Today, the models have gathered new info and have come into agreement about where Sandy will make landfall. Right now it looks like Centeral NJ will recieve Sandy’s center with up to 10 feet of surge as well as 80mph+ winds and 12″ of rain. This though will not be the biggest impact. NYC will recieve a 8-12′ surge which will easily overtop the skimpy little 5′ sea wall. The surge will then roar into lower Manhattan possibly flooding the subway system. Irene caused a 5-6′ surge and cane within inches of flooding the subways. Also, wind gusts will reach hurricane force.
I will point out that the NHC refused to issue tropical storm/hurricane watches/warnings farther north than NC. This is due to Sandy forecast to be non-tropical by then so that they would not issue a TROPICAL storm warnings. Just thought that was interesting. Just warning everyone… High wind watches/warnings ARE THE SAME AS TROPICAL STORM OR HURRICANE WATCHES/WARNINGS!!
-Jack
Today, we are looking at only slight adjustments to the forecast. I now think it will make a direct landfall on NYC. There are a couple reasons that I differ from the NHC track taking it into Southern NJ.
NHC track with landfall in southern NJ.
1) Most of the models have my back. All but the GFDL, and the operational Euro make landfall in NYC.
The CMC, just one of the many many models taking Frankenstorm into NYC.
2) Upper air steering. The steering setup would favor a NYC track due to the position and intensity of the trough. The position of the trough and the ridge from the Canadian Maratimes suggests a landfall from North NJ to Mid-Long Island.
This mornings satellite image showing an active Atlantic basin.
Sandy is clearly seen as the storm off the SE coast. There is a normal extratropical mid latatude low SE of Newfoundland. The area in question is that blob in between the two systems. Will nthis blob continue up the coast with Sandy? Or will it join the extratropical low? This is the big question in my mind because if that band makes it up the coast New England could see major impacts. If not, then it would be up to Sandy and her megastorm to create an east side to her. She has planty of time to do that as she moves up the coast first intensifying as a warm-core system over the Gulf Stream then becoming cold-core over the waters south of NYC and feeding of the trough energy. Either way there would be major impacts.
I think 3-5″ of rain would be likely in New England with amouts possibly reaching 12-15″ over parts of NJ and Southern NY.
Winds will likely peak around 60mph along coastal sections of ME with higher gusts possibly reaching hurricane force. This along with our tropical downpours will be cause for insane power outages. Prepare for anywhere from 2-14 days depending on your priority level (hospitals, cities are high priority, island communities, communities high in the mountains and low priority. Anywhere in between like suburbs or the mid sized town would be mid priority). Winds in NYC will likely be hurricane force with NJ also seeing hurricane force winds. DE, PA, New England, MD, and VA, NC will see tropical storm force winds.
Also, changes this morning, timing. Effects will begin Monday and linger possibly into the end of the workweek. This is because of the effects that I think the mountainous regions of NY will have on slowing the Frankenstorm down. Earlier, it was thought to move over less mountainous terrain and be moved along very quickly by the trough.
-Jack
Forecasterjack 