Lindenhurst Village Eyes Hurricane Sandy

The Village of Lindenhurst is keeping an eye on the latest storm threat that's set it sights on Long Island: Hurricane Sandy.

Latest Outlook
On Thursday National Weather Service meteorologist David Stark said the hurricane could transition to a post-tropical storm but could still be a "significant event," impacting Long Island.

"The biggest uncertainty we have is in the details," Stark said. "If the track does pan out, then we can expect heavy rains, strong winds, coastal flooding and strong waves."

Downed trees and power lines are also a strong possibility.

The storm, however, is still five days out, Stark said.

"It does appear that, rather than the storm going out to sea, there's a growing confidence that we'll be impacted. We just don't how bad it could be," he said.

Local Lindy Impact
What does that mean for Lindenhurst?

Village Administrator Shawn Cullinane told Lindenhurst Patch on Thursday afternoon the Village has had preliminary talks with the Department of Public Works, the Lindenhurst Fire Department and the emergency manager for the Village, Ray Fais.

"We're also waiting for the mayor to return, but we touched based with all of them to gauge readiness, check fuel levels, make sure we still had the right contact numbers," Cullinane said.

Mayor Tom Brennan is set to turn from being out of town early next week, but that might change, depending on the storm, Cullinane said.

In the meantime Village officials have only begun discussing preventative measures and cautionary steps that could be and might be taken ahead of Sandy - but it all depends on the forecasts.

"Right now we're watching the forecasts," he said.

As for how the Charles J. McCowan Marina (Lindy Docks) - which was ravaged last year by Irene and just had the final repairs to it completed this week - would hold up in the face of Sandy, Cullinane was cautiously confident.

"We don't think there should be a problem with it newly rebuilt, but it's always a concern, and you never know. We hope the Marina will hold up," he said. "This would be a test to get some waves on it and see how it'll do."

He felt the same way about the gazebo, which was ravaged by a March 2010 Noreaster and finally rebuilt and reopened earlier this year.

Tracking Sandy
But for now the Village will track Sandy and get its ducks in a row, just in case, should Sandy turn out to be as "signifcant" as current weather forecasts are indicating.

"We'll take all of the preventative and cautionary steps necessary," Cullinane said, but it's wait and watch right now as the final trajectory of the storn unfolds over the next few days.

Related:

• What You Need to Know for Hurricane Sandy
• Share Storm Photos Here: Lindenhurst Resident Photo of the Day
• Lindenhurst Village Concerned about Sandy's Potential Flooding 
• Tracking Hurricane Sandy: Guv Declares Emergency
• Red Cross Urges Long Islanders to Get Ready for Sandy Now
• Lindenhurst School District 'Vigilant' Ahead of Sandy 
• Suffolk County Prepares for Hurricane Sandy
• Lindenhurst Village Eyes Hurricane Sandy 
• Repairs to Lindenhurst Docks Are Complete 
• Hurricane Sandy: Another Perfect Storm?
• Repairs to Lindenhurst Docks Nearing Completion

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