Hurricane SANDY Summations & Perspective...
LANDFALL: Hurricane SANDY transformed into an Extra/Post-Tropical Storm [bottoming out at 940 MB pressure] during the afternoon hours of Monday October 29th. The center circulation then grazed Cape May NJ around 6 pm, jogged up coast, and made official landfall near Atlantic City around 8 pm [with sustained winds of 80 mph]. This reminds how rare a Hurricane Landfall on New Jersey is, as the previous occurrence remains: Hurricane #4 in September 1903.
STORM-SURGE: By far the most destructive aspect of SANDY, Storm-Surge was very well predicted & advised by the National Hurricane Center. To review: TIDE + STORM SURGE = STORM TIDE. With High Tides around 4 Feet + Storm Surge predictions of up to 11 Feet, Storm-Tides were predicted & anticipated to reach up to 15 Feet above mean low water, in and around the New York Bight/Harbor. Subsequent Storm Tides reached 13.3 Feet at Kings Point, 13.7 Feet at The Battery and 13.3 Feet at Sandy Hook NJ. This logically led to the flooding of harbor/river-side roadways, tunnels, and subways. As we advised, "Beach-front homes/businesses, marinas, harbors and low-lying coastal neighborhoods will receive quite a lashing - longer & more destructive than Irene - dramatically re-shaping many portions of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic shoreline & barrier islands". {Compared to other Full/New Moons, and contrary to rumor, Monday's Full Moon had a minuscule impact on High Tide levels.}
WINDS & RAINFALL: There were no Maximum Sustained Winds [MSW] of Hurricane Force [ > 74 mph] recorded over land. MSW were capped around 65 mph, with LaGuardia AP the only 1st Order Station to measure MSW > 60 mph. However, the scope of 25 mph - 55 mph MSW in terms of square mileage & duration, as well as higher wind GUSTS, led to numerous downed trees & power-lines. With many roadways physically drive-able (unlike Blizzard/Ice-Storm), this will hopefully allow repair crews to restore inland power methodically in the days ahead. Rainfall associated with Sandy fell well shy of State Records from Tropical Cyclones [Irene, Floyd, Diane, etc], with the exception of Delaware which has a modest coastal State record of 10.58". {Please see summary statistics below of MSW, Min Pressure, and Storm-Total Rainfall (ongoing) across all East States impacted by SANDY}.
SNOWFALL: The merging of "Sandy" with a Front approaching from the Mid-West continues to create strong Northwest winds & up-slope snows across the central & northern Appalachians. The highest elevations of Tennessee, North Carolina, Kentucky, West Virginia and Pennsylvania are receiving 1-2 Feet of Snow, with isolated locations possibly receiving 3 Feet.
SANDY's (East USA) legacy/official Reports & Records:
Station Max Sustained Wind [mph] Minimum Pressure [MB] Storm-Total Precipitation [in.]
NORTH CAROLINA
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 24.06 [Floyd, 1999]
Wilmington NC 28 996 2.08
Raleigh-Durham 21 992 0.58
Charlotte 22 997 Trace
Cape Hatteras 29 990 6.26
Asheville 39 998 0.09
Faust NC: 24" of Snow
VIRGINIA
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 27.00 [Camille, 1969]
Richmond 31 982 2.91
Lynchburg 21 986 0.45
Norfolk 43 983 5.93
Norton VA: 24" of Snow
WEST VIRGINIA
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 7.94 [Agnes, 1972]
Charleston 28 1000 0.17
Elkins 17 988 1.63
Parkensburg 25 992 2.13
Davis WV: 28" of Snow
MARYLAND/D.C.
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 14.23 [Eloise, 1975]
Baltimore 40 965 6.61
Washington [DCA AP] 41 970 4.78
Washington [Dulles AP] 39 972 4.65
Redhouse MD: 29" of Snow
PENNSYLVANIA
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 19.00 [Agnes, 1972]
Erie 32 984 3.55
Pittsburgh 21 983 2.71
Harrisburg 40 964 2.20
Scranton 29 972 1.72
Philadelphia 44 953 2.41
Champion PA: 13" of Snow
Station Max Sustained Wind [mph] Minimum Pressure [MB] Storm-Total Precipitation [in.]
DELAWARE
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 10.58 [Floyd, 1999]
Wilmington DE 46 956 4.34
Dover AFB DE: 8.51" of Rain
NEW JERSEY
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 14.13 [Floyd, 1999]
Atlantic City 51 948 [New State Record] 8.15
Trenton 38 958 1.79
Newark AP 52 965 1.27
Tompkinsville NJ: 90 mph wind GUST
NEW YORK
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 13.30 [Irene, 2011]
Buffalo 33 984 2.21
Rochester 41 985 2.19
Syracuse 30 983 0.59
Binghamton 33 979 0.59
Albany 30 984 0.15
NYC [LaGuardia AP] 64 966 N/A
NYC [Central Park] 38 966 1.00
NYC [JFK AP] 56 965 0.35
Islip 56 968 0.71
Plum Island NY: 84 mph wind GUST
CONNECTICUT
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 16.86 [Diane, 1955]
Hartford 40 982 0.73
Bridgeport 59 972 0.39
Groton CT: 76 mph wind GUST
RHODE ISLAND
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 9.12 [Esther, 1961]
Providence 41 984 0.96
Newport 37 982 N/A
MASSACHUSETTS
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 19.75 [Diane, 1955]
Worcester 40 986 1.71
Boston 46 989 1.20
Cuttyhunk MA: 83 mph wind GUST
NEW HAMPSHIRE
Maximum Rainfall State Record from a Tropical Cyclone (and their remnants): 9.54 [Floyd, 1999]
Concord 28 992 0.75
Mt. Washington NH: 140 mph wind GUST
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