Region braces for Sandy the Superstorm

7 p.m. – Except for emergency and essential personnel, the Philadelphia Housing Authority will be closed on Mon., Oct. 29.

6:15 p.m. – Mayor Nutter urges people to “please stay home” on Monday. Only essential employees are to come to work in Philadelphia on Monday.

Delaware state workers are being told to stay home on Monday as well. DART will not be running buses.

6 p.m. – Archdiocesan high schools and parish elementary schools in the city of Philadelphia will be closed on both Mon., Oct. 29, and Tues., Oct. 30.

3:15 p.m. – SEPTA service will be suspended beginning at 12:30 a.m. Mon. Oct. 29. NJ Transit will suspend service at 2 a.m. Monday.

3 p.m. – All School District of Philadelphia schools and administrative offices are closed for Mon., Oct. 29.  Also closed are all early childhood and after school programs. The general public and media are urged to monitor the District Web site at www.philasd.org for any updates.

2 p.m. – Click through for a photo gallery of images from around the area.

12 p.m. – The Press of Atlantic City reports that Cape May County shelters will open at 1 p.m. today. There is also an animal shelter that will open at 12 p.m. in Lower Township (full details here).

11:40 a.m. SEPTA is preparing for the possibility of system-wide disruptions and slow service conditions due to heavy rain, high winds, and flooding especially for Regional Rail West Trenton, Manayunk/Norristown, Warminster, and Chestnut Hill West Lines; bus routes 1, 9, 27, 35, 38, 61, 62, 65, 124, 125, R, and K; trolley/high speed routes, 10,11, 13, 15, 34, 36, 101, 102, and the Norristown High Speed Line.

11:30 a.m. According to CBS3, the Philadelphia Parking Authority has announced free metered and kiosk street parking beginning today through Wednesday morning.

Amtrak is cancelling some of its rail service Sunday between New York and DC, numerous airline flights have been cancelled at Philadelphia international airport and Governor Christie has announced that preparations are underway for the potential shutdown all NJT service effective Monday.

11:15 a.m. – NJ.com has a rolling list of state-wide closures in preparation for Sandy.

11 a.m. – Delawareonline.com reports that the State will open seven shelters at noon, today: William Penn High School, Middletown High School, Smyrna Middle School, Dover High School, Milford Middle School, Cape Henlopen High School, Indian River High School.

9:45 a.m. – NJ.com reports that the Christie administration announced tolls have been suspended on the northbound Garden State Parkway and westbound Atlantic City Expressway to help facilitate evacuations.

9 a.m. – According to the Press of Atlantic City, Egg Harbor Township police said Route 40, heading into Atlantic City, is currently closed in both directions due to flooding.

 

As Hurricane Sandy approaches the region Mayor Michael Nutter declared a state of emergency for the city of Philadelphia.

Nutter said Saturday that the state of emergency will begin at 5 a.m. Sunday and last until 5 p.m. Tuesday. He said there could be “24 to 36 hours of continuous heavy rain,” which combined with powerful winds could take down many trees and cause severe power outages.

Emergency officials are also warning of significant rainfall over much of the commonwealth, with possible flash flooding and river flooding. The rains and full moon could mean record flooding on the Delaware River and flooding on smaller streams.

Officials at the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency say one of their biggest concerns is the high wind the storm is packing. Agency spokeswoman Ruth Miller says such winds and saturated ground could easily result in downed trees and power lines, and residents need to be ready for widespread and prolonged power outages.

Officials have been warning people to get a supply of food and water as well as a battery-operated radio, secure objects outside, clear fallen leaves from rain gutters and street drains and beware of driving on flooded roads.

Sandy was about 260 miles (420 kilometers) south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and moving northeast at 13 mph as of 5 a.m. Sunday, according to the National Hurricane Center in Miami. The storm is expected to continue moving parallel to the Southeast coast most of the day and approach the coast of the mid-Atlantic states by Monday night, before reaching southern New England later in the week.