NEW YORK CITY — She's here.
Hurricane Sandy churned up the East Coast Monday, bringing heavy winds, rain and flooding to New York City and creating potential life-threatening conditions to those in its path.
The massive storm — expected to make landfall on the New Jersey coast early Monday evening — includes hurricane-force winds in excess of 70 miles per hour and possibly even 90 miles per hour in some areas, the National Weather Service said.
Flooding began Monday morning in low-lying areas along the coastline, including the Rockaways, Long Island City, Red Hook and parts of the FDR Drive in Manhattan.
The brunt of the storm was expected to batter the city late Monday afternoon and into the evening, making authorities caution New Yorkers not underestimate Sandy's impact.
"This is a storm that could easily kill you," Mayor Michael Bloomberg warned during a press conference Monday morning, after issuing a mandatory evacuation order for those living in Zone A areas located near the water.
The most severe weather is forecast for about 8 p.m., the mayor noted, with the storm expected to weaken by Tuesday morning.