Hurricane Joaquin

[weatherdude]

Looks like a lot of rain for us. NJ and VA already posted state of emergency.

[pastormjunkie]

Could be a heavy rain maker.

[weatherdude]

New Jersey Declares State of Emergency Ahead of Hurricane Joaquin


Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey declared a state of emergency on Thursday morning as weather forecasters warily eyed the path of a large hurricane that may strike the East Coast as early as this weekend.

Mr. Christie said he would also suspend all of his campaign-related appearances through Tuesday, aside from a fund-raiser in Boston scheduled for Thursday night.

Even as meteorologists cautioned that the track of the storm, Hurricane Joaquin, remained uncertain, governors and public officials along the East Coast began alerting the public to be ready for heavy rains, sustained winds and possible flooding.

The National Hurricane Center said the storm, currently near the Bahamas, was expected to turn north on Friday and at that time its trajectory would come into better focus.

With peak winds of 125 miles per hour, the hurricane is currently classified as a Category 3 storm and is expected to intensify.

At the very least, according to weather forecasts, heavy rain and flooding are quite likely from North Carolina to Maine.

Mr. Christie joined the governor of Virginia in declaring a state of emergency.

“We are not quite yet sure whether this is going to be a single punch or a double punch,” Mr. Christie said. “There is no question this will be a single punch that will start this evening.”

“We are prepared,” he said. “We need you to prepare and not panic.”

He said many people in the state were still “traumatized” by Hurricane Sandy’s devastation three years ago and “feel an enormous amount of stress that something severe can happen.”

Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo of New York said that even as forecasters worked to predict the path for the hurricane, the state was much better prepared than it was three years ago when Hurricane Sandy ravaged the region.

“I have learned the hard way that it is better to prepare for the worst,” Mr. Cuomo said during a conference call with reporters on Thursday. “In the past, we did not take the worst case scenario into full consideration and we paid the price.”

Thomas F. Prendergast, the chairman of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, said that New York’s transportation system had been greatly strengthened since Hurricane Sandy and new infrastructure would help mitigate any damage from future storms.

“The facilities that were severely damaged are better than they were before,” he said, listing a host of improvements, including new sea walls, the installation of submarine cables that can withstand flooding and new equipment.

Mr. Prendergast acknowledged that there was still much work to be done — work that will take years — to complete all the projects developed post-Sandy to make the system more resilient. But he said he was confident that they were better prepared today than they were three years ago.

Still, Mr. Cuomo said that even with the best preparation, nature is unpredictable.

He did not want to leave the impression, he said, “that post-Sandy we are ready for anything. You cannot be ready for anything.”

“I always have my heart somewhat in my mouth on these occasions,” he said. “Although you can’t be prepared for everything, there is no doubt that we are in a much, much better position than we ever have been before.”

With the forecast still varying wildly, Mr. Cuomo said that homeowners should take prudent steps like making sure they have food, water and basic supplies.

His warnings were echoed by other politicians and public officials, including on Long Island.

“Superstorm Sandy taught us that given our location as an island, we are vulnerable to the Atlantic Ocean and susceptible to the powerful and destructive nature of hurricanes and tropical storms such as Joaquin,” said the Nassau County executive, Edward P. Mangano. “It is critical that residents be prepared for and take all warnings seriously.”

[pastormjunkie]

I don't think it will be another Superstorm Sandy but you have to be prepared for anything.

[weatherdude]

You never know. It can shift just about anywhere. The winds aren't the only problems you can have.

[pastormjunkie]

Yes the rain and on the coast there will be flooding. I hope the folks living on the coast prepare for this.

[weatherdude]

I forgot to mention she is a Category 3 storm now.