HURRICANE SANDY UPDATE: Storm track as of 9 a.m. Sunday
Eunice Lee/The Star-Ledger
The forecast for Hurricane Sandy remains grim, according to the National Weather Service.
Sandy is "expected to bring life-threatening storm surge flooding to the Mid-Atlantic coast" as well as winds near hurricane force at landfall, says the service's National Hurricane Center in Miami, Fla.
The storm has tracked up the East Coast and is currently about 260 miles southeast of Cape Hatteras, NC., and 395 miles south of New York City.
Maximum sustained winds were clocked in at 75 mph, with higher gusts, and the storm is churning northeast at a steady 10 mph, the National Weather Service says. The center of the hurricane will move parallel to the southeast coast of the United States today and tonight and start moving towards the coastal Mid-Atlantic states by Monday night.
The leading edge of Sandy is forecast to hit the Garden State this afternoon, strengthening as it merges with a cold weather system to the west.
On Saturday, Gov. Chris Christie declared a pre-emptive state of emergency. Several coastal towns including most barrier islands south of Sandy Hook, including Atlantic City and its 12 casinos, were ordered evacuated by 4 p.m. today.
Today around New Jersey, forecasts call for a slight chance of showers late this morning and afternoon. Highs and lows will be in the 50s.
Related Hurricane Sandy coverage:
• N.J. scurries as Sandy closes in, residents gearing up to settle in or get out
• Atlantic City takes a gamble on Hurricane Sandy
• New Jerseyans recalling Irene stock up on supplies, again, this time for Sandy
• Hurricane Sandy map: Track storm's progress, forecasted direction
http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2012/10/hurricane_sandy_update_storm_t.html#
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