Breaking: Sandy Barrels Toward New Jersey Coast

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

October 29, 2012; 11:13 AM

Hurricane Sandy remains on track to become a historical storm for the mid-Atlantic and southern New England with New Jersey and New York City bracing for very dangerous conditions and catastrophic damage.

The impact from Sandy will reach hundreds of miles from the center of landfall, including areas well inland and well ahead of the storm’s landfall Monday evening. Sandy is forecast to move inland as a Category 1 hurricane very close to Atlantic City, N.J., between 6-10 p.m. EDT Monday.

An overview of the catastrophic impacts that await the mid-Atlantic and southern New England can be found in this news story, while below are more detailed impact stories for specific cities and communities.

LATEST UPDATES:
10:45 a.m. EDT Monday: Sandy’s maximum sustained winds have increased to 90 mph.

10:15 a.m. EDT Monday: The latest track map of Sandy is online. Sandy is expected to make landfall as a Category 1 hurricane very close to Atlantic City between 6-10 p.m. EDT Monday.

9:21 a.m. EDT Monday: Rehoboth Beach, Del., has received 4.42 inches of rain from Sandy already. West Cape May, N.J., has received 3.17 inches of rain from Sandy so far.

8:18 a.m. EDT Monday: “80 feet of boardwalk floating free at Atlantic and New Hampshire Ave” @JitneyGuy tweeted from Atlantic City with a picture.

Satellite loop of Sandy from NOAA.

8:15 a.m. EDT Monday: Astronomical tides are peaking along the New Jersey Coast now. The tide gauge of the Atlantic Coast of Atlantic City, N.J., is registering at 8.25 feet. The record stage there is 9.0 feet. The next round of astronomical high tide is this evening, around when Sandy will make landfall in New Jersey.

8:00 a.m. EDT Monday: Sandy has started to turn to the northwest toward the mid-Atlantic Coast, picking up forward speed. The storm is currently 260 miles southeast of Atlantic City, N.J. Maximum sustained winds are still 85 mph.

7:06 a.m. EDT Monday: Moderate to major flooding is occurring in the Chesapeake Bay with storm surge flooding from Hurricane Sandy. The Chesapeake Bay near Kiptopeke, Va., is at major flood stage of 5.95 feet, less than one foot below the record high of 7.1 feet set on March 7, 1962. The Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel, Va., is at 6.71 feet. This is also only one foot below the record flood stage of 7.5 feet set on Sept. 18, 2003.

7:00 a.m. EDT Monday: According to FlightStats.com, a total of 6,576 flights have been canceled so far today in the U.S. and 112 flights have been delayed. Flight Aware reports that there are no operations today at Philadelphia International Airport, and there will be no operations until midday Tuesday.

6:00 a.m. EDT Monday: Life-threatening storm surge flooding expected today from Cape May, N.J., to New York City, Long Island and southern New England.

5:00 a.m. EDT Monday: SANDY STRENGTHENS to 85 mph, pressure of 946 mb. Forecast to continue strengthening to 90 mph before landfall.

For a larger version of Sandy’s track map, visit the AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center.

4:00 a.m. EDT: Clouds from Sandy extend from Bermuda to Detroit, and from North Carolina to the Arctic Circle. This storm is huge.

3:30 a.m. EDT Monday: Flood Warning issued for Monocacy River near Frederick, Maryland affecting Frederick County. Major flooding is forecast.

3:00 a.m. EDT Monday: Low tide has already occurred in Newport, RI. The observed value was 2 feet higher than the expected level.

2:00 a.m. EDT Monday: NHC latest advisory indicates Sandy is now moving north instead of northeast. The turn toward the coast has begun.

1:00 a.m. EDT Monday: Winds gusting to 47 mph in Ocean City, MD. Sandy still about 350 miles off shore.

12:00 a.m. EDT Monday: Hampton, VA — Water flowing over the top of Bridge on Powhatan Parkway at Chesapeake Avenue.

For reports from Sandy over the weekend, click here.

Site-Specific Detailed Impact Stories

–Worst of Hurricane Sandy Threatens New York City

–Snowy Side of Hurricane Sandy

–Damaging Winds, Flooding Rain Aim for Washington, D.C.

–Boston Won’t Be Beat by Sandy, but Battered

–Sandy to Blast Connecticut, Might Spare Worst

–Albany to Get Rain, Gusty Wind from Sandy

–Damaging Winds, Flooding Rain Aims for Baltimore

–Pittsburgh to Get Sandy’s Cold Shoulder

–Rhode Island Could Dodge Worst of Sandy

–Atlanta Travel Nightmares Possible from Sandy

Thumbnail image from Ocean Grove, N.J. was tweeted by aly58991on Sunday, Oct. 28, 2012. To see an entire collection of photos from Sandy, click here.

Content contributed by AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Meghan Evans.

About James Smith
James is a father of four and grandfather to four cute little bugs. He and his wife Beautiful Gorgeous, of almost 30 years, have been prepping since 2003.
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