National

UPDATE: Hurricane Sandy Moving to the North, Oct. 25, 2012, 200 PM EDT


Miami, Florida—(ENEWSPF)—October 25, 2012 – 2 p.m. EDT

Summary of Watches and Warnings in Effect

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for:

  • the Ragged Islands in the southeastern Bahamas  
  • the central Bahamas  
  • the northwestern Bahamas

A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for:

  • Florida east coast from Ocean Reef to Flagler Beach  
  • Lake Okeechobee  
  • the remainder of the southeastern Bahamas

A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for:

  • Florida east coast from north of Flagler Beach to Fernandina Beach  
  • Florida upper keys from Ocean Reef to Craig Key  
  • Florida Bay

Interests elsewhere along the east coast of the United States should monitor the progress of Hurrican sandy.

A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion.

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 200 p.m. EDT (1800 UTC), the center of Hurricane Sandy was located near latitude 23.5 north, longitude 75.4 west. Sandy is moving toward the north near 20 mph (32 km/h) and this motion is Expected to continue today. A turn toward the north-northwest and a decrease in forward speed are expected tonight. On the forecast track, the center of Sandy will continue moving through the central Bahamas today and tonight and move near the northwestern Bahamas on Friday.

Maximum sustained winds remain near 105 mph (165 km/h) with higher gusts. Sandy is a category two hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours, but Sandy is expected to remain a hurricane as it moves through the Bahamas.

Hurricane force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center, and tropical storm force winds extend outward up to 205 miles (335 km). Eleuthera in the Bahamas recently reported a sustained wind of 39 mph (63 km/h).

The latest minimum central pressure reported by an Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunter Aircraft is 963 mb (28.44 inches).

Hazards Affecting Land

Wind. Hurricane conditions will continue spreading across the central Bahamas this afternoon, and are expected to reach the northwestern Bahamas tonight and Friday. Tropical storm conditions are expected to reach the warning area along the east coast of Florida later today and spread northward through Friday. Tropical storm conditions are possible in the watch area Friday night. Winds will gradually subside over eastern Cuba this afternoon.

Rainfall. Sandy is expected to produce total rainfall amounts of 6 to 12 inches across Haiti and the Dominican Republic, with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches possible. These rains may produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides, especially in areas of mountainous terrain. Rainfall totals of 3 to 6 inches are expected over portions of the Bahamas, with isolated maximum amounts of 12 inches possible. Rainfall totals of 1 to 3 inches are possible across the Florida Keys into southeast and east-central Florida.

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, hurricane warning area in the Bahamas, 5 to 8 ft. Florida coast within warning area, 1 to 2 ft. Surge-related flooding depends on the relative timing of the surge and the tidal cycle, and can vary greatly over short distances. For information specific to your area, please see products issued by your local weather office. Water levels will begin to subside in Cuba and Jamaica this afternoon.

Surface Wind Field

Click image to zoom in – Download GIS data [Image of initial wind radii]
Click Here for a Printer Friendly Graphic

Source: nhc.gov


ARCHIVES