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Sandy... A "Big Deal" or "Big Hype"?
Posted: 10.28.2012 at 7:45 PM
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Hurricane Sandy is creating a lot of hype in the media. Truth be told, it's not the first time a weather event has been blown out into epic proportions.
Here's the kicker: all the Sandy coverage may just be justified.
Let me tell you why.
To put it simply, the atmospheric dynamics that are going to be put into place with this storm have never been witnessed in recorded history. With several systems in play, the entire system is going to set the record for the lowest barometric pressure ever recorded in New Jersey and New York, and this pressure gradient is generating a gigantic wind field.
Wind moves things. In this case, water.
If the storm remains on track, New York City could be piled with water from storm surge. Flooding could take down infrastructure and property, even the subway system.
The slow moving system will create winds 60 miles per hour for hours. Add that to 10-inches of rain, and we're talking downed trees and power lines.
Given the size and magnitude of the storm, power restoration could take days, even weeks for the Northeast.
To add insult to injury, the massive system is also creating blizzard warnings across parts of West Virginia, where up to two feet of wet snow may fall and winds may reach 60 miles per hour. It's all thanks to Sandy's leftovers.
If all things continue on track, Sandy could be the super-storm of the century.
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What do you think? Is Sandy just another "over-hyped" weather event? Share your thoughts below or on our Facebook page.
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You can follow the latest on Sandy's effect northwest Ohio by following @WNWOtv and @WNWOWeatherTeam on Twitter. We'll also have updates here on northwestohio.com and on Facebook at northwestohio and Chief Met Norm Van Ness.