Hermine Update: Post-Tropical Cyclone Will Just Miss NYC Over Labor Day Holiday

Note: We’ll be updating this post as weather predictions change, so check back.

NEW YORK, NY — A major storm system that formed in the Gulf of Mexico last week and made its way up the Atlantic coast this weekend, given the clunky moniker Hermine (pronounced "her-mean"), will likely cause strong winds and storm surges in the New York City area Monday and Tuesday — aka, the Labor Day holiday, aka, the day thousands of New Yorkers plan to celebrate J'Ouvert and Carnival in the streets of Brooklyn — according to graphics drawn up by government weather officials.

Hermine was originally expected to have a much more severe effect on NYC.

However, the National Weather Service (NWS) warned Sunday that a "tropical storm warning" was still in effect for the region while Hermine lingers a few hundred miles off the coast.

"The center of Hermine will meander slowly off the mid Atlantic coast for the next couple of days," causing probable "tropical storm force winds" and "significant storm surge with moderate to locally major coastal flooding," the NWS warning said.

"Hazardous seas, dangerously rough surf and a life-threatening rip current risk can also be expected through the weekend and into early next week," the warning said.

NWS meteorologists predicted Long Island would see some rainfall during this time, but that NYC would likely stay dry.

Still, local officials warned New Yorkers to remain alert Monday and Tuesday as the storm passed nearby. Winds could reach up to 40 mph, the NWS said, and coastal areas could see two feet of flooding.

“This storm is expected to bring very strong winds to NYC over the next few days,” Mayor Bill de Blasio said Saturday. “Tropical-storm-force winds can lead to power outages and create dangerous conditions, so make sure you secure loose objects like garbage cans and patio umbrellas and take precautions this weekend.”

All NYC beaches were closed to swimming, surfing, and bathing on Sunday and Monday, the mayor said.

According to Cuomo, stockpiles at JFK Airport and on Long Island include:

• 29 generators
• 58 light towers
• 252,000 bottles of water
• 97,104 ready-to-eat meals
• 19,200 Kosher ready-to-eat meals
• 155 pumps that range from 2-inch, 3-inch, 4-inch and 6-inch
• Two sandbaggers; 200,000 sandbags

As of Sunday evening, the weather forecast showed a slight chance of rain on Labor Day, then a slight chance of rain again on Tuesday night. Other than that, and aside from any big wind gusts Hermine sends over, the remainder of the holiday weekend should be pretty pleasant, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s.

Images courtesy of the NWS