants, dropping to the earth in submission to a greater force.

Snow on Sandy Damage

A friend of mine sent this from last night of snow on damage from Sandy in the Gardens...

What Happened to the Aquarium?

I had been wondering about this, a favorite of mine since I was a kid...

Hurricane Filled New York Aquarium With Dangerous Substance: Water

The New York Aquarium faced the biggest crisis in its history when Hurricane Sandy hit.

Pictures from Belle Harbor

Gas Shortages

This is what it looked like in Jamaica this morning as cars, and people, lined up for gas:

70th Avenue Destruction

This is what Sandy wrought on 70th Avenue between Metropolitan Ave. and Sybilla St. The reader who sent these in said there was no damage to her house, but they were without electricity:

More Sandy Photos

Thanks again to everyone who has sent in photos. There've been a lot, so I'm trying to post as many as I can.

Grenfell St betw 80th Rd and Union Tpke

Burns St and Union Tpke

Another view, Burns St and Union Tpke

Inside Arbor Close (75th Ave btw Queens Blvd & Austin)

Grenfell St, Kew Gardens

From Jet Blue's Twitter feed today. I assume this is LaGuardia.

More Sandy Pics from Readers

Thanks to everyone for sending in your photos. Email pics to edgeofthecity@gmail.com

A downed tree in front of Kennedy House.

Bethel Farm's awning went projectile @ 10pm last night.

67th & Queens Blvd.

Tree down on Exeter, just east of 68th Ave.

More Sandy Pics

Thanks... keep sending them in as you find them: edgeofthecity@gmail.com

The Aftermath

Readers sent these in this morning. Send your pics to edgeofthecity@gmail.com

The entrance to a building on 67 and Queens Blvd.

72nd Road, between Austin and Queens Blvd.

Entrance to the TD Bank on Queens Blvd.

Traffic lights blinking this morning on Queens Blvd.

Sandy Update

The storm is now starting to get going here in Forest Hills. The first significant outer bands just moved across Queens. It should get significantly more vicious from here on in, through tonight. Good luck everyone! Comment below this post on what you experience if you can.

Preparing for Sandy

Some scenes from Austin St. and nearby late this afternoon:

Hurricane Sandy - Some Thoughts

As I just shared on my Twitter feed, I cannot recall a forecast for a storm to hook off the Atlantic and then make a beeline for the New Jersey shore. Hurricanes in this area, including Irene last year, usually move over us in a south to north direction, not east to west like Sandy is currently forecast to do. And they usually move pretty fast once they reach us.

What is most scary at this moment is that this storm is forecast to actually be stronger than the Perfect Storm, the 1991 storm featured in the movie, and it is expected to move over us very slowly.

If the storm does actually follow this forecasted track, it could be devastating for the Long Island, NYC metro area, especially anywhere along the coast lines. And, because this storm is forecast to not move very fast and hover for a couple of days over the area, wind damage could be extensive as many trees, which still have their leaves, begin to fall.

The 1938 Long Island Express storm

I grew up on the south shore of Long Island, in Nassau County, and while we had many hurricane scares over the years, none ended up being as bad as some of the most dire forecasts. The same goes for Irene last year. So, it's understandable that many local residents might not take Sandy seriously, thinking it, too, will fizzle out as it approaches and not be as bad as they are warning.

Historically speaking, however, our area has been overdue for quite some time for a major hurricane-like storm of the magnitude of the famous Long Island Express storm of September, 1938. It could be that after years of warnings, Sandy might be the first to actually rival that historic storm and bring our area that once in a century event.

All Eyes on Hurricane Sandy

The latest analysis from the weather experts is that things are looking more and more likely for an historic storm to move towards the NYC metro area as early as this Sunday. While there's been some uncertainty as to the direct path of the storm, the weather models are coming more into alignment that the hurricane will not swing out to sea but loop into the East Coast, possibly near New Jersey or Long Island. This would mean a direct hit for our area and the potential for a storm of historic magnitude. Stay tuned...