11 AM EDT - Hurricane Sandy has gotten STRONGER! It is located about 205 miles SE of Atlantic City, NJ. Sustained winds are up to 90 mph and the pressure has fallen to an amazing 943 mb!! Sandy is forecast to make landfall near Atlantic City, NJ tonight/early Tuesday Morning.
This is stronger than the 1938 Long Island Express Hurricane that was 946 mph. What this means is that MORE water could pile up along the Jersey Shore and Long Island, NY. I hope everyone who is reading this up north is prepared for the worst!! This storm is going to be much worse than Hurricane Irene was last year. This storm is HUGE and the wind field is massive! Don't focus on where it makes landfall. Tropical storm force winds extend 485 miles upward from the center in all directions. Hurricane force winds extend 175 miles upward from the center. A 20 mile wide eye has now developed too. Please take this storm VERY SERIOUSLY! There will be a life-threatening storm surge to hurricane force winds along the coast to Appalachian Snows! This is a MASSIVE storm!
Coastal Areas: All preparations should be
COMPLETE by now! If you are along the coast and are prone to flooding, then you need to evacuate now! I have seen pictures of people on Facebook who are staying in their homes to "ride out the storm" and now their home is surrounded by water...and the worst part of the storm has yet to come!! Please use common sense and don't take any chances. The heavy rain is already falling and that will lead to flash flooding ahead of the storm surge. Please watch local streams, creeks, and river for rapidly rising water!! Significant wind damage with winds of 50-75 mph with gusts as high as 90 mph are possible and that will cause widespread power outages that could last for days!
Inland areas: You can expect to have tropical storm force winds starting tonight and lasting through Tuesday with winds of 40-50 mph with higher gusts. This will cause trees and power lines to come down which will lead to widespread power outages well inland from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. Heavy wind-swept rain with totals around 2-4 inches are forecast.
High Wind Warnings & Flood Watches are in effect for all inland areas. Keep an eye on local streams, creeks and rivers for quickly rising water!
Stay calm and safe! Stay tuned to my updates here and on Facebook. Watch local news for local updates, and please listen to local officials. If they tell you to evacuate, then leave! Possessions can be replaced, you can't be replaced! -Dave
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