I used to live on LI, there is plenty of high ground. The reality is that the NWS and TWC have cried "wolf" so many times that people ignored the warnings of this storm even though it was the real deal. Additionally, hurricanes do not normally make the left turn toward NJ as this one did, they normally continue north to LI.

Many areas on the south shore have very little elevation and were a disaster waiting to happen.

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'83 300D, 126K miles.