A week after superstorm Sandy caused massive damage and power outages, some New York and New Jersey residents been evacuated ahead of a nor'easter that is expected to bring high winds and rain to the region.
More than 620 nursing home residents in New York City's storm-battered Rockaways section were evacuated Tuesday. In New Jersey, winds were kicking up early Wednesday morning prompting some coastline communities to order mandatory evacuations.
Today's nor'easter isn't expected to be as bad as Sandy, but with more than 423,000 without power in New Jersey and more than 66,000 without power in New York City, officials are worried about residents hunkered down in damaged homes with no power.
Forecasters said Tuesday that the storm looks like it will be weaker than expected as it has veered farther offshore than earlier projections indicated. Still, winds could gust up to at least 50 mph in New York and New Jersey Wednesday afternoon and into the evening.
Storm surges could reach up to 3 feet on the coast lines. The highest recorded storm surge during Sandy in New York was 13.88 feet.
Snow will fall from northern Maryland to eastern Pennsylvania, with Washington, D.C., seeing 1 to 2 inches and Philadelphia around 3 inches.
"We live by the adage - prepare for the worst, hope for the best, and that's exactly what we're doing," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said Tuesday.
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"We have about 350,000 New Yorkers without power. That's way down from what it was - about 2.1 million, but it's still not okay," Cuomo said.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said those that have finally regained power could lose it after the nor'easter. Christie assured that the state is still taking strides toward recovery following Sandy.
"The fact that I have 2.1 million people with power back doesn't mean a damn to you if you don't have your power back. You're happy for your neighbor, but you're not happy until you lights go on, until your heat goes on, and I recognize that," Christie said.
The Federal Emergency Management Administration put a number to the storm's homeless in New York and New Jersey, saying 95,000 people were eligible for emergency housing assistance. In New York, New Jersey and Connecticut, more than 277,000 people have registered for general assistance, the agency said.
There have been no mandatory evacuations in low-lying areas in New York City, but with a storm surge expected from the nor'easter, many living near the water are worried.
"We're going to get a lot of wind and a lot of rain and that's what's scary," Maria Curatola, of Staten Island, told ABC News. "I'm hoping it'll blow over. I'm hoping it'll go the opposite way we've had enough."
With temperatures dropping into the mid 30s overnight, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg urged those without power and heat to head to shelters and warming centers. The mayor has also closed parks, playgrounds and beaches.
United, the world's largest airline, suspended most New York City service starting at noon American Airlines was shutting down in New York at 3 p.m. Wednesday, and was also stopping flights to and from Philadelphia at noon.
Since the superstorm made landfall more than a week ago, it has claimed the lives of more than 100 people in the U.S.
ABC News Radio and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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