LOW Pressure Is Making This Storm VERY Different…
Updated: OCT-29, 1,000 miles across
As also reported on the Weather Channel, this is a remarkable storm. Forget about everything that you know about storms that have come up and across the northeast in the past, because while this is a Category 1 storm with 75 mph winds, the central pressure now is 951 mb (28.08 in.). Now comparatively you can have a hurricane very easily with a pressure of 993 mb. Standard sea level pressure is at 1014 mb. This is an incredibly LOW central pressure.
To give you an idea of how low this pressure is on a barometer, anything lower will fall off the low end of the scale! Take a look at this image of my barometer which I’ve indicated 951 mb for reference…
The pressure of the ‘Super Storm’ of 1993 that came up along the northeast coast and paralyzed the northeast all the way from Atlanta up to parts of northern New England… that had a pressure of 960 mb. So this one (Sandy) is almost 10 millibars lower! This is an incredible atmospheric disturbance, and it’s going to be a long duration event. That is the biggest thing… this is not simply a category 1 hurricane.
The lowest pressure ever measured anywhere in the U.S. north of Cape Hatteras, NC, is 946 mb (27.94″) measured at the Bellport Coast Guard Station on Long Island, NY on September 21, 1938 during the great “Long Island Express” hurricane. Sandy has the potential of lowering very close to that record during Monday.
Update (10/29/2012): Sandy has just equaled broken the lowest pressure ever recorded in this part of the Atlantic, (946 mb). Sandy now 943 mb. Increased strength and winds 90-115 mph.
Update (10/29/2012): NOW 940 mb! Incredible Storm!
The area of strong winds surrounding Sandy is very large and is currently extending 500 miles from its center.
For those who will be impacted by this storm, understand what is around you (your home). Know where the big trees are, especially the older trees which might be weaker, and where they would fall on your house if they did fall. Use that information to help you decide where (what room?) to ride out the storm.
This storm will be a very long duration event, with high winds for 36 hours. This is a major concern for trees and structures fatigued by constant wind buffeted with higher gusts. Massive power outages will be a certainty.
Be Prepared.
For those who read this blog and are well outside of the area that will be affected, and may not be particularly interested in this… the event will be one where you can learn something by observing the effects of what happens as a result of power outages in large population centers, and how people are able to deal with it (or not). Search the news for the varying aftermath when its over…
Appreciate topics of survival, emergency preparedness – or planning for disaster?
Read our current articles on Modern Survival Blog
twitter: MSurvivalBlog
Facebook
not to throw stones at those living in the area but i am reminded of all the times that hurricanes have struck in the South and we heard “why do people live there”….well this just proves that no matter where you live you have to be prepared for the unexpected.
a massive hurricane late in the season, dust storms or earthquakes in unlikely places. this is the unexpected that i expect to happen.
Expect the Unexpected. It is (should be) one of the grounding rules of preparedness.
Thank you Ken for keeping us updated on this monster.
Even though I live no where in this vicinity, I am still very interested and concerned.
I read yesterday, that there are twelve nuclear Power plants in this potential effected coastline. I wonder about the disruption to supply lanes after this passes, which sounds like it could be a very long time, relatively speaking.
Do I hold off mailing any of my bills that go to these areas as they might not reach it anyway?
I recently purchased some items that were shipped to me and they have arrived thankfully, as I believe that some things may not be shipping for a while if they originate from these storm hit areas.
Give that some thought and perhaps hold off ordering on line for a bit.
This storm, so untimely coinciding with the elections could even post pone or cancel that event?
What if this contributes to NO election? Rioting? Martial law?
Any thoughts from all of you out there?
I for one, am working to get ‘All safely gathered in’ in preparation to the ‘fall out’ of the destruction this storm may bring to all of us.
Be safe out there folks, I am looking forward to hearing how many of you weather this out,
HalfKin, standing by and watching…..
we are in nj during high tide this morning our parking lot flooded and a very important side road flooded and that is without any rain and 20mph winds .this one is gonna leave a mark be safe
Word has it that the entire stretch of NJ outer beach barrier islands (including Beach Haven, Long Beach, Ship Bottom, etc.) is going under water with the storm surge coupled with the full-moon high tide effects. Looking at it from Google Earth reveals the place is packed with thousands of homes/cottages, etc. If anyone is still there when exit is cut off, they probably won’t make it…
very weird uneven announcements to evacuate sea bright, which is tiny in between the ocean and a river, rescinded the order to evacuate? look on google this makes no sense
@ralley, Negative… all my searching indicates that Sea Bright residents must evacuate. Period. The elevation there ranges from 0 to 20 feet above sea level, and it is directly in the absolute worst place for this landfall. Storm surge could be as high as 10 feet. Add wave height on top of that… If you live there, get out now. If you have no place to go in particular, just drive West. Find a hotel inland a bit (although it’s pretty late to find a vacancy I might suspect). Staying is not worth risking your life. Many people are going to lose their life because of this storm…
You got that right Ken. I lived in FL and witnessed hurricanes up close and personal. They are usually either vastly under or over estimated…now’s not the time to gamble which one this will be…you can lose either way.
Ready as can be here in NewJerseystan. I learned a lot from Hurricane Irene last fall that knocked our power out for 3 days, refined the plan, bought a few other odds and ends I did not have then. I had to get a couple of last minute things last Friday at BJ’s Wholesale Club, and the deer in the headlights look from people who could not understand there was no Polland Spring bottled water was amazing (there was plenty of the BJs version).
we live adjacent to sea bright, earlier in day yesterday order was rescinded, we dont know why? it was put back in effect, just as friday bloomberg told ny they werent going to do any evacuations, as far as sea bright goes i worked there for a winter, if you spill your big gulp you flood the town. i never understood why anyone ever built anything there
Bayonne, NJ – What is scaring me about this storm is the increased intensity. We are going to be hammered!
@Doreen, Your location ranges from 20 – 40 feet above sea level. The bad thing is that you are located where LOTS of water will funnel in – now they’re saying possibly 12 – 14 foot surge in NYC area. Crazy. The storm has intensified greatly during this morning and has shattered all records for its type and location.
Newark, DE here. People are surprisingly still on the roads despite the wind and rain. Over the weekend lines at gas stations/ grocery stores were rampant. I, of course have plenty of supplies, but today after looking at the intensity increase I decided to fill the WaterBOB just to be safe.
My concern at this point isn’t power outrage or flooding, but more that my cheaply constructed modern townhouse will be missing pieces when this is over.
Stay safe.
Construction in the NorthEast will have their vulnerabilities exposed from the high winds of this hurricane. I’ll bet NYC skyscrapers lose lots of glass.
MIMIC images/mapping of Sandy indicates a sudden flare within the eye of the storm. I’m curious as to where this flare comes from: with an all time low barometric pressure of 940mb, Sandy should have been sucking down cold air from higher altitudes, a sudden flare of heat at 13:45 hrs on 27th Oct 2012 seems to be something of an anomally.