UPDATE FORCAST for Tropical Storm 'Sandy'
Mitch Battros - Earth Changes
Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph (120 km/h) with higher gusts. The strongest winds are occurring over water to the east of the cyclone center - with steady weakening strength is forecast over the next 48 hours.
Hurricane force wind gusts are possible along the coast between Chincoteague, Virginia and Chatham, Mass. during the next few hours. This includes the tidal Potomac from Cobb Island to Smith Point. The middle and upper Chesapeake Bay, Delaware Bay, and the coasts of the northern Delmarva Peninsula, New Jersey, and New York city area, Long Island, Connecticut and Rhode Island.
At 11 PM (EDT), the center of the post-tropical cyclone 'Sandy' was located near latitude 39.8 North, longitude 75.4 West. 'Sandy' is moving toward the northwest at 18 mph (30 kn/h). A west-northwest to northwest motion with some reduction in forward speed is expected through Tuesday.
A turn toward the north and northeast is forecast through Tuesday night. On the forecast tract, the center of Sandy is expected to move across Pennsylvania during the next 24 to 48 hours - then move into western New York Tuesday night.