Piermont prepares for potential flooding from weekend nor’easter
Village officials are urging residents to prepare for flooding during high tides and possible power outages as a nor’easter approaches the Hudson River community.
The Village of Piermont is preparing for potential flooding and other impacts from a nor’easter expected this weekend.
Flooding is a familiar concern for residents, particularly in low-lying areas of the village.
A parking lot off Paradise Avenue regularly experiences rising water during high tide, even on sunny days.
Longtime resident Klaus Jacob said he is already making plans to move his vehicle to higher ground ahead of the storm.
"I will park at high grounds here in Piermont and not in my Bogertown Street, which will probably have about 2 feet of water," Jacob said.
Jacob said he has raised his home because of the area's frequent flooding.
To help residents protect their vehicles, the village has lifted overnight parking restrictions for the weekend, allowing people who normally park in flood-prone lots to move their cars to higher elevations.
Barricades and electronic signs have also been deployed to quickly restrict access to flooded areas when necessary.
Village officials are monitoring forecasts from the Stevens Flood Advisory System, which is forecasting several potential flooding events during high tides this weekend.
Mayor Nathan Mitchell said the village expects emergency crews to be active throughout the storm.
"Even if you think you've taken care of a problem, it comes back 12 hours later. And so we expect that our DPW crews and our fire and rescue crews will be operating throughout the weekend," Mitchell said.
Mitchell said his greatest concern is the potential impact of strong winds.
"The possibility of having a lot of high wind gusts that could take down trees and lead to a loss of power and that's problematic for everyone in the modern times. Without electricity, nothing, at all, works. Including people's sump pumps but also including medical equipment," Mitchell said.
The local firehouse at 554 Piermont Avenue will serve as an emergency shelter if the Village of Piermont and the Village of Grandview-on-Hudson experience an extended power outage.
The mayor of Grandview-on-Hudson wants her residents to know that they can move their calls to the Village Hall parking lot during the storm and use the facility to charge devices as long as the building has power and is safe to access.
