Latest Sandy Information Keeps Sandy A Category 1 Hurricane Upon Landfall
By Kate Bilo
PHILADLEPHIA (CBS) - Sandy is coming, and now is the time to prepare.
The 11pm National Hurricane Center briefing keeps Sandy a hurricane and adjusts the track just slightly to the north, bringing the storm more into the Cape May area rather than Southern Delaware.
However, my gut feeling is that the track will eventually be adjusted a little further northward as the GFS (US) and European models have finally decided to call more of a truce and work together.
The latest runs of both models correct the storm further north, with the Euro predicting landfall near Atlantic City and the GFS bringing the storm in near New York City.
My gut feeling is that the New Jersey coast is the main target area of the storm at this point, but it remains to be seen exactly where.
For most of us, a 50-100 mile shift in the track won't make a difference - we'll still experience heavy, flooding rainfall on the order of 6-10 inches, strong sustained tropical storm force winds, and even the threat for hurricane force winds.
A few things would change with even a slight northerly shift - the threat zone for tornadoes with the landfalling storm would shift slightly further north, and the risk for massive coastal flooding decreases slightly with any shift to the north.
Regardless, the exact landfall is still too far out to pinpoint - the takeaway message tonight is use tomorrow's quiet, tranquil weather to make preparations. Stock up on water and non-perishables, batteries, gas up the cars (many cars can be used to charge wireless devices), and if you live in a flood-prone or coastal area, get the sump pumps ready or, perhaps better, make plans to head to a family member or friend's home through the duration of the worst expected flooding.
As always, stay with CBSPhilly on the air, on the radio and online for all the latest updates. We'll all be here to get you through the storm!
