Sandy Worst Storm In 100 Years: East Coast Awaits Unprecedented Threat To The Masses

A massive storm is expected to hit the East Coast during the days leading up to Halloween, which meteorologists anticipate will cost up to $5 billion in damages.

Experts are warning of unprecedented property damage across the east coast as Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall Monday accompanied by a massive storm surge combined with a near record lunar tide.

The latest official projected path from from NOAA/The National Weather Center/The National Hurricane Center.

Will your house flood? 
Storm Surge
Probabilities

More on the economic predictions below following the latest on the storm from the Weather Channel.

Via the Weather Channel:

Sandy could potentially be an unprecedented threat to the masses in its path, a massive storm that hasn’t been rivaled in generations.

Sandy continues to be a large and dangerous system and poses a major threat to portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. Residents from New England to New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia should begin to prepare for Sandy.

[...]

Our latest projected path takes the center of Sandy into the Northeast coast between Long Island and the Del-Mar-Va Peninsula.

However, it is very important to not focus on the center of our projected path map since the major impacts will extend across a wide area well away from where Sandy’s center eventually moves inland.

The impacts will range from widespread destructive winds, heavy rainfall and storm surge flooding to even heavy, wet snow. Below we have an initial look at the multiple threats we expect from Sandy.

[...]

(MORE:Latest “Sandy” Maps)

Power Outage Potential

Destructive Wind Potential - Winds will be strong over a very large area and capable of downing or damaging many trees and possibly blowing out windows in skyscrapers. Power outages are expected to be widespread and could last for days so be sure to charge cell phones and have any other supplies you may need. Wind damage will spread well inland, especially over higher terrain, due to the extremely large size of Sandy. In some areas, sustained winds of 30 to 50 mph could last for more than 24 hours. Gusts may top 75 mph.

Heavy Rain Threat

Heavy Rain Potential - Widespread heavy rainfall will likely lead to flooding problems in some areas. Rainfall amounts of 3 to 6 inches are expected to be widespread in parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic with locally 10 inches or more possible.

Storm Surge Forecast

• What is Storm Surge?

Storm Surge - There remains uncertainty with where exactly the worst storm surge is expected. In general, the most significant storm surge will occur to the north of where the center eventually moves inland. This most likely will extend from New Jersey to the New York City area and southern New England. The National Hurricane Center has released initial storm surge estimates of 4 to 8 feet above ground level if the peak surge occurs at high tide from Ocean City, Md. to the Connecticut/Rhode Island border. This includes Long Island Sound, Raritan Bay and Delaware Bay.

Heavy Snow Threat

Heavy Snow - Yes, this setup will even wrap in just enough cold air on its western edge to produce wet snow, possibly heavy, in some parts of the central Appalachians (mountains of West Virginia and southwest Pennsylvania). Total accumulations of a foot or more will be possible. The combination of snow and strong winds will damage trees and cause power outages.

More on the Potential Damages From RT

October 26, 2012 GOES -East satellite image

RT – Some Americans may have to think twice about going trick-or-treating this year. A massive storm is expected to hit the East Coast during the days leading up to Halloween, which meteorologists anticipate will cost at least $1 billion in damages and up to $5 billion.

The “Frankenstorm” may bring high winds, heavy rain, extreme tides and even snow to some states. The storm will evolve from a collision between Hurricane Sandy, which has already swept through Haiti and Cuba and is now heading north, and a winter storm coming from the west. Government forecasters say there is a 90 percent chance that the hurricane will make landfall on the East Coast.

The two weather systems are predicted to collide in New York or New Jersey Tuesday morning, bringing those states about 5 inches of rain and winds close to 40 mph. Forecasters say it could be the worst US storm in 100 years. Chuck Watso, director of research and development at Kinetic Analysis Corp., announced Thursday that it may cost more than $5 billion in damages.

“It’s pretty much the worst case scenario with the potential for historic coastal flooding, copious amounts of rain, and damaging winds,” Jason Samenow of the Capital Weather Gang wrote in the Washington Post.

“It’s definitely something that everyone should be watching,” Nelson Vaz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, told the Wall Street Journal. “A storm that maintains its strength, coming in to central New Jersey would focus the storm surge in the New York harbor area.”

Forecasters have compared the predicted weather system to the 1991 Perfect Storm, also known as the Halloween Nor’easter, which had winds blowing at 75 mph and cost more than $200 million in damages. This year’s storm will fall during a full moon, which will cause the tides to rise 20 percent higher than normal even without the storm surge.

Utility companies are preparing for the worst. In the Washington area, Pepco is gathering help from power companies in other parts of the US to gain additional assistance in the case of fallen power lines or power outages. Other companies are canceling their employees’ days off to have them available for help.

Baltimore Gas and Electric spokesman Robert Gould told the Post that he expects to see “a couple hundred thousand outages or more” when the Frankenstorm makes its appearance.

Amtrak has expressed concern that fallen trees and debris could make it difficult for trains to keep running between Washington and Boston.

As power companies, airports, rail lines and supermarkets are undergoing emergency preparations for a potentially record-breaking storm, residents of the Northeast may have to forego their Halloween plans.

“It’s looking like a very serious storm that could be historic,” Jeff Masters, meteorology director of the forecasting service Weather Underground, told the Associated Press. “Mother Nature is not saying, ‘Trick or treat.’ It’s just going to give tricks.”

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