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Continued Coverage of Hurricane Sandy; Massive Storm Headed Up the East Coast
Aired October 28, 2012 - 22:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DON LEMON, CNN ANCHOR: Don Lemon here at live at CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. Top of the hour. Tonight, the hurricane center well, it is the center of the universe, really, because we are all about hurricane Sandy. It is on the way to landfall, probably just a few hours from now.
Take a look now live, New York city, the skyline looks calm, but not for long. That enormous category one hurricane is spinning up the coast right now, and forecasters are expected to see turn toward land tonight.
Hurricane Sandy, going to do some major damage. New York city is preparing for the worst. They have stopped the subways. They stopped the buses. They cancelled classes. Airlines, rounded their jets. Nothing is moving in and out of JFK and LaGuardia, also Newark. And Chad Myers with an update moments away.
Sandy's full force hasn't even gotten closer but you would know that in Ocean City, Maryland. The wind is whipping and the rain slamming down massive power outages and flooding, all expected.
CNN's Sandra Endo has been braving it out for us in Ocean City, Maryland.
Sandy, a lot of people are concerned about you. We told them that you are OK. But, there are many people there who are there are in harm's way where you are, and the mayor said to evacuate, get out.
SANDRA ENDO, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Absolutely, Don. And a lot of people have heeded that warning here in Ocean City. And last time we spoke, the winds have picked up, the rain, it certain coming down. And we heard a crash, some kind of glass. You can take a look at what happened here.
The wind just knocked down the glass globe protecting that light fixture here, and you can see it down on the ground right there shattered in pieces, and that because, as I mentioned in the last hour or so, the wind has really picked up here. The rains are coming down constantly all day long, and the real issue for this area is the storm surge. You have been talking about that on the air for quite some time. It is a real issue here, because you can take a look at the waves. Look at the ocean right now. The waves are very fierce. They are big. And they are lapping the shoreline right now. That protective sand dune you see right there, the waves are hitting it, and it is about 100 yards from where the buildings are. So, if we are not even at the heart of feeling the effects of hurricane sand is, it will be interesting to see what happens in 24 hours or so from now, Don.
LEMON: OK. Sandy, we will talk to you again through this, and it is easier this time.
So, you were saying earlier, you were talking about the temperature, that it felt colder. Chad said, as you know, that's you get that in the hurricanes. This is later in the year so that the temperatures outside just happens to be lower. Talk to me about that especially the most winds picked up earlier and moves (INAUDIBLE).
ENDO: We are certainly feeling a lot of squalls, strong squalls, and that is pretty much forecast for the rest of the time until Sandy makes its way over here sometime tomorrow night. And after covering a lot of hurricanes, Son, the only thing that is interesting about this is really is the unique thing, the temperature is certainly much colder than normal, and of course, Chad Myers is the expert on that. He can tell you why with the convergence of the systems and all that, but a certainly a very hard pelting rain that does not let up.
The squalls certainly make it worse, but we have not seen one break all day long in terms of the rains and the winds. And of course, this is only the beginning for our areas. So, certainly more than 24 hours to go. And of course, the duration of the storm is a big concern to local residents and officials here, because that constant rain plus the high tide, plus the full moon, all those factors could equal a really massive storm surge. And that is what they are looking out for and bracing for here in Ocean City.
LEMON: Hey, Chad Myers has a question for you. But, as we are looking at that there was a high shot. It looks like you are in pool either it is under construction or drainage. Tell us - tell us where you are. Explain where you are for our viewers because I'm curious. I'm sure they are as well. And then, Chad has a question for you.
ENDO: Yes. We are actually trying to hunker down and brace ourselves on this little gazebo where we are on the pool deck of a ocean front hotel. This is a very popular tourist destination. I'm sorry, Eddie, to make you face the wind right now, but you can see behind me, there is a pool, there is a water slide. Obviously, the pool is empty, because it is not high tourist time which is maybe the silver ling in all of this that there are not more visitors here in Ocean City.
Because of course, there is a mandatory evacuation for all nonresidents, and a mandatory evacuation for people in Downtown Ocean City. But again, if it hit during the summer months, the warmer weather, there would be many more people out here enjoying or trying to enjoy the beautiful coastline,. But again, luckily, it is not hitting during that time. But the mayor forcing a lot of people to leave their town.
CHAD MYERS, AMS METEOROLOGIST: Sandra, this is more of a comment than anything else than a question. In about 30 minutes, your winds are going to double. There is a big squall still offshore, but headed your way. I want you to be very mindful of that as you do other live shots for other networks, other places. This is not anything to be taken lightly. We have seen what this can do with tearing some of those things off of the building.
Have you seen other damage since you lost that light bulb or whatever that was, that light fixture above you a little bit ago?
ENDO: Well, that is certainly the first thing or sign of damage that we have seen here, Chad. We are trying to stay protected. Eddie (INAUDIBLE) doing an amazing job out in the elements as are the other photographers hunkered down in balconies. You can take a look. They are trying to brace themselves alongside the walls. But clearly, like you said, Chad, thanks for the head's up, that it is going to be more severe here. You can look, Eddie, at this light post right here. We have been watching this one because it has been shaking in the wind. We are kind of anticipating that maybe the next to go, but of course, we are trying to stay safe out here. The good news in all of this is that we have seen the residents flee town. We have seen people board up their homes and their shops today. So, taking things very seriously out here in Ocean City.
LEMON: All right. So Sandra, you are done. Thank you. Get safe. We don't want you to get injured out there.
ENDO: Thank you.
LEMON: So be very safe. I hope you are done with the rest of the networks as well and for our affiliates. Do you have any more questions for Sandra?
MYERS: No. Just be safe out there.
LEMON: No, just be safe out there, guys. Yes. We do know what it is like. We appreciate it. Great reporting, by the way. Great reporting. Sandra Endo.
MYERS: So cold out there for her.
You cannot see it on TV, but I could see her shivering. I could see it because the temperatures is only about 60 degrees there. Soaking wet. Even with the rain jacket on, you either sweating from the inside or draining right through it. And all of the sudden, the winds are 60, you feel cold. That is yeoman's work out there.
LEMON: And I always wonder why people go outside, why would anyone want to go outside in that? I just don't get it. I mean, the people who are supposed to be at the emergency people, the reporters of course are going to be out there, but I swear, last night it was cold here in Atlanta. I just going to walk to the local watering hole, I was like, you know what, it is cold out here.
MYERS: Yes. A few thousand people without power, about ten miles north of station due to the winds in Atlanta. The first power outages of the storm are 700 miles from the storm. Believe it or not. The winds are bound, winter at 40 miles per hour everywhere now, and this is now coming up.
LEMON: Someone handed you a note. New info?
MYERS: No, not really. There is still the potential for $2.5 to $3 billion in wind damage alone and some of the estimates of people without power now, well in excess of 10 million. As the ground is wet, the winds blow hard and the trees come down, the power lines come down as well. And there is a risk of, you know, the grid having an issue with too many lines down. Please don't touch a power line tonight or tomorrow or whatever.
LEMON: OK. Take to us the wall, sir. What do you have there?
MYERS: Well, a couple of things that I were just tweeting about and I know there. I have a couple of thousand viewers - people listening to that, but not the people that I have on TV. I want you to charge your cell phone. I want you to turn your freezer down. Get all of that stuff in your freezer good and hard frozen. Get out there and if you have a car charger, you can use it to charge the phone if you can still run the car and start the car.
A couple -- just those little things that you don't think about until it is right on top of you. Get some water in the tub, because you will use that water later.
Here is the storm, I am talking about the squall right through there and there is Sandra Endo right there in Ocean City, and the squall is about to come over the top. As the squalls come over the shore, this is the Delmarva all the way down passed Hampton road, and even into Cape Hatteras. That is the biggest wind event we have seen so far with this storm. It continues to go up. We don't have landfall, Don, for 20 more hours, maybe, 15 or 20 more hours. This is going to in the water for a long time. It is not going to be stronger, but it going to gather its energy. I and gather the wind here from the ENDO: , and warm here, and warm and cold never like to get together. Just like a tornado event. There is not going to be tornadoes, but there could be thunderstorms that produce more wind on op top of the 50 to 60-mile-an-hour winds that you will see. There is the storm, and look at how big it is. Look at the west. Nothing going on here. It is spinning around out there and it w is going to gather the windy here from the west, it's cold here, warm her, warm and cold. Never might be to be good together, just like a tornado event. -for days, and we will have 60 inches of snow in West Virginia and it is snowing in parts of Virginia, and this is the cold that will interact with the warm to make this storm one plus one equals three. This is not a cat one storm. It has cat one winds and cat three pressure and it is going to go for many, many days.
MYERS: The potential, and I'm reading the note, potential of $2.5 to $3.5 million wind damage.
ENDO: Well, it is plus the storm surge and everything else that will go wrong.
And Chad, you and I had a talk with a earth scientist and expert on coastal hurricanes, and he says that the heavy rainfall is not the thing that he worried about, but it is a fascinating conversation. Listen to this some of this. (BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
NICHOLAS COCH, PROFESSOR, QUENTIN COLLEGE: A lot of the talk so far has been about the water rising in New York harbor, but when you look at the wind field and the direction, long island sound is a worse problem than New York harbor, because those winds are going to push the water on long island sound into that western part of New York. Flood Astoria and city island, be but at the same time you will see a storm surge coming in, and it will be terrible combination.
MYERS: Professor, when the water comes up the east river and tries to come down the east river to the sound, what are you going to see?
COCH: Right. So, we are going some massive flooding. Massive flooding. In Irene, it came close to about a foot of getting into the subway at south ferry, but I think that we have a good chance to get salt water in the subway for the first time.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
LEMON: That is one of the most fascinating conversations we have had throughout the coverage. I mean, that guy knows his stuff, Chad
Another guy who knows he staff his right in of the hurricane in the aircraft, and we will go to him next. We will leave you for a little bit and live pictures of Ocean City, Maryland.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: That picture right there should tell you something that is happening. That is not normal, people. It is the start of it, and just is the start of it. You saw from the very balcony right there, that very deck that it was hard to move around because the winds were so strong. Imagine how it is going to be the closer that hurricane Sandy gets ashore and makes landfall. Chances are the water will be over that pier. There is Sandra Endo, our intrepid reporter doing report s for the network and affiliates.
So listen. I have to warn you that it is a little bit tricky and you may have trouble hearing, because he is calling into CNN from a hurricane hunter plane in the middle of hurricane Sandy. NOAA flight meteorologist Ian sears is onboard that flight right now. Hopefully you can hear me. Ian, what are you seeing there?
IAN SEARS, NOAA FLIGHT METEOROLOGIST: Hi. Good evening.
Here southwest of hurricane Sandy at 20,000 feet, and 20 or 30 minutes ago, we were experiencing pretty good turbulence southwest of hurricane Sandy. We see the field is expanding and the central pressure is down 950 mill bars. We are southwest of hurricane Sandy, and dropping instruments, and keeping temperature and speed direction and beginning to give that information the national hurricane center so they can properly warn and forecast the storm to all of the folks in the mid-Atlantic and New England. We know it is a big storm with high impact, and we hope that we can get all of the information so that everybody can stay safe. LEMON: Thank you, Ian Sears. I hope you get all of the information and stay safe as well. And you know, technology, isn't that amazing, from the middle off a hurricane now doing a live broadcast. Amazing. And again, he is in a hurricane hunter aircraft, and again, a meteorologist with the NOAA flight institute. A meteorologist there. So imagine, this is going to be pelting rape, some of it started now and a lot a lot of it, relentless wind, mass evacuation. There is no doubt that hurricane Sandy is already made a mammoth impact on the east coast, no doubt about that in breaking it down for us. By umbers appeared in the studio instead of going to have a massive impact. We have to be more grown-up, because we are now on the set here.
But seriously, give me the latest numbers, because I have seen the wind damage in billions of dollars possibly for win damage? What do you have for us?
NICK VALENCIA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, the people who are in the path of the storm --
LEMON: Nick Valencia is here. So sorry, nick.
VALENCIA: Sure. Well, people in the path, there is fatigue here, Don. You know, they better disagree with s because they got the same initial warnings of hurricane Irene and how is hurricane Sandy different from the last one we went through, and let us break it down by the numbers. As of now, we hot about 6,271 flights an estimated number that CNN has cobbled together, and handful of airlines including American, and delta and JetBlue canceling the flights which are coming into and out of JFK, LaGuardia and Newark. Hurricane Sandy just all sorts of problems for commuters.
Tomorrow, there is going to about 11 million people, and not with their Monday service. This is a majority of the people will be in the New York area, MTA shutting down transportation as of 7:00 p.m. tonight, and you is places like New Jersey shutting it down gradually from tonight into the overnight hours. This is not just about people trying to get to work, don. This is students as well. Tomorrow, national desk put together these numbers --
LEMON: We said colleges and universities where the classes will be canceled tomorrow.
VALENCIA: Yes, 2.1 million people in public schools with k-12 classes cancelled and Then colleges as well, almost a million. We have 880,000 there. So, college students that are going to be without places to go tomorrow, class is cancelled in places Harvard, MIT, Columbia, (INAUDIBLE), Georgetown, this is causing all sorts of havoc. We are going to keep an eye on it.
And you did say Harvard and MIT and --
(CROSSTALK)
LEMON: Well, do the chin here. Listen, we can be light here, because no deaths here in the United States. Of course, it just made its way across the ocean. Sorry, say it again, producers? Say it again. OK. Great.
So Nick Valencia, a lot of money tied up into this hurricane and the potential impact of it.
Nick Valencia, thank you so much. Look. There is a live shot from New York city. Manhattan as a matter of fact. As you look, you can see the empire state building, and this is the an installation across the street. And it is in Columbus circle across from our building there at the time Warner center and Central Park on the other side, that is Columbus circle, there you seeing, you know, you can see traffic still moving and people and things are moving around there, but you know what, the major said take warning and take heed, because we will shut off all of the mass transit systems, and buses, and everything is gone as far as mass transit systems. There is the monster making the way to the shore.
So, there are so many threats from the storm surge, about high tide up to and a foot of rain, 75 mile-per-hour winds and three feet of snow up in the mountains of Virginia. So, how do you prepare for all of that? Well, there he is. Nickname category 5 general. Is that your nickname Russel Honore.
GEN. RUSSEL HONORE, RETIRED U.S. ARMY: Well, that is one of them.
LEMON: Yes. Listen. You know what is good about this, and I feel and I hope because we are on the air early about this telling people what the officials are saying, and hopefully people will realize how much they can be impacted from this storm, and they will get to safety and heed the warnings. So, you know, I'm feeling good about it, but you know, I hope that there are not any search and rescue that have to go on after this.
HONORE: Well, unfortunately, Don, the people who need it the most are not watching or listening to the television.
MYERS: Right.
LEMON: Because of no power or doing something.
HONORE: And in some cases the power is already gone or the power has been turned off in some cases.
LEMON: Right, as the mayor did.
HONORE: As a precaution. So, probably the people who need it the most, as I said, the elderly and the disabled or the poor people who don't have a choice in when they move or where they move won't get this message, but those are who are listening, I think that the government is doing the right thing. I think we are seeing good government at work at the state, local and the federal level collaborating and trying to get the message out to work the media trying to get information to people that they can use to protect themselves and their family.
LEMON: So, let me jump in here. So, we, you know, we get word from the meteorologists that there is a possibility of a major storm hitting and impacting the United States. Then what happens next? Who is contacted first and then how is it, the information distributed?
HONORE: Well, the national hurricane center with NOAA which has a federal responsibility to provide warning to the government and to the people. Then that information is taken and constantly updated. I mean, you saw that those Americans out there risking their lives through the storm. That happens 24/7. People are out trying to get information to be more accurate and to narrow down the information that is coming to say, you can shelter in place, or you have to move. Based on the information they have now, they have identify those places where people need to evacuate and give them warning to other people, be prepared, you know, that you will be without electricity for so many days.
As the storm gets closer, they will be able to narrow down and more and go to more to a warning for some people. But, right now, based on what they are seeing and the size of the storm, they are using good science, best judgment they can to give people information. And folks need to understand that.
LEMON: Yes. How does it get, or how does it escalate to the point, and this early that the president of the United States which you said is pretty rare to declare a state of emergency for the state of New York and also for the district of Columbia.
HONORE: The team is working. The interagency where people see in the White House movie that comes on every now and then is at work along with FEMA, national security council and all of them making recommendation, and they should go to the president and he will make those declarations, and in some cases he is talking to the governors, they are getting phone calls in, from the senators and the Congress and the whole team is working together to make the declarations, because it means money at the end of the day, but also being capability that those government needs. Instant collaboration among government. They cause the half of president debate that decision. And no strait of food is feeding this information directly the president as required.
LEMON: You were the face as far as recovery from New Orleans with hurricane Katrina, the man who, you know, is credited with rescuing New Orleans. As you look at this and look back at hurricane Katrina, we have learned a lot since then. That was really the impetus to really get our act together when it comes to forecasting these storms and getting people to safety.
HONORE: And you are right, the face, because a lot of the heavy lifting done by the state and the local people and the National Guard was out there preparing now, and the entire north con team that gave me the ability to do what I needed to do on the ground, but much of the work is being prepared right now leaning forward, National Guard, northern command, the active duty military, the Pentagon who is on full alert and working to support the National Guard who has the first response. They have stood up those dual head commanders in positioning equipment and logistics as we speak.
But the big game is yet to come, this is once this storm hits landfall and hit the population and we start seeing people calling for help or having to go into the emergency rescue mode and that is going to be the hard part, but that would be in the search and rescue and in the recovery phase. So that the hard work is yet to come. I think the pre-game show has been done well by local and state government, and the fact that the president has signed the declarations empowered the governors the do what they need to do to get the people ready.
LEMON: Thank you. This man knows, listen, everything about safety, about how to handle emergencies, about making decisions and I said I would say it to you one day if I ever goes the opportunity, but thank you. My mom works at a chemical plant at Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and you did a safety speech there, safety talk, and she said you were so kind to everyone and it was an honor to meet you, sir. Thank you for being so nice to my mom and thank you for coming on to guide us through this. you are going be guiding us in this coverage until - until it is done.
HONORE: Well, good luck to everybody.
LEMON: Thank you very much.
You know, this storm is still developing. Stories developing all around it, and we are going to go to our hurricane desk next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. Welcome back, New York city skyline and they say that the city does not sleep, but it appear appears to be moving slowly, not quite asleep, it is moving slowly than normal. New York city stopped the subways and the buses hours ago, now the last bus is done. No trains, no life rail, no buses running in the city, and it is all in anticipation, of course, of the high water. It is expected when hurricane Sandy comes ashore.
Here is what is happening in other areas to tell you about. State of emergency in effect in Connecticut. The governor notified hundreds of National Guard troops to be ready to help, and the National Guard on the lookout, on the radar. Sandbags and more sandbags on the jersey shore and more.
Beach residents, business owners, all broke out the plywood which you can see it there before heading to higher ground. And check out Annapolis, Maryland, well look at that, same story. The city passed out sandbags to people and business owners there, 20 tons of sand, just how much they provided. Coastal Maryland could get a foot of rainfall. A foot of rainfall.
You know, video from a cruise ship impacted by Hurricane is going viral. It's a CNN ireport. Josh Levs has that and more.
Josh, is that the hurricane. OK Josh, Let's see these pictures.
JOSH LEVS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yes, I will tell you. I mean, it is a different look, plan to some like people haven't thought of at the impact of hurricane Sandy and tropical storm Sandy, I won't play, is having. And the reason -- Take a look at this. The video is getting a lot of clicks and sent to us here at CNN ireport is from a cruise ship that was in the waters off of Miami, and what you see happening there is first the very heavy waves which causes the boats to a different serious rocking and you then, you start to see what happens on the cruise ship itself. This is one of the many ireports that are coming in to us from people who have been impacted by hurricane Sandy various ways, including various parts of the United States already.
I'm going to remind everyone, do not go the any danger to take any ireport videos or photos, do not, do not violate evacuation orders to take photos or videos. But if you can safely and legally take videos the show the impact that it is having on you, that is terrific because it helps us tell that story. Look at what the cruise turned into for Dr. David Evans who sent us that fascinating suffer there.
I will also tell you, you were just talking about that what is going on in various states around the country. We have been getting a lot of messages from folks tonight. Hey, what about my state? I'm in Pennsylvania. What about me? I'm at Delaware. What about me?
Well actually have the specific story on CNN.com column, state-by- state breakdown. As soon as I am done, I'm going to tweet it.
Let me show you where I am right now. this is the CNN hurricane desk. You are just seeing a few of our folks here. We have also got people all over the newsroom - all of our people here are working hard to follow what is going on in every state, every city. Our Chandler Freedman over here right now is coming up with the number of college students who will not be having classes for the next coming days and we are up to one million, right?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Yes, we just confirmed some members for the state university of New York and they have another 50,000 students who will not be in work.
LEVS: State University, the Sunni and I'm from Albany. OK, so we are talking another 50,000 students, as we are looking at about a million so far that we know will not be having classes and in addition to all of the schools shutdown around the country.
Let me show you some pictures that are coming in, too. Really powerful pictures in some cases. I really liked this one, because it is one of those pictures that that you can feel and hear. It is Cape May, New Jersey. And look at the destruction and the storm surge coming n.
I want to show you one more here. This is a boat being pulled in from the Long Island sound today. Just a few of the pictures that have been coming in. And before I go, I want to hear some of you. I was hearing Chad, they really helped on really important information just now about the food supply, what to do about food.
Well, we have really important resources for you online that deal with that. Take a look here one more time. We have the eatocracy section taking a look at food safety in the middle of a storm. What to do and what not to do and what not to do. What is safe to eat, what is not safe to eat one more thing, and I had not thought about it before, your medicine. What to do about it when the lights go out. In this story from a out health page, we deal with medicines. What medicine who were safe to take and how best take care of them when the power goes out. I will tweet out all of these things on joshlevscnn. I encourage you take a look at it. And I down later this hour, on the show folks, how you track the storm throughout the night and including the absolute latest information on storm surge predictions for your area, that is coming up.
LEMON: And one more thing.
LEVS: Yes.
LEMON: And one more thing. And then I have another thing. You are all excited to be down there, so I was trying to ask you a question, but the mic was not out.
LEVS: This is the first time I was hearing you.
LEMON: And you said the picture, you can feel it and you can hear it. What is that picture saying to you, Josh?
LEVS: Well, when I look at it, I will tell you that, I know he is trying to make fun of me, and I'm not letting him. But it is one of the pictures where it feels like it has to be video, because there is so much movement.
LEMON: You are saying it looks great now, but go home, because it is much worse and do what the emergency officials are telling you.
Hey, thank you.
You know, some of the stuff may seem minute, but you know it is not, because you will have to know what to do with the food safety and on and on and josh beckham, you are back in my good graces, because I asked you the replay a message and you did.
Thank you, Josh Levs.
LEVS: You got it.
LEMON: So, here are the pictures now from New York City. Can we get those up? New York City, the subway, there it is. They are closing it. They are telling, that is when they told people to get out of the subway and they are having to leave. This is from - there it is, due to the hurricane Sandy, service will be quote "going to be closed.' They are putting the police tape up, and rolling the gates down and shutting off the power to the gates. You cannot swipe your metro card anymore because there are no trains down there, and that is New York city.
Man, you don't see that even in the wee hours of the morning. You rarely see a subway station in New York city, especially ma manhattan like that. There it is safety alert Sandy in anticipation of the hurricane Sandy, so people are having to leave the subway. There you go.
And again, thank you much WABC for those pictures.
So if people are not yet taking this storm seriously, maybe they will after hearing this.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
BARACK OBAMA, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: People across the eastern seaboard and mid-Atlantic going north, you need to take this very seriously and follow the instructions of your state and local officials, because they are going to be providing you with the best advice in terms of how to deal with the storm over the coming days.
GOV. BOB MCDONNELL (R), VIRGINIA: The things that we ask the residents to do now, of course, first and foremost, if there are final preparations to do, please make them right now.
MAYOR COREY BOOKER, NEW JERSEY: The biggest thing that we are concerned about right now is individuals not taking this storm seriously enough.
CHRIS CHRISTIE (R), GOVERNOR, NEW JERSEY: We have to take this seriously. I know that all of us especially the folks in this area are veterans of a lot of the events and sometimes that leads you the complacency. I would hope it does not in this instance.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Heeding the warning, and we are going. I hope I have a house when I come back.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: I am pretty sure we will be without power and al that stuff, so it looks like a pretty bad storm.
MAYOR MICHAEL BLOOMBERG, NEW YORK: Governor Cuomo and the MTA announced that I are pthey are going to put into effect their contingency plan that they described Saturday, as I said before and be closing down the city transit and suburban commuter rail systems tonight.
GOV. ANDRE CUOMO, NEW YORK: The suspension of the service is for three main reasons. Number one, it is unsafe to operate the trains in high winds.
GOV. DEVAL PATRICK (D), MASSACHUSETTS: The national service expects strong and damaging winds and major coastal flooding and significant beach erosion.
GOV. DAN MALLOY, CONNECTICUT: We are talking about the extensive flooding and maybe the worst we have seen in 70 years.
THOMAS GRAHAM, POPCO REGIONAL PRESIDENT: This is going to be unprecedented and destructive dangerous storm. It is something that we have not seen before.
GOV. TOM CORBETT, PENNSYLVANIA: It is not a typical storm. It could very well be historic in nature and in scope and in magnitude, because of the widespread anticipated power outages and flooding and potential major wind damage.
OBAMA: This has not hit landfall yet, so we don't yet know where it is going to hit. Where we are going to see the biggest impacts, and that is exactly why it is so important for us to respond big and respond fast as local information starts coming in.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: You have heard the warnings. You have heard the warnings. Leader of the free world, and the governor of New Jersey on and on and on, seek shelter, be safe. If you are being told to be evacuated or to evacuate, do it. The very latest on hurricane Sandy is next. Pictures now of Ocean City, Maryland, live.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
LEMON: OK. We are showing this is a picture of Ocean City, Maryland, because number one, it is a great picture and it shows you the impact of the storm, and the potential impact of the storm and as it moves very quickly towards the eastern seaboard, alone, and I should not say quickly, but slowly, and Chad Meyer says by doing so, it is building up strength.
So, I want to show you some stuff that you guys, thank you so much. You have been responding to me on social media. Can we take this shot right here on social media. All right. My e-mail is down. This is on twitter and I asked you guys for pictures. You can either send them to ireporter here.
This is one from, Thank you, @Boshow on twitter, thank you.
OK, so look, this is New York city. That is a line to get into the graciti market in Chelsea, and I know this market. And you don't see a line like this get into a supermarket in New York City very often. I have never seen it. And that folks who are trying to get supplies, many of those supplies have now run out. This was earlier.
Thank you. Send them in to don lemon@CNN.com. Appreciate it. Thank you very much. That's @donlemoncnn. I'm monitoring your - all of your questions. Some people have questions. We have been answering them on the air if Chad Myers can answer them, if I can answer then, we will.
So, let's bring back, I have been on straight for a long time -- Mr. Chad Myers. I was not sure if you were ready, sir.
MYERS: I was working on airplanes leaving JFK and arriving at JFK. Wait until you see this graph.
LEMON: OK. Hang on before you put it up. I want to say this moving very quickly and you said it is moving slowly and building up speed. Does that mean anything that it is moving slow ly? Does it like get more power because it is moving slowly?
MYERS: You know, it is 15 miles per hour. That is about normal. I would not call that more of a slow or fast, and that is not where we should be.
LEMON: So, let's see the point thing you working on with?
MYERS: I will bring it over here.
LEMON: All right.
MYERS: These are the planes leaving JFK, 155 planes out of JFK. Getting out of the way of this hurricane. Now, we will show that planes heading to JFK. Six. Six planes compared to 155 leavin leaving. They are not putting planes in the way of this hurricane, same picture for like . LaGuardia and Newark and then all of those places, even Dallas did not have planes in or out for a long time ago.
This is a big deal, Don. It is going to be a big deal for all night long and in to the rest of the weekend because out of the weekend. And I will bring into Pennsylvania and New York and even into Ontario, this storm does not move much. That is 48 hours' worth movement. Yes, I have been tweeting about the snow that will come down in West Virginia, yes, believe it, 60 inches. That is only five feet. It is going to show for 48 hours and snows an inch an hour; that is not hard to get 50. I can do that math, pretty easy, easy to get 60 as well with more than that.
Is it going to make landfall in New Jersey or at least maybe northern Delaware? I think so. I don't think that there is a model out there right now that doesn't believe that. So, it is going to be that model guidance. As we get closer, we know more about it, and that is the deal. That is why the cone is smaller, as it gets closer to shore, and wind gusts 80 miles per hour through parts of New York city and into the Delmarva and all of the way through New Jersey as well. There's the snow. Look at that area. Charleston to Roanoke, and all of the purple, that is 20-plus. And there are places in there that are 48-plus, Don.
LEMON: My goodness. So, I don't know for sure, if I'm wrong, correct me, producers or Chad. So, we got LaGuardia closed, right, not moving?
MYERS: Well, it is not technically closed, but they are just -- the planes are not flying in there because they don't want the planes on the tarmac during the storm.
LEMON: JFK the same?
MYERS: Yes.
LEMON: Newark the same thing, right?
MYERS: Yes, the same thing.
LEMON: And what about D.C.?
MYERS: I did not see it. But there were still planes in and out of national couple of hours ago, but Dallas did not have a plane in or out for a long time. LEMON: And Philadelphia International, still open but tomorrow they are saying they are -- ?
MYERS: Well, it is not a matter of the airport, it is a matter of the airlines in most cases. The airlines saying we are canceling 3,000 flights and not putting people in danger on the airline whether it is a bumpy landing or rough takeoff or people in danger that work for us having to load the bags at 60 miles per hour.
LEMON: That is exactly what the note from the folks in Philadelphia said. They said, we have been notified by our airlines that they don't feel safe with the aircraft there, and the aircraft in the air and flying people to and fro. That is what happens.
MYERS: Right.
LEMON: OK. Great.
Thank you very, Chad Myers. Appreciate it.
OK. Change of plans. Going to break. We are going to go somewhere else. But we are rocking and rolling tonight.
Hey, our coverage, our rolling coverage of hurricane Sandy, as it makes its way to shore still continuing here on CNN. There is the live picture that we have been showing you and we can show you how it is intensifying moment by moment.
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LEMON: All right. Welcome back to the continuing coverage.
Someone just asked me how long we are going to be on the air. Val, thank you very much. Val, we are going to be on until midnight. So if you are in a comfortable position where you are outside of the purview of the storm, then grab the popcorn. We have a little while to go.
And then -- but if you are listening to us and you are in an area where they told you to evacuate or get to safety, you should prepare to do while you get the information from us.
And you know, it is not just people affected, it is not just businesses, not just homes, because you know, people are evacuating the homes to escape hurricane Sandy, but it is pets, too that are in trouble. Very interesting package, I want you to pay close attention to this because CNN's Michael Holmes is at a storm shelter in New Jersey and has this report for you.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
MICHAEL HOLMES, CNN CORRESPONDENT: New Jersey is 95 miles south of New York city, 65 miles to the east of Philadelphia. And about five miles that way are the barrier islands and those people on the barrier islands are worried. A lot of them are coming here. We want to talk to the red cross official Antonia. Thanks so much for chatting with us. Tell us about the setup here and who is here and why?
ANTONIA SILVER, AMERICAN RED CROSS: Well, people arrived today around 4:00 and first, they came, many of them have animals. We have about 60 crates with cats and dogs which is great that we could help them out. You know, people love their animals.
HOLMES: How many people are you going to be able to cater for right here?
SILVER: Well, right now, have 181 people.
HOLMES: Right.
SILVER: So, we can hold probably expecting 250. It depends tomorrow.
HOLMES: How worried are people in this community?
SILVER: Very worried. I mean, after Irene and that was a year ago, this is huge.
HOLMES: Now Monday, 181 people who are here in the shelter so far is one Michelle who -- thank you for joining us -- and tell us how you ended up here.
MICHELE FRANCHESE, EVACUEE: We had an mandatory evacuation in Ocean Gate, New Jersey, and having been displaced and relocated here last year, I knew that I would be safe and sound. I knew that they would have facilities for my pet. Very accommodating.
HOLMES: This is looking like a big storm, and how concerned were you about ate?
FRANCHESE: I'm very concerned. When I see the map and I see this, you know, (INAUDIBLE) rivers on the map, and they are targeting it, I am nervous. I'm very nervous. But I think that I'm in good hands here. I think that I am safe.
HOLMES: I think that you are, too. Now, Michelle has just mentioned that she brought a pet here. This shelter is pet friendly, and in fact, we are going to have a look at what they are doing in the back room.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: We have dogs, cats, birds and a couple of hermit crabs.
The cops came around and said that if you don't leave, you will be arrested. So I had to find a place to have my animals. I wasn't leaving them behind. Everybody said, they are animals, leave them with window open. They will climb out. They will find the way out. You know, but just I had four of these little guys and I was not leaving them behind.
HOLMES: Dogs and birds and kitten and people hunkering down to ride out hurricane Sandy.
Michael Holmes, CNN, Toms River, New Jersey. (END VIDEOTAPE)
LEMON: You have to think about the pets. You have to think about your pets. They are family members to most people who have them. So, think about them when you make your evacuation plans.
Let's not forget that there is an election going on right now. We are selecting the president of the United States in about a week. And this storm threatening to ing ing to impa ct this election and also some swing states, already did on the eastern coast right , but then also, what about going up into Ohio? a very critical swing state. The weather will be bad there as well.
This is live coverage. We didn't get to White House. People are vying to live in that home right there. This storm is really impacting both campaigning. They are having to make some ground changes to the campaign.
So, we are going to be on until midnight covering this, but we want to talk about the politics of the mega storm after a quick break here on CNN.
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LEMON: Hello, everyone. Don Lemon live here at the CNN world headquarters in Atlanta. We would like to welcome in all of our viewers from around the world, as well.
Listen, this storm is going to make landfall very soon and the very latest information coming in now has just come in. Our meteorologist Chad Myers with the very latest information. A report just came out.
Chad, what do you know?
MYERS: It did, Don. And the storm is still a hurricane. And we expected that. Still a category one hurricane, and still, you know, at least 15 or 20 hours from landfall. Here is Monday 8:00 and somewhere in the vicinity of New Jersey probably. I don't think it is going to be a as far south as Virginia, but still in the cone, still all of the way to long branch, New Jersey, and as far south as Ocean City, Maryland.
And that is the forecast, and it is not going to change very much, and now the center is not going to move after it hits land very much. It is not so much that it is a category one hurricane, but it is that the wind field is huge. That big orange blob direct from the national hurricane scenter shows where the tropical force sustained winds are right now. We know there are tropical force storm gusts already along the coast. But look at the size. There is Massachusetts and there is Florida. This entire orange area, tropical storm force sustained in the red zone there. that's the only hurricane -force winds that the airplanes can find out there right now. This is going to make that big turn as we expect somewhere like that and curve up like while it is in the zone. It is going to be raining or for that matter snowing over here for quite some time -- Don.
LEMON: All right. Chad Myers, thank you very much.
Chad is going to be with us here. So again, I would like welcome our viewers from CNN international and around the world here. I'm Don Lemon again at CNN headquarters here in Atlanta.
It is the top of the hour. Getting very close. I want the tell you that what we are doing right here, an enormous hurricane, a few hours away from making landfall. And that would be the cause of the concern, but look at the projected track of this storm. Look at it. Sometime tomorrow hurricane Sandy will probably hit the east coast between Washington D.C. and New York City. That means people at the D.C., Philadelphia, Baltimore, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Connecticut, they are all in full speed --
