NY is so far north, no one really expect the storm to hit with such force, normally it will form near the equator and even if it move north, it will usually downgrade to just a normal rain storm as it is starve off the "Fuel" needed which is a warm ocean.
With global warming, Sandy can pick up speed again as it move north due to higher then usual ocean temp, NY and NJ area now have to expect such lethal storm as a norm, unless we reverse Global Warming which some scientist think we already pass the point of no return.