This post was created prior to the storm. Power has been out in Lower Manhattan and we are just getting back online.
As many of you know, a hurricane has been brewing in the Atlantic and is nearing the New York/New Jersey area. Hurricane Sandy has been due to strike the week of Halloween, hence the nickname “Frankenstorm”. Sandy has already caused damage: ships have been overturned and people have drowned. But how did Sandy start? Where is she going? Who will be affected?
Sandy probably started as a small tropical storm off the coast of Africa. As winds grew high and water began to condense into heavier clouds, a hurricane seemed destined to appear. Recently, she gained an eye, one of the final traits to classify her as a hurricane. But Sandy is no ordinary hurricane.
As hurricanes move north, they often move around the East Coast. This is because of the Coriolis Effect (the effect of the Earth’s rotation). However, there is a high pressure system around the East Coast, causing Sandy to skirt off the high and further north, towards Canada, where she will meet with an incoming cold front. This could cause her to intensify.
Hurricane Sandy is projected to move directly towards Jersey Shore, and possibly pass within 100 miles of New York City. 85 mph winds have been recorded as she barreled along the coast. An estimated 20% of America’s population will be affected by this storm. Hurricane Sandy is surely a force to be reckoned with.
Sandy is on her way to become a “superstorm”. She is the second largest storm recorded since 1988—second only to hurricane Olga of 2001. Two feet of snow can be expected in some areas by the time the cold front and Sandy merge. Sandy’s storm surge (wave of water pushed forward by the hurricane) is estimated to reach 12 feet, higher than any hurricane this century, possibly ever.
Sandy spells out trouble for the whole East Coast, but what many people do not understand is that we are in trouble too. Lower Manhattan is suffering blackouts and the danger of 10 foot storm surges. Wind and rain are buffeting the street, undoubtedly causing damage to streets, roads, and buildings.
But Sandy is changing. As I write from my apartment, I am listening to the radio. She is not a hurricane, but a post-tropical cyclone. This does not mean that she is weaker, but she is expected to lose power as Sandy moves further inland. However, this is not a time to relax. Sandy is still causing major power outages, one of which I am experiencing as I write. School is out—for now.
Max Teirstein
One comment