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How Hurricane Irene Might Affect New York State

Story Created: Aug 26, 2011 at 1:15 PM EDT

Story Updated: Aug 26, 2011 at 1:15 PM EDT

How Hurricane Irene Might Affect New York State:

- Forecasters predict Irene to make landfall Sunday as a Category 1 storm between New Jersey and Cape Cod.

- The National Weather Service has issued a hurricane watch and a flood watch for Long Island, New York City and Rockland, Westchester and Putnam counties.

- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg ordered the evacuation of nursing homes and hospitals located in low-lying coastal areas, such as Battery Park City in lower Manhattan, Coney Island in Brooklyn and Far Rockaway in Queens, beginning Friday.

- The governor declared a state of emergency and the state's Office of Emergency Management has increased staffing in its underground bunker.

- Last hurricane to hit was Hurricane Gloria in 1985 on Long Island as a Category 2 storm with winds gusts of up to 100 mph. Since then, numerous remnants of hurricanes that have struck the state.

- Officials expect to shut down the city's entire transit system at some point Saturday afternoon.

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