A nor’easter threatening to target the East Coast as it recovers from Superstorm Sandy may be less severe than previously thought but also brings the threat of snow and resulting power outages as US citizens head to the election booths.
New Zealander Prof Jim Salinger, Visiting Professor at Stanford University, California, told the NZ SMC:
“A powerful new storm system is preparing to batter the US East Coast this week, even as millions are still reeling from the devastation left by Superstorm Sandy. The nor’easter storm will bring snow and strong winter winds beginning Tuesday, Election Day, until Thursday. Most of the severe weather will hit from New Jersey to northern New England – hundreds of miles north of where Sandy made landfall. Currently there are 40,000 homeless people in New York City.
“As the jet stream kinks down on Election Day Tuesday to the Carolina’s, this makes the atmosphere ripe for an ugly nor’easter storm which is expected to track up the east coast on 7 and 8 November. A low rapidly deepens off the coast flinging strong nor’easterlies with up to 100 mm of rain along the coast from north of the Carolina’s to New England. Central pressures are forecast to be as low as 995 hPa, so the winds will be less dangerous than with those of Superstorm Sandy.
“However, with the ground weakened and saturated, and damaged infrastructure throughout the north east this, and daytime maxima of between 5 and 7 C for New York City, will only compound the damage to residents from Superstorm Sandy.”