Suffolk County To See Heavy Rains and Damaging Winds Today and Tomorrow

Long Island Morning Edition

A strong storm moving toward the coast from the west will bring damaging winds, heavy rains and flooding later today through late tonight, prompting warnings from the National Weather Service for the region, including eastern Suffolk County. As reported on Riverheadlocal.com, a high wind warning and a coastal flood warning are in effect this afternoon through the overnight hours. A flood watch for possible flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is also in effect.

East winds of 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 60 mph are expected this afternoon and evening. The high wind warning is in effect from 11 a.m. today through 6 a.m. tomorrow.

Damaging winds will blow down trees and power lines. Widespread power outages are expected across the region. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles, per the National Weather Service.

An additional 2 to 2 ½ inches of rainfall is expected this morning through early Thursday, with most of the rain coming this afternoon and evening.

Widespread flooding of vulnerable areas near the waterfront and shoreline is likely — including roads, parking lots, parks, lawns, and homes and businesses with basements near the waterfront. Numerous road closures are likely, and vehicles parked in vulnerable areas near the waterfront will likely become flooded, according to the weather service. Flooding will also extend inland from the waterfront along tidal rivers and bays.

Along the twin forks, breaking waves of 4 to 8 feet Wednesday evening and Thursday morning, along with elevated water levels, will result in beach erosion with damage to shoreline structures possible, the National Weather Service said. Waves splashing over bulkheads and seawalls will likely exacerbate flooding of shoreline roadways and properties.

Storm warnings are in effect for all local waters.

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Members of the Town of Southampton Youth Bureau recently participated in the YMCA’s annual Youth and Government conference in Albany. As reported on 27east.com, a total of 13 students from Westhampton Beach, Hampton Bays, Pierson, and Southampton high schools attended. Leading up to it, the students spent six months writing their own bills to amend current legislation. Students then had the opportunity to represent the Town of Southampton Youth Bureau and debate their proposed bills in the chambers of the New York State Assembly during the three-day statewide conference that took place March 22 to 24.

Youth and Government offers the opportunity for students to learn about a wide variety of issues, develop critical thinking skills, and articulate their beliefs while engaging constructively with their peers from around the State.

Southampton Town Councilman Tommy John Schiavoni, Assistant Director of Youth Bureau Peter Strecker, and Youth Services Specialist Cara Conklin-Wingfield accompanied the students to the Albany conference.

“After months of dedication to the YMCA Youth and Government program, students from Southampton Town showcased their leadership potential with excellence alongside 700 peers from across New York State. Congratulations to all who participated.” said Schiavoni.

The Town of Southampton Youth Bureau received an endorsement for one of the proposed bills from this year’s Youth Governor.

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Work began last week in Southampton Village to create a turning lane and pedestrian islands on Hill Street near First Neck Lane and Varadian Way. The islands are intended to keep traffic flowing during peak travel hours on the busy road on the western side of the village’s downtown area. Cailin Riley reports on 27east.com that the Southampton Village Board hired VHB Engineering to come up with a solution in that area, where westbound drivers seeking to make a left-hand turn on First Neck often slow down the rest of the westbound traffic, further complicating an area that already has traffic congestion challenges during the evening commute. The turning lane will allow traffic in the right lane to continuously flow, unimpeded by motorists waiting to make a left turn onto First Neck. Southampton Village Mayor Bill Manger said the entire section of Hill Street from First Neck to Windmill Lane will be repaved, which will require a temporary detour for a short period of time. The village will need to wait for the weather to be warm enough to pave the road, which could happen as early as next week.

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NYS Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie (D-Bronx) doubled down yesterday on his stance that stiffer penalties don’t deter criminals. Vaughn Golden reports in THE NY POST that Heastie — who has previously opposed proposed rollbacks of the state’s controversial 2019 criminal-justice reforms — landed in hot water last week when he balked at backing Gov. Kathy Hochul’s push to stiffen punishments for thugs who assault retail workers, claiming, “I just don’t believe raising penalties is ever a deterrent to crime.”

“I was simply asked a question of, ‘Do I believe that increasing penalties deters crime,’ and I gave a simple answer, ‘No,’ ” Speaker Heastie told reporters Tuesday. “I don’t believe, in the history of increasing penalties, has that ever been the reason that crime has gone down.”

Governor Hochul has been pushing the state legislature to jack up penalties for thugs who assault retail workers to the same levels as attacks on nurses, firefighters and sanitation workers. The governor is making the push as part of a package of measures to crack down on retail theft. Her proposal also includes funding for state police and district attorneys to better catch crooks, especially sophisticated organized rings that pilfer stolen goods. Heastie has left the door open on other aspects of Hochul’s proposal, but the increased-penalties component remains a sticking point. State Sen. Jessica Scarcella-Spanton (D-Staten Island) sponsored a bill that mirrors Hochul’s proposal for increased penalties.

She told The Post yesterday that she thinks penalties are deterrents, but even if not, they should still be harsher to at least send a message that Albany cares about the same employees they hailed as frontline workers during the COVID-19 pandemic. “If [opponents] don’t see it as a deterrent, then I think they need to start seeing it as valuing workers and their lives,” Scarcella-Spanton said. She called for the proposal not to be dropped from the state’s proposed budget.

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Residents impacted by the often storm-socked Dune Road, among other areas in Southampton's towns and villages, will now have a new emergency preparedness notification system. Lisa Finn reports on Patch.com that the Southampton Town departments of public safety and emergency management have partnered with the Villages of Quogue, Westhampton Beach and West Hampton Dunes to implement a new "Notify Me" notification group.

Initiated after emergency preparedness discussions between the Town of Southampton and

the Village of Quogue, Southampton town officials are embarking upon the new community notification effort to be able to convey important information to residents quickly.

Two new notification lists have been created in the town’s Notify Me system. A new Dune Road closures/emergencies notification list, as well as a Village of Quogue residents' notification list, have been created, town officials said.

The two new notification group lists will allow residents in those areas to sign up to receive email notifications about incidents and events that are expected to have specific impacts to their communities.

To sign up for notifications click here.

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The Unitarian Universalist Congregation of the South Fork (UUCSF), under the leadership of Reverend Kimberly Quinn Johnson, is now accepting applications for the latest round of High Impact Community Outreach (HICO) grants to support local non-profits and community organizations.

The High Impact Community Outreach program targets local nonprofit groups, grassroots organizations, and national organizations with East End offices.

Over the last four years, High Impact Community Outreach awarded $156,000 to 25 outstanding Long Island nonprofits. HICO provides financial assistance to institutions residing in or servicing any of the five Eastern Townships —East Hampton, Southampton, Shelter Island, Riverhead and Southold, and to the Shinnecock Nation.

To apply for a HICO grant, click here. Applications are available on the website and can be submitted electronically and via mail. Questions can be directed to [e-mail] or call 631.537.0132.

The application deadline is May 1 and awards are expected to be announced in July 2024.

HICO’s 2024 Focus is targeting four specific needs: Support for new entrants to our community; Access to health care, including mental health services; Eldercare addressing loneliness, isolation, health and safety; and Promoting engagement with our history, cultural heritage or Democratic process.

The HICO program is made possible by the generous bequest of UUCSF member Paul Berman.

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Long Island’s housing growth rate was among the slowest in the United States from 2012 to 2022, according to a new report. Jonathan LaMantia reports on Newsday.com that the number of housing units, including houses and apartments, in Suffolk County increased 2% during that 11-year period, while the number of units in Nassau increased 2.7%.

That placed Nassau 131st and Suffolk 132nd among 141 U.S. counties with 500,000 people or more, according to the analysis by Construction Coverage, which publishes research for builders and the real estate industry. The report used data on housing units from the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey.

During the period, Suffolk added 11,238 units and Nassau added 12,423.

Restrictive zoning, environmental constraints and opposition from community members are among the obstacles to building, said Mike LaFirenza, CEO of San Diego-based Construction Coverage.

“It’s a lot more difficult to add to a community that’s existed for a century or more and try to add new housing units when many residents have been there for decades,” LaFirenza said.

Long Island housing advocates and real estate experts have cited a lack of new construction as contributing to rising rents and home prices.

During the period the report covers, the median sale price among all residential properties increased 81% in Suffolk to $543,000 and 71% in Nassau to $650,000, according to OneKey MLS data.

Since then, prices have continued to climb, and the number of homes on the market hit a 40-year low in late 2023.

Slow housing growth in the suburbs led Gov. Kathy Hochul to propose last year the creation of a state board that could override local zoning decisions in areas with little housing growth. Many Long Island lawmakers opposed that plan and instead Hochul has pursued an incentive-based approach for communities that approve housing.