High winds and heavy rain left more than 100,000 residents across New York and New Jersey without power Christmas morning.
By 10 a.m. Con Edison reported about 17,000 customers in New York City were out of service, with 18,000 more customers in Westchester County, 16,000 in Orange County and 14,000 in Rockland County in the dark.
About 75,000 New Jersey residents remained without power at 9 a.m., the state’s Board of Public Utilities tweeted.
Gov. Andrew Cuomo directed the Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services throughout the Southern Tier, Hudson Valley and Capital Region.
“Rain and warm temperatures have already moved into much of the state, and with so much snow still on the ground, there is a very real chance some areas may see flooding on Christmas morning,” Cuomo said.
“Everything is being done to prepare for any potential impacts and the state stands ready to support any of our local partners who may need assistance. In the meantime, I urge everyone to celebrate smart and use caution if traveling over the next 48 hours.”
Swift water rescue teams have been pre-deployed to strategic locations throughout the state and are prepared to utilize resources ranging from pumps, sandbags and generators to cots, blankets and pillows, the governor’s office said.
Other state agencies are also preparing boats and other watercraft for deployment in the event they are needed, and agencies around the state are also at the ready to respond to wintery conditions and high wind.
Vehicles with three axles and empty tractor trailers are banned from MTA bridges on Christmas morning due to dangerous wind conditions, with gusts of up to 65 mph possible in New York City and Long Island, officials said.
2 to 3 inches of Christmas Day rainfall is being predicted across much of the state, and parts of the Catskills could see up to 6 inches of precipitation.
As much of the state grapples with rain, wind and unseasonably warm weather, Western New York is expecting a white Christmas, with 3 to 5 inches of lake effect snow predicted.
New Yorkers are urged to use extreme caution while traveling for the holidays, as standing water could freeze and turn into black ice as temperatures drop.
People traveling for the holidays should use extreme caution as standing water could freeze on Friday night, increasing the chances of black ice and hazardous travel conditions, officials warned.