Hurricane Sandy Set to Make History As It Aims at U.S. Coast

[Hissyspit]

Source: Reuters

Hurricane Sandy set to make history as it aims at U.S. coast

By Gene Cherry

HATTERAS ISLAND, North Carolina | Sun Oct 28, 2012 2:47am EDT

(Reuters) - Weather forecasters worked to pinpoint the likely landfall of the monstrous Hurricane Sandy as it closed in on the U.S. East Coast Sunday with the potential to be the biggest storm to hit the mainland.

- snip -

While Sandy's winds were not overwhelming for a hurricane, its width was what made it exceptional. The storm's hurricane force winds extended 105 miles from its center while its lesser tropical storm-force winds reached across 700 miles.

Sandy could have a brutal impact on major cities in the target zone. In New York, city officials discussed whether to shut the subway system on Sunday in advance of the storm, which could bring the county's financial nerve center to a standstill.

The storm could cause the worst flooding Connecticut has seen in more than 70 years, said the state's governor, Dannel P. Malloy.

- snip -

Sandy could be the largest storm to hit the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's website.

"The size of this alone, affecting a heavily populated area, is going to be history making," said Jeff Masters, a hurricane specialist who writes a blog posted on the Weather Underground (www.wunderground.com).

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/28/us-storm-sandy-hurricane-idUSBRE89N16J20121028

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@billmckibben 'Sandy could be the largest storm to hit the United States: NOAA'

[lexw]

1. When is "hurricane season" for the U.S.?

I thought it was August-September. Has there ever been a late October hurricane like this? Scary.

[Occulus]

2. unusual but not exactly rare enough to be scary

http://www.weather.com/blog/weather/8_20395.html

11 times since 1950, according to that.

[lexw]

3. thx

[tessar]

5. This one is different. Listen to the experts.

Especially if you are in a coastal area.

[dipsydoodle]

4. Its not so much for the US - just late hurricanes period.

This was a very late baddy but it missed the US :

The 1932 Cuba hurricane was a powerful and deadly late-season hurricane during the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the fourteenth tropical storm, fifth hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the 1932 season.[1] The strongest tropical cyclone (and only Category 5 hurricane) ever recorded in the month of November, it devastated eastern Cuba and the Cayman Islands, resulting in at least 3,103 deaths, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes of the 20th century.



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1932_Cuba_hurricane

[dixiegrrrrl]

6. Hurricane season is June thru Nov.

Most of the storms come around August thru early Oct.
but
I was in 2 hurricanes in Oct in 1995 down here.
Last one ( Opal) dropped 8 trees on the house I was renting, and did a lot of damage in the South.

This year the ocean is quite warm along the eastern coast, which is one of the reasons Sandy is getting so much momentum.

And then there is tornado season, Feb. thru June, traditionally.

[BumRushDaShow]

8. "This year the ocean is quite warm along the eastern coast"

Yes including up here near Philly. The ocean temps off the south Jersey coast near Cape May are in the mid-upper 60s and in the Delaware Bay, one of the buoys was around 77F.

[dixiegrrrrl]

9. Yep. I suspect our old definition of "hurricane season" will have to change.

Just as the nation wide agricultural zones have changed.

[Lochloosa]

7. Ends Nov. 30th. I got power back the day before Thanksgiving in Tallahassee.

That was in the early 80's. Lights out for 7 days.