The organization lifted the Tropical Storm warning for the city Sunday night, but officials said Hermine could still bring high winds and rip currents to the coast and beaches remained closed to swimmers on Monday.
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The storm, which claimed at least two lives, in Florida and North Carolina, is expected to stall off the coast of New Jersey and other major population centers in the Northeast for several days, according to the National Hurricane Center.
There likely will be no rain in the D.C. area Saturday, but that may change Sunday as the storm slows and takes a turn toward the north. Bands of rainfall could then swing westward along the Interstate 95 corridor and into the D.C. area Sunday and Labor Day.
The only tropical storm warnings that remain in effect are the eastern portions of Long Island, the eastern CT coastline and the southern coastlines of Rhode Island and MA.
Hermine was the first hurricane to strike Florida in more than a decade, and two deaths – one in Florida and one in North Carolina – have been blamed on the storm.
The forecast early Sunday had the storm moving further out to sea and expected to stall off CT for a few days, bringing winds and rain.
Labor Day visitors to beaches along the Jersey Shore could expect mostly cloudy skies and gusty winds, but dry conditions, Gaines said. “Something is going to happen”.
Tropical Storm Hermine will affect the Rhode Island and MA coasts with win, rough surf, unsafe rip currents and beach erosion. Exactly how far west the storm comes will directly impact Hermine’s effects in the area.
At 8 p.m. ET Saturday, the National Hurricane Center reported that Hermine’s top sustained winds were at 70 mph, just shy of hurricane strength winds of 74 mph, as it moved east-northeast at 12 mph.
Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe declared a state of emergency Friday under the potential threat of damaging high winds, heavy rainfall and a risky storm surge and flooding.
Officials also noted that strong winds associated with the system could knock down trees and power lines, spurring outages.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency Saturday for Ocean, Atlantic and Cape May counties.
After Tropical Storm Hermine was upgraded from a storm watch to a warning, Staten Islanders headed out to grocery stores to stock up on groceries. In New York, for example, Mayor Bill de Blasio told CNN that no swimming will be allowed on New York beaches on Sunday and possible Monday and Tuesday as well.
Tyrrell County Sheriff Darryl Liverman told the Virginian-Pilot that high winds tipped over an 18-wheeler, killing its driver and shutting down the USA 64 bridge.
Hermine, the first hurricane to make landfall in Florida in 11 years, swept ashore on Friday near the town of St. Marks with winds of 80 miles per hour.
The winds and rain were so strong Saturday in North Carolina that all bridges to the Outer Banks were closed following a deadly accident over the intracoastal waterway. The water could reach 3 to 5 feet at Atlantic City and south at high tide.
Earlier in Florida, a homeless man died from a falling tree.
“We are reminding people to refrain from going into the water”.
Anna Marie and Pete Coady, from Frisco, North Carolina, says their street is completely flooded and it looks like their home is “basically in the sound”.
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“Right now, it’s looking like we’re not having much of any beach fun”, she said.
