12:05 AM | All indications continue to favor an historic Mid-Atlantic weather event on Monday and Tuesday

Discussion

All indications continue to point towards an historic event for the Mid-Atlantic region to include the DC, Philly and NYC metro regions on Monday and Tuesday as Hurricane Sandy interacts with an infusion of cold Arctic air and strong upper level energy. The worst of the storm will be in the Monday and Tuesday time period, but rain and wind will likely begin to slowly intensify late Sunday and Sunday night in the Mid-Atlantic region. Sandy will intensify significantly while approaching the Mid-Atlantic coast from the east on Sunday and early Monday as it undergoes a transformation from a tropical system into a major nor’easter on steroids. It will likely make landfall late Monday or Monday night somewhere between South Jersey and Long Island, NY.

While the landfall location is important, the impact from heavy rain and damaging winds will be felt over a large area extending well away from the low pressure center. Coastal flooding from the New York City region to the Delmarva Peninsula could be some of the worst on record and torrential rains of 10 inches or more will cause flooding in many inland locations. The full moon occurs during the afternoon of Monday, Oct. 29th and this will add to high tide levels. Damaging wind gusts will likely reach from Boston to DC and inland to the central Appalachians with 60-80 mph gusts possible during the height of the storm causing widespread power outages and an extensive downing of trees. Heavy snow will also likely be an important factor with this storm on its southwest flank with West Virginia, for example, potentially hard hit.