As Long Island braces for a powerful nor’easter expected to hit Sunday, communities across the region are taking urgent steps to prepare for the storm’s heavy rains and high winds.

In Port Jefferson, Theatre Three has already begun storm preparations, hoping to avoid a repeat of past disasters. The historic theater has suffered through three major floods in just six years. Jeffrey Sanzel, the theater’s artistic director, says they aren’t taking any chances.

“We start preparing right away,” Sanzel said. “We begin to move things from the lower level to the upper levels.”

Just down the block, staff at the popular restaurant Ruvo have also dealt with serious flooding. In August 2024, the restaurant was hit hard by a flood that sent tables underwater and chairs floating. A dramatic photo from that day shows the host stand picked up and carried by the current.

Emily Tucker, a server at Ruvo, was working when the water came rushing in.

“We had to evacuate quickly because our cars were also being flooded,” she said. “It came in really fast and nobody could stay. It was scary.”

Farther east, the weather threat has already forced the cancellation of one of the area’s most beloved fall traditions — the 49th annual Riverhead Country Fair.

Utility companies are also mobilizing. PSEG Long Island reports that more than a thousand line workers are ready to respond to potential outages, including crews brought in from as far away as Kentucky and Indiana.

“We have a full complement of crews working 16-hour shifts around the clock beginning Sunday,” said Larry Torres of PSEG Long Island. “That’s when we can expect the heavy rains and wind to begin.”

In Riverhead, town officials are taking proactive steps. The highway department was out on Friday, clearing storm drains and fueling up trucks in preparation for possible flooding and fallen trees.