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The weather has been gorgeous—and unseasonably warm—this past week but, alas, things won't stay the same for much longer.
According to the National Weather Service, the remnants of tropical storm Nicole, which is expected to hit southern and central Florida as a category 1 hurricane later today, will affect the New York and New Jersey area by tomorrow night.
Take out your rain coats and boots, New Yorkers! Meteorologist Garett Argianas told Gothamist that "the odds are very high that the storm will impact our area."
New Yorkers can expect an inch-and-a-half to 3 inches of rain, with "potential for some locally heavier amounts."
Although, once it does arrive to this side of the country, Nicole will technically no longer be considered a tropical cyclone, we should still brace ourselves for weather-related chaos (remember what happened when the remnants of Hurricane Ida hit us?).
As for how long it will actually rain here, it's anyone's guess. The good news is that, back in July, the city implemented a new plan called "Rainfall Ready NYC" to help residents properly deal with extreme conditions.
The released outline includes updated flood zone maps that will help citizens understand whether they live in an area at risk of flooding or not.
Other guidelines include clearing debris from catch basins in at-risk locations before storms and the expansion of the FloodNet system, "a network of street flooding sensors designed to better understand the frequency, severity, and impacts of flooding in New York City," according to an official press release. "These sensors will be installed in the most vulnerable areas for real-time data collection and will be accessible via a dashboard for public use beginning later this month."
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) is also planning on providing sandbags and flood barriers to residents in at-risk neighborhoods.
This would be the first time that the plan could officially be implemented since it was first made public. Let's see how well it actually works.