The crane atop one of Manhattan’s most prestigious addresses remained dangling precariously 1,000 feet above the ground on Tuesday as officials tried to determine how to safely secure it.

The snapping of the crane, at 157 West 57th Street, was one of the most visible and startling moments in New York in the hours before the full brunt of the storm arrived. And it occurred high above Central Park at what is supposed to be the city’s tallest building with residences and which has become a trophy address for some of the world’s richest people.

The winds picked up as Monday night fell and the crane twisted and turned, seemingly poised to fall at any moment, forcing the evacuation of several buildings.

When asked about how secure it was, Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg answered bluntly: “Nobody knows.”

“We just don’t want to risk the lives of anyone trying to be a hero and secure it,” he said in an evening news conference.