Monitoring the Storm: How Emergency Officials Handled the New Year’s Eve Event
Real-Time Monitoring at Command Center
Emergency officials have been engaged in real-time monitoring of the storm moving through New York City with the National Weather Service, New Year’s Eve event planners, and the Times Square Alliance at a command center in the area, according to sources with knowledge of the situation.
Assessing Lightning Strikes
Each time a lightning strike appeared to be within 12 miles of Times Square, they convened a meeting to take a closer look. However, the more dangerous “concentrated lightning clusters” that would have triggered a shutdown of the ball drop event, according to their plan, were further south and east of the city, those sources tell News 4.
Inclement Weather Conditions
There were a couple lightning strikes in the vicinity of Times Square, and thunder could be heard in the area. The worst of the rain and downpours had moved out of the city by 11:15 p.m., though rain showers were still occurring on Long Island and in Fairfield County, Connecticut, according to Storm Team 4 Meteorologist Matt Brickman.
Decision-Making Process
Ultimately, the decision is up to the event producers who have been in the command center with city officials to monitor the radar.
Rainfall Totals
Almost a half inch of rain fell in New York City on Tuesday evening.
Conclusion
Emergency officials took a proactive approach to monitoring the storm and its impact on the New Year’s Eve event in Times Square. By convening meetings to assess lightning strikes and consulting with radar data, they were able to make informed decisions about the safety of the event.
FAQs
Q: How did emergency officials monitor the storm?
A: Emergency officials monitored the storm in real-time with the National Weather Service, New Year’s Eve event planners, and the Times Square Alliance at a command center in the area.
Q: What was the decision-making process for the ball drop event?
A: The decision was ultimately up to the event producers who were in the command center with city officials to monitor the radar.
Q: How much rain fell in New York City?
A: Almost a half inch of rain fell in New York City on Tuesday evening.
