Hurricane Sandy is making the expected turn
toward the U.S. coastline, centered at midday about 205 miles southeast
of Atlantic city, New Jersey. It is forecast to bring life-threatening
storm surge flooding and coastal hurricane-force wind
s, plus heavy rain and heavy Appalachian snow.
Sandy is moving toward the north-northwest. A turn toward the northwest
is expected soon, then west-northwest tonight. That will
bring the
center along the southern New Jersey coast this evening or tonight. Do
not focus on the exact center of landfall as impacts will be felt over a
large area.
Maximum sustained winds are 90 mph - a Category
One hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Sandy is
expected to transition into a frontal or wintertime low pressure area
before landfall, but is not expected to weaken during that transition.
In fact, it may strengthen during this process. It will not weaken until
after moving inland.
Tropical-storm-force conditions or
gale-force winds are already occurring along portions of the
mid-Atlantic coastline, and will spread northward through this
afternoon.
Hurricane-force winds are expected along the coast
from Chincoteague, Virginia, to Chatham, Massachusetts. This includes
the tidal Potomac from Cobb Island to Smith Point, the middle and upper
Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, the coast of the northern Delmarva
Peninsula, New Jersey, the New York City area, Long Island, Connecticut
and Rhode Island. Winds affecting the upper-floors of high rise
buildings will be significantly higher than those near ground level.
A dangerous storm surge is expected to occur in the mid-Atlantic states
and southern New England. If the peak surge occurs at the time if high
tide, the depths above ground level could reach 6 to 11 feet at Long
Island Sound and Raritan Bay, and 4 to 8 feet from Ocean City, Md., to
the Connecticut/Rhode Island state line, and 3 to 6 feet from there to
the south shore of Cape Cod, including Buzzards Bay and Narragansett
Bay.
A Tropical Storm Warning continues along the North
Carolina coast from north of Surf City to Duck, including Pamlico and
Albemarle Sounds.
Other coastal and inland watches and warnings
are in effect for much of the mid-Atlantic states and New England. See
the statements being issued by local National Weather Service offices,
www.weather.gov for the details.
Total rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches, with isolated 8 inch amounts,
are possible over far eastern North Carolina. Amounts of 4 to 8 inches,
with isolated 12 inch amounts, are possible over portions of the
mid-Atlantic States, including the Delmarva Peninsula. Amounts of 1 to 3
inches, with isolated 5 inch amounts, are possible across southern New
York through New England.
Snow accumulations of 2 to 3 feet are
expected in the mountains of West Virgina, with locally higher amounts,
tonight through Tuesday Night. The southwestern Virginia mountains are
forecast to see 1 to 2 feet of snow, with 12 to 18 inches near the North
Carolina/Tennessee state line and in the mountains of western Maryland.
