The Start of a Long Week in the Eastern U.S.

Even though Sandy still remains almost 300 miles east of Cape Hatteras, NC as of 11:00 p.m. EDT, her effects are being felt up and down the eastern seaboard.

Position of Hurricane Sandy and forecast track as of 11:00 p.m. EDT October 28

The footprint of this storm is huge, and extends from the Outer Banks all the way to Bermuda. The orange area in the map below is the area being affected by tropical storm force winds (>=39 mph).

Rain bands associated with Hurricane Sandy are already soaking the mid-Atlantic coast from New Jersey south to the Outer Banks of North Carolina and east into Virginia.

Radar image from the Dover AFB radar at 11:12 p.m. EDT October 28, 2012

Strong winds are being recorded as far north as Nantucket, MA, where northeast winds are sustained at 20 mph and gusting to 35 mph at 11:00 p.m. EDT. At Norfolk, VA winds are north at 24 mph gusting to 39 mph. The weather will continue to go downhill tonight from Virginia to southern New England.

Warnings, watches, and advisories of just about every variety cover the eastern third of the country because of Sandy and the eventual "morphed" monster it will become in the next 24 hours. High wind watches are in affect for areas as far west as Lake Michigan. Winter storm watches are in effect for the high elevations of southeastern West Virginia, southwestern Virgina, and western North Carolina, where 4 to 8 inches of snow may accumulate. High wind warnings are in effect or will be in effect for coastal areas from Virginia to Maine, with winds expected to gust to 50 to 60 mph over a period of 18 to 36 hours.

The NWS watch/warning map as of 11:39 p.m. EDT October 28.

This storm is going to affect a large number of our CoCoRaHS observers. We of course will appreciate any reports you can provide during the week. However, your safety and the safety of your families comes first, so do not take any unnecessary risks to make an observation. With power likely to be out for a large area of the east for anywhere from a day to perhaps more than a week, many of you will not be able to send in any observations you may be able to make. Your fellow CoCoRaHS observers across the country are hoping that all of you affected by the storm come through this safely and with minimal damage.