South Shore Anticipates Flooding, Strong Winds From Ophelia

HEMPSTEAD, NY — Tropical Storm Ophelia formed off North Carolina and Nassau's south shore is expected to see the brunt on Saturday.

The Town of Hempstead is in preparation mode for significant rainfall.

A coastal flood advisory is in effect for the southern part of the county on Saturday afternoon.

The forecast also calls for winds gusting in excess of 55 miles per hour.

"We don't want this sneaking up on us," Supervisor Don Clavin told Patch. "We are expecting trees to come down."

The combination of heavy rain, wind and high tide will cause problems this weekend.

"We've had groups focusing on the south shore making sure that storm drains are cleared," Clavin said.

With the anticipated bad weather, NICE Bus is advising riders to check its website or mobile app for updates about service delays, detours or cancellations.

The soaking rain could tally as much as three inches on parts in the area. PSEG Long Island is also taking proactive steps to avoid outages.

"We have a full complement of personnel who can mobilize storm mode if needed. In the event of any outages, our crews will work to safely restore service as quickly as conditions will allow," Michael Sullivan, vice president of Electric Operations at PSEG Long Island, said.

Ophelia isn't expected to clear out the area until Sunday afternoon.

"If need be, just stay off the roads for the weekend," Clavin said.