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Hurricane Sandy - "Perfect Storm"

For some reason I thought it would be a lot windier in Times Square. Tall buildings and wind tunnel effect etc.
 
Atlantic City

sandy-bwalk-ac_450.jpg


Under 1ft of water at 7.30am US time.
http://blogs.atlanticcityweekly.com...life-threatening-hurricane-for-atlantic-city/
 
From a post elsewhere, the recent reports seem to strongly suggest that it has serously intensified and is now posiing an even greater risk than was thought yesterday.

One of the things I think people fail to appreciate with this storm is its EXTREME LOW PRESSURE.
The latest recon flight (14:00 GMT Oct 29) has just found pressure of approx 940mb.

The record low pressure for the area was previous 946mb in the “Long Island Express” hurricane of 1938. Other areas like Baltimore or Richmond, the previous record low pressures are around 960 – 970. Don’t know yet for Boston or further north, still need to research.
So basically this is like a “Category 3″ or worse storm, even though it “only” has “Category 1″ winds. It has the potential to do severe damage.

The other very unique thing about this storm is its massive size. Last night the hurricane was producing tropical force winds in Bermuda and North Carolina (830 miles apart) SIMULTANEOUSLY!!! Unheard of.
I *think* Sandy is now the largest storm on record in the Atlantic. (I need to verify that, but she is certainly in the top 3.)

What that means is twofold.

1) Sandy is pushing a HUGE HUGE HUGE amount of water forward. Her storm surge potential is currently estimated by the NHC / NOAA to be at a level of 5.8 on a 0 – 6 scale. WORSE THAN KATRINA.
2) There will be SUSTAINED tropical force winds over most of the area (all of NJ, NYC, Long Island, Philly, CT, etc.) for probably 24 hours or more.

Finally, it is the ANGLE OF SANDY’s LANDFALL with the coast that makes her exceptionally dangerous to NYC. She is expected to come in with a hard left turn into central NJ, thus basically coming in perpendicular and continuing W – NW. That is nearly unheard of, and what it will mean is that she will push a massive wall of water NORTH into NY Harbor & Long Island sound.

This is quite a combination of “worst-case scenarios” I’m afraid. ANYONE IN A FLOOD ZONE needs to take extreme precautions and heed any evacuation orders!!
I’m not an expert, but I’ve been a hurricane geek for nearly 40 years, and I’ve been monitoring this storm nearly non-stop since Friday afternoon.

Please pay attention to NHC and NWS and local officials. But please believe me that this is a storm that must be taken extremely seriously!
 
From a post elsewhere, the recent reports seem to strongly suggest that it has serously intensified and is now posiing an even greater risk than was thought yesterday.

There was a story yesterday (think it was The Guardian), talking about the pressure and comparing this storm's with other storms. Will see if I can find it
 
Found it

This was in the early hours of this morning, so things would have changed obviously

5. 951 millibars – Sandy's extremely low pressure ensures that the storm will be long lasting, massive in scope, and windy all over the place. The lowest low pressure to ever hit New Jersey was 961 millibars. The pressure in New York City right now is 1007 millibars. Hurricane Isaac, which hit New Orleans earlier this year, had a minimum low pressure of only 968 millibars.

From here

Hurricane Sandy: 10 statistics that place this powerful storm in perspective

Overhyped? Hardly – this storm system is massive and its effects will be felt for days by much of the US east coast

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/oct/28/hurricane-sandy-powerful-storm-perspective?CMP=twt_gu
 
From what I've read, some people are upset and angry about the forced evacuations from some areas of NYC. Public housing schemes have had their water and heating turned off, leaving residents no option but to put themselves in the hands of the city authorities' emergency plans and hope for the best. I wonder what our US posters think of this? Has this been a big issue over there?
 
blimey

and what's the chances of it suddenly changing course and the threat diminishing? :hmm:

From what ive read there's little chance of it weakening significantly, possible that it will most likely hold its current strength or intensify. The reason seems to be it has picked up energy from the Gulf Stream. People are speculating that it is, or soon will be in all but name a Force 2 Hurricane.
 
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