Update, Oct. 29, 7:15 p.m.
Ok, folks, it’s about to get real. Not much to report in the Bronx (most of the power outages have been in Westchester County, Staten Island and Queens, according to Con Ed) other than what we’ve already reported about the evacuation zones. If you live in one of those zones and haven’t made it out of your home by now, city and state officials are urging everyone to just stay put. The brunt of the storm is hitting the Bronx now and it’s supposed to be intense until about 2 a.m. Batten down your hatches, stay away from windows and sit tight.

Please send us your photos or storm stories at norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org. Or post them on our Facebook page or send your Tweets out to @norwoodnews.

We’ll keep updating as we get information.

Update, Oct. 29, 1:13 p.m.

Bloomberg announced schools will be closed again tomorrow, Tuesday, Oct. 30 due to the storm. Follow us on Twitter @norwoodnews for more updates.

Update, Oct. 29, 10:45 a.m.

Gov. Andrew Cuomo just announced that the state would be deploying an extra 1,000 National Guard troops on top of the 1,000 soldiers who were deployed yesterday. Most of those troops, he said, would be dispersed throughout the southern part of the state, here in New York City, just upstate and Long Island. Cuomo announced that Holland Tunnel would be closing. Bridges, however, would remain open until winds hit 60 miles per hour. Their focus,he said, is on “the surge” of water coming from the heavy rains.

Just to reiterate what we know: public schools are closed, all subways and commuter trains are suspended, areas in Zone A have been ordered to be evacuated (in the Bronx that means City Island, Harding Park, a small part of Morris Heights near the Harlem River, the area around Soundview Park, and parts of Throggs Neck, including Edgewater Park). Evacuation Center in the northwest Bronx include Lehman College and Bronx Community College. Click here for a map of all evacuation zones and evacuation centers.

Update, Oct. 29, 9:25 a.m.

At this point this morning, the winds and rain are starting to pick up. The storm, known as Hurricane Sandy, is considered a Category 1 level storm. That’s the lowest level of hurricane, but it still means 80 mile per hour winds are possible tonight (although the National Weather Service says 31-39 MPH winds are more likely), which could do some very significant damage, especially in areas with lots of trees like Mosholu Parkway and Van Cortlandt Park. Because most deaths during hurricanes and severe storms occur when people are hit by falling trees and other flying debris, the mayor is encouraging everyone to stay inside until the worst of the storm is over.

Stay tuned. And if you see significant damage, fallen trees or experience power outages, gives us the information in the comments sections, on Facebook or in an email. Also, send us your photos and we’ll post them here.

Update, Oct. 28, 12:19 p.m.

We’ll be trying to update this post as often as possible throughout the storm that is sweeping into the New York area starting tonight.

Here’s the latest:

–New York City subways will be shut down starting tonight at 7 p.m. Buses will stop running at 9 p.m. There’s no schedule yet for when mass transit will start running again. It will depend on the severity of the storm.

–Public schools will be closed tomorrow. If your child goes too a private school, call them to see if they’ll be open.

–Mandatory evacuations have been ordered for all areas in Zone A. The only Zone A area in the northwest Bronx is on the Harlem River in Morris Heights. In the northwest Bronx, the area in Kingsbride, near Target on 225th Street and along Broadway all the way up to Van Cortlandt Park, is in Zone C, which means it could be susceptible to flooding if we see a Category 3 or 4 hurricane. Find out if you live in an evacuation zone by clicking here.

–Everyone should be prepared for power outages for the next few days. Stock up on flash lights, batteries, water and other non-perishable food items.

Write us if you have power outages or downed trees: norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org.