Hurricane Could Strike Northeast

New York and the rest of the Northeast should ready for a hurricane -- maybe. It's been a century, and the big ones tend to come around about once a century. The potential for a full-force hurricane striking the New York metro area should send shivers up the spines of millions. There would be six times as many people to evacuate as fled New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina hit in 2005, and it could cost the economy $100 billion. The last major hurricane to hit the area, in 1938, killed 700. This hurricane season -- which starts today -- is projected to be unusually active, and that has the Gulf coast worried more than anyone. The chance of a hurricane strike to New York is more theoretical. Factor in rising sea levels over time, though, and the potential for any storm to do damage is magnified. It's no wonder then, that Mayor Michael Bloomberg talks about protecting his coastal city when he trumpets his sustainability plan for New York, according to a story in the June 1 Newsday .