As we move toward the beginning of the the week, hurricane Sandy appears to be on a path that will eventually lead the storm into parts of New Jersey and Long Island.
As we have seen over many years, most hurricanes in the Atlantic that are positioned off the East Coast over open ocean tend to steer away form the U.S. However, hurricane Sandy is predicted to do something quite rare and actually turn west towards the coast and eventually inland. This storm is powerful and the amount of energy this storm has built up is spread over a huge area. Hurricane Sandy has winds sustained at 75mph and those hurricane force winds may reach up to 150 miles away from the storm’s center.
As we approach the middle of the week the storm is predicted to move deeper inland which will bring high winds and torrential rain as far west as Eastern Ohio and West Virginia.
Storm surge will be a risk factor for those along the East Coast including areas like Long Island Sound where a strong onshore flow may force water into the sound causing it to build up and produce flooding. As with any hurricane or depression that moves inland, we will likely see power outages, downed trees, and flooding across many states in the northeast.
You can view the projected track of Hurricane Sandy at Weather Underground.