Northeast Coastal High Winds, Flooding Event on the Way
The same storm destined to bring widespread flooding of urban areas, streams and rivers in the mid-Atlantic and part of New England this weekend will hit coastal areas hard with problems from strong onshore winds and above normal tides.
In terms of effects, people on the coast should consider the storm as simply a warmer version of the Snowicane™ that hit during late February.
A few gusts from New Jersey to the south coast of New England may reach 65 mph.
While the storm will not be as intense in terms of low atmospheric pressure, a period of strong winds from the east and northeast will work northward hitting coastal areas of the Delamarva and New Jersey first Friday night into Saturday, then on to Long Island and New England Saturday night into Sunday.
Some of the ridges over the interior mid-Atlantic and southern New England will have powerful gusts as well.
The winds alone will be strong enough to down trees and power lines. In many cases the soil has been saturated and the trees weakened by the many powerful storms earlier this winter.
Unless the storm treks farther north than now expected, winds will drop off exponentially over northern New England with this storm as it cuts out to the east, rather than plows northward into Atlantic Canada.
Coastal Flooding
The wind will drive big waves, offshore swells and push ocean water onshore as well.
Some secondary coastal roads may close, potentially cutting off some neighborhoods.
The storm will batter already damaged beaches from the storms this winter.
The worst coastal flooding conditions will accompany the period of strong winds: the mid-Atlantic Saturday into Saturday night and New England Saturday night into Sunday.
The New Moon Factor
Matters will be made worse by the approach of the new moon on Monday. During this time and to some extent the day before and the day after, the moon lines up with the sun, adding extra pull on the ocean, increasing tide levels.
Tides can be driven to several feet above normal during this phase of the moon in some areas.
The storm alone can produce tides of 2 to 3 feet above the new moon scheduled levels.
In short, the combination of the storm and the new moon may produce tide levels of 3 to 6 feet above average.
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Daily U.S. Extremes
past 24 hours
| Extreme | Location | |
|---|---|---|
| High | 82° | Gila Bend, AZ |
| Low | -13° | Clayton Lake, ME |
| Precip | 1.24" | Spanish Fork, UT |
WeatherWhys®
The "Dead of Winter," the one-month period when normal temperatures reach their lowest levels, has come to an end for much of the United States. Some people may find it odd that the "Dead of Winter" does not encompass the darkest day of the year (the first day of winter). That is due to a seasonal lag in temperatures. More heat continues to be lost than is gained from the start of winter until this time of year.
This Day In Weather History
Gulf Coast 1 (899)
ry cold morning along Gulf Coast; New Orleans 6.8 deg.; Mobile -1 deg.; Pensacola 7 deg.; Tallahassee -2 deg (All time record for Florida. Brownsville 12 deg. (all time low).
North Dakota 1 (936)
this date the mercury plummeted to -60 deg. at Parshall, ND - the coldest temperature ever for the State of ND. Later the same year, the mercury soared to 121 deg. at Steele, ND - the hottest temperature ever for the state of ND.
Rough Weather
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