National

Hurricane Sandy Update, October 27, 2012 – 8 AM EDT


Miami, Florida—(ENEWSPF)–October 27, 2012 – 8 AM EDT

Summary of Watches and Warnings in Effect with this Advisory

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

  • Florida east coast from Sebastian inlet to saint Augustine  
  • south Santee river to Duck, including Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds  
  • Great Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

  • Savannah River to south Santee River  
  • Florida east coast from north of Saint Augustine to Fernandina beach  
  • Bermuda

In addition, gale, storm and high wind watches and warnings are in effect for areas north of the tropical storm warning areas. See statements from local national weather service forecast offices.

Interests throughout the Mid-Atlantic States and New England should monitor the progress of sandy.

A Tropical Storm Warning means that tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area.

A Tropical Storm Watch means that tropical storm conditions are possible within the watch area.

For storm information specific to your area in the United States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service Forecast Office. For storm information specific to your area outside the United States, please monitor products issued by your National Meteorological Service.

Discussion and 48-hour Outlook

At 8:00 a.m. EDT (1200 UTC) the center of Hurricane Sandy was located near latitude 28.8 north, longitude 76.8 west. Sandy is moving toward the north-northeast near 10 mph (17 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue today. A turn toward the northeast and an increase in forward speed are expected tonight and Sunday, followed by a turn toward the north Sunday night. On the forecast track the center of Sandy will continue moving away from the northwestern Bahamas this morning and will move parallel to the southeast coast of the United States through the weekend.

Data from NOAA and U.S. Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter Aircraft indicate that Sandy has maximum sustained winds near 75 mph (120 km/h), with higher gusts. Little overall change in strength is forecast during the next few days.

Sandy is a very large tropical cyclone. Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 100 miles primarily southwest of the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 450 miles (725 km) from the center.  NOAA Buoy 41010, located about 140 miles (220 km), east of Cape Canaveral Florida recently reported a sustained wind of 58 mph (94 km/h) and a wind gust of 74 mph (119 km/h). A NOAA Automated Station at Settlement Point on Grand Bahamas recently reported a sustained wind of 43 mph (69 km/h) and a wind gust of 53 mph (85 km/h). The latest minimum central pressure reported by a NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft was 960 mb (28.35 inches).

Hazards Affecting Land

Wind. Tropical Storm conditions will continue in Great Abaco and Grand Bahama Islands for the next few hours. Tropical Storm conditions are expected to continue over the warning area along the east coast of Florida today. Tropical Storm conditions are expected to first reach the tropical storm warning area in the Carolinas by this evening, and spread northward tonight and Sunday. Tropical Storm conditions are possible in the watch areas through tonight.

Rainfall. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected over far eastern North Carolina, with isolated maximum amounts of 8 inches possible. Rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches are expected over portions of the central Mid-Atlantic States, including the Delmarva Peninsula, with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches possible.

Storm Surge. The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters. the water could reach the following depths above ground if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide, Bahamas within the warning area, 3 to 5 ft. Florida coast within warning area, 1 to 3 ft. North Carolina within the warning area, 3 to 5 ft. remainder of North Carolina and se Virginia including lower Chesapeake Bay, 2 to 4 ft. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. Given the large wind field associated with Sandy, elevated water levels could span multiple tide cycles resulting in repeated periods of coastal and bayside flooding. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local weather office.

Surf. Dangerous surf conditions will continue from Florida through the Carolinas for the next couple of days and spread into the mid-Atlantic and northeastern states by Sunday.

Surface Wind Field

Click image to zoom in – Download GIS data [Image of initial wind radii]
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Source: nhc.gov


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