The NYC Emergency Management Department reports:

What are hurricane evacuation zones?

There are six hurricane evacuation zones, ranked by the risk of storm surge impact, with zone 1 being the most likely to flood. In the event of a hurricane or tropical storm, residents in these zones may be ordered to evacuate.

I noticed that my zone has changed. Why is that?

Zones are updated to incorporate new, higher resolution storm surge model output from the National Weather Service. These data, combined with improved topographic data, and information from actual events, allow the City to more accurately define areas most at risk of flooding due to storm surge from a hurricane….

Roosevelt Island residents live in both Zones 2 and 3 depending upon the
location of your building. As shown in the NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder below, the Roosevelt Island buildings colored in brown are in Zone 2 and those
colored in Yellow are in Zone 3. The nearby Evacuation Centers are shown too.

The Octagon, Manhattan Park, Westview, Island House, Roosevelt Landings, Cornell Tech, Coler Hospital and Riverwalk 480, 475 and 460 Main Street buildings are in Zone 2.


Riverwalk 405, 425, 455, 465 and Rivercross (531) buildings are in Zone
3.

Click here for more info and to find the Hurricane Evacuation Zone of your Roosevelt Island address.

The NYC Emergency Management Department hosted a 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season workshop for community media last
June. I asked why some Roosevelt Island buildings are in Zone 2 and those next
door are Zone 3.

Watch the full workshop from the beginning.

Here’s some scenes of what Roosevelt Island looked like during Hurricane Sandy in October 2012


Westview Promenade Image Courtesy of Brian Dorfman


Roosevelt Island Lighthouse Park
Under Water From Hurricane Sandy Via Kate Williams Tweet

and a report on damage caused by Hurricane Sandy.

Click here for more information from the NYC Emergency Management Department.