New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani

NEW YORK — New York City officials issued a travel advisory Friday as a nor'easter approaches the region, with the storm's forecast track shifting closer to the city and expected to bring heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding through Sunday morning.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and New York City Emergency Management announced the advisory would take effect beginning at 2 p.m. Friday and remain in place through Sunday, after the National Weather Service updated the storm's projected path closer to the city. Mamdani addressed the shifting forecast directly. "The forecast path of this storm has moved closer to our city, and it is bringing more rain and stronger winds with it," Mamdani said. "City workers are clearing catch basins, preparing for downed trees and positioning emergency resources in areas that could see coastal flooding."

Forecasters expect the storm to deliver 2 to 3 inches of rain citywide, with some localized areas potentially seeing 4 to 5 inches where heavy rain repeatedly moves over the same locations. The heaviest rainfall is expected to arrive Saturday, potentially beginning early in the day and continuing through the remainder of the weekend.

Wind gusts of 40 to 50 mph are forecast from Friday night through Saturday night, with a wind advisory taking effect at 2 p.m. Friday alongside the travel advisory. City officials warned that already-saturated ground, combined with trees still carrying their full canopy of leaves this time of year, could increase the likelihood of downed branches and power lines during the height of the storm.

Coastal flooding represents a significant concern tied to the storm's timing around this weekend's high tides. The city identified two specific windows of heightened risk: Friday evening between roughly 7:30 and 8:30 p.m., and Saturday morning between approximately 7:30 and 8:40 a.m. Southern Queens, including the Rockaways and the Jamaica Bay area, along with portions of Staten Island and Brooklyn's shorelines, face the highest risk of moderate coastal flooding during those periods.

New York City Emergency Management Commissioner Christina Farrell detailed the specific areas of greatest concern and urged residents to take precautions ahead of the storm. "We are particularly watching the Friday evening and Saturday morning high tides, especially in the Rockaways, around Jamaica Bay and along the Staten Island and Brooklyn shorelines," Farrell said. "Move your car away from streets that regularly flood, secure anything outside that could become airborne and never drive or walk through floodwater."

The city has activated its flash flood emergency plan in response to the storm and is coordinating directly with the National Weather Service, state agencies and utility providers as the storm approaches. Officials are urging residents to allow extra time for travel throughout the weekend and to check the status of transit, ferry and flight schedules before heading out. Residents living in basement or ground-floor apartments located in flood-prone areas were specifically advised to identify multiple exit routes from their homes in advance and be prepared to move to higher floors if conditions worsen during the storm.

City beaches, which officially closed for the season on September 13, remain closed with no lifeguards on duty during the storm. Forecasters are warning of a high risk of rip currents and dangerous surf conditions through the weekend, and swimming remains prohibited at city beaches during this period.

Beyond the flooding and wind concerns, officials are advising residents to take general storm preparation steps, including securing loose outdoor items that could be blown around by the strong winds, fully charging electronic devices ahead of potential power outages, and checking in on neighbors who may need additional assistance during the storm.

City officials reiterated standard emergency reporting guidance amid the storm preparations: residents facing an immediate danger should call 911, while non-emergency issues, including reports of downed trees or minor flooding, can be reported to the city's 311 information line. New Yorkers can also sign up to receive official city emergency alerts directly by texting NOTIFYNYC to 692692 or visiting the city's NotifyNYC website.

The advisory comes as New York City continues to face increasingly frequent severe weather events, with coastal flooding and heavy rainfall events becoming a recurring seasonal concern for low-lying neighborhoods across the five boroughs. With the storm's heaviest impacts expected to arrive Saturday and continue through Sunday morning, city officials are urging residents throughout the affected areas to remain alert to updated forecasts and follow any additional guidance issued by New York City Emergency Management as the storm develops over the coming days.