It was estimated as a high end cat 3 or low end cat 4 when it made landfall at cape May, so I'm guessing by the time it made it to NYC winds were still over 100 mph
That was the day I was born. I believe still the highest wind gust reported at central park, at least up til Sandy. I always heard how the ambulance couldn't make it up the hill to the hospital with the icy roads, wind, rain, sleet everything.