Huge Hurricane Sandy Bears Down On East Coast Of US: Will this be our Wake Up Call?

NOAA GOES-13 Satellite showing Hurricane Sandy meeting Arctic front Huge Hurricane Sandy Bears Down On US East Coast

Tens of millions of people along the U.S. East Coast girded themselves on Sunday for Hurricane Sandy, a gigantic storm forecast to assault the densely populated region with battering winds, dangerous flooding and even heavy snowfall.

Sandy, expected to come ashore late on Monday, could deliver a harsh blow to major cities in its target zone including New York, Philadelphia, Washington, Baltimore and Boston. Its center was forecast to strike New York-New Jersey area and then move inland toward Philadelphia and the rest of Pennsylvania.

The sheer size of the storm meant its effects would be felt from the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Officials warned of widespread power outages that could last for days.

In New York City, subway, bus and train service will be suspended on Sunday evening and up to 375,000 people were ordered to evacuate from low-lying areas.

"It's a very, very large system," National Hurricane Center Director Rick Knabb said. "The storm is going to carve a pretty large swath of bad weather, both water and wind."

The storm could bring the country's financial nerve center to a standstill, although the major Wall Street exchanges said they planned to open as usual on Monday because they have alternative facilities they can use.

Worried residents in the hurricane's path packed stores, searching for generators, flashlights, batteries, food and other supplies in anticipation of power outages.

New York City schools will be shut on Monday. Other local governments also announced school closures.

Gale-force winds were already starting to buffet Virginia and could reach other parts of the mid-Atlantic coast on Sunday night. Tens of millions of people will feel its bluster for as long as two days, Knabb said.

Forecasters said Sandy was a rare, hybrid "super storm" created by an Arctic jet stream wrapping itself around a tropical storm, possibly causing up to 12 inches of rain in some areas, as well as up to 2 feet of snowfall in the Appalachian Mountains from West Virginia to Kentucky.

It could be the largest storm to hit the United States, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) website.

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Firstly, let me state that I wish all who are in the path of this huge dangerous storm to be safe. I am one of them and have made as many preparations as I can. If I have power and the ability to communicate after this is over I will report back... if not, I will report back when I can.

Secondly, if you are in areas where you are told to evacuate, GO. Material things can be replaced- you, your family and loved ones (pets too) cannot.

Thirdly, I could not report on this storm without saying the following so please bear with me: WILL YOU IMMORAL POLITICIANS IN WASHINGTON DC NOW SEE THE REALITY IF YOUR OFFICES FLOAT AWAY?

This storm is said to bring with it not only huge amounts of precipitation but severe winds and high storm surge as it collides with a cold Arctic front coming from the West also carrying over a foot of show. The sea surface temperature of the waters off the Northeast Coast are at record warmth and the Arctic ice melt which smashed the record of 2007 has affected the jet stream causing it to drop lower in mid latitudes where it now holds more moisture and heat for a longer period of time.

Therefore, we see this "perfect storm" coming at a time when 60% of the US is still in some stage of drought. Hurricane Sandy is only moving 10 mph and will hit where I am during a full moon and high tide. That combined with the collision of these two fronts souped up by warmer than normal ocean temperatures that moved it to the shoreline makes for what is called an "atmospheric bomb."

Yet, the President who hasn't even mentioned climate change in this campaign will simply tell us all to be prepared- then what? No discussion of what spawned its track or intensity? No serious and necessary discussion of what has led us here and the potential for these storms to become more frequent and destructive?

Last year at this time we had a foot of snow for Halloween. Just before that we had Hurricane Irene. Do you think something might be up here?

Again, please all in the path of this storm take it seriously and stay safe. To the politicians in Washington DC and elsewhere who think they will get away with pushing this crisis under the rug any longer : Mother Nature begs to differ.

You can find updated information on Hurricane Sandy here:

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