Superstorm Sandy caused unprecedented damage to NYC (Image: AP Photo/Bebeto Matthews)

Less than a week after being ravaged by Tropical Storm Sandy, New York and New Jersey are bracing for yet another storm.

Although the new winter storm is expected to be weaker than Sandy, officials are concerned that it might cause further damage to areas still reeling from last week’s devastating storms, which have so far claimed the lives of over one hundred people.

As major restorations to public utilities in New York City continue, Mayor Michael Bloomberg has announced that NYC parks and beaches will be closed as the new storm approaches, Reuters reported.   

With the Northeaster forecast to hit the US Mid-Atlantic and New England regions mid-week, Mr Bloomberg said residents in the city’s lowest-lying areas would also be evacuated to shelters from noon Wednesday; parks and beaches will be closed at the same time – for at least 24 hours.

Still counting the cost of the affects of Sandy, which airlines say will hurt Q4 results, US carriers have issued warnings ahead of the storm.

United Airlines says it will suspend “most service to and from the New York area between noon Wednesday, Nov. 7, and noon Thursday, Nov. 8”, with weather conditions likely to cause “additional delays and cancellations at other northeast airports”.

Like United, Delta Air Lines will waive rebooking fees for customers looking to change travel plans in the New York and Philadelphia areas ahead of the storm.

“Delta encourages customers to consider departing earlier, postponing or re-routing their travel to avoid possible inconvenience from expected flight delays and cancellations,” the carrier said.

In its blog posted Monday, New York-based JetBlue said it was “encouraging those who are scheduled to fly with us mid-week to take advantage of our waived change/cancel fees and fare differences”, listing the affected airports as follows: 
- New York Metros (EWR, HPN, JFK, LGA & SWF)-
- Washington D.C. Metros (BWI, DCA & IAD)
- Hartford, CT (BDL)
- Richmond, VA (RIC)
- Boston (BOS)
- Burlington VT (BTV)
- Buffalo, NY (BUF)
- Rochester, NY (ROC)
- Syracuse, NY (SYR)

The inclement weather looks so far unlikely to affect rail and bus services in the path of the storm.
Stay tuned for updates on e-Travel Blackboard.