Roadways closed

Cuomo addresses mounting coastal flooding concerns

Declares state of emergency for Nassau, region

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Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced at a 12:30 p.m. press conference that the Long Island Expressway and Northern State Parkway would close beginning at 2:30 p.m. on Saturday.

"Unless it is truly an emergency, you should not be on the road," Cuomo said. "I'm not a hyper-cautious person."

Additionally, all above-ground MTA services will be suspended beginning at 4 p.m. due to snow-related third rail malfunctions.

With a blizzard warning in effect until 7 a.m. Sunday, "a disaster is imminent for which the affected local governments are unable to respond adequately," the governor's executive order reads.

The statement orders the implementation of the state's emergency management plan and authorizes state agencies such as the Department of Transportation and the Office of Emergency Management to take steps to assist local governments and individuals. It also provides relief from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations to speed up the movement of power restoration crews throughout the state.

Besides Nassau, the affected counties are Suffolk, Westchester, Rockland, Orange and Putnam. New York City is also included.

Cuomo also addressed mounting coastal flooding concerns, as communities on the north and south shores of Long Island brace for the impact.

"There’s a tide tonight that we are concerned about," he said. "We’re organizing and prioritizing all our resources."

He mentioned that the Saturday morning high tide was well-handled by low-lying neighborhoods, but tonight's high tide will coincide with the full moon — drawing comparisons to 2012's superstorm Sandy.

“Everything that can be done in terms of equipment, boats, high axle vehicles is in place," he said, adding that the anticipated economic damage would be a "fraction" of what the state experienced in the wake of Sandy.