There is now a Tropical Storm Watch for Greene and Columbia counties, and local officials have been passing information about Hurricane Irene's approach. The storm weakened a bit Friday morning, and has since turned east slightly, perhaps lessening its impact in our region. High winds are expected and anywhere between 4" and a foot of rain is possible. Officials are warning the soil in our area is already saturated, and will flood quickly. WGXC spoke with John Farrell, the Director of Greene County Emergency Services, and Reggie Crowley, the Copake Town Supervisor, about what official plans and preparations the two counties are working on in advance of the storm. (Recordings of the two interviews are below.) In New Baltimore, the fire departments in the town will be open as shelters at 8:30 a.m. Sunday morning. Ulster County has also opened shelters and declared a state of emergency, but Columbia and Greene counties do not yet have any other planned shelter openings. Governor Andrew Cuomo gave a press conference (above, from the Capitol Confidential blog), where he said all the Hudson River bridges, including the Rip Van Winkle Bridge that links Greene and Columbia counties, will close if sustained winds reach 60 mph. President Obama officially declared a state of emergency in New York, freeing up federal resources for the state's efforts. The Dutchess County Fair is canceled this weekend, and two New York Mets games are postponed.

• John Farrell, Director of Greene County Emergency Services, talks about Greene County's preparations for Hurricane Irene.
Interview by Tom Roe. PLAY CLIP

• Reggie Crowley, Supervisor of Town of Copake, about Hurricane Irene preparedness.
Interview by Tom Roe. PLAY CLIP