New York City's Sandy Knockout-Punch Potential

By Alex Sosnowski, Expert Senior Meteorologist

October 25,2012; 10:30AM,EDT

 

 

 

Sandy has the potential to deliver a knockout punch to the Big Apple or could swing and miss.
With a sudden left hook toward the mid-Atlantic and New England by Sandy becoming more likely early next week, the risk of major impact to travel and activities in the I-95 Northeast is on the rise. So is the risk to lives and property.
The severity of impacts depends on where Sandy makes landfall relative to the New York metro area.

While there are equal chances the worst of the storm may occur northeast, toward Boston and southwest, toward Norfolk, Va., there is also the potential for the region to be in the heart of the storm.

As we have stated here on AccuWeather.com and through our various media outlets in the city, there is the potential for damaging winds, power outages and coastal and urban flooding. Some neighborhoods and major highways could be flooded and trees could be blocking streets.
If Sandy, which has the potential to be the "Perfect Storm" of this century, takes the track near New York or the worst case into central New Jersey, people in the city, the suburbs and Long Island could be wondering what hit them come Tuesday. Impacts from storm surge and winds could be far worse than that of Irene, assuming the left hook goes toward Sandy Hook. If the storm swings toward Boston, the same folks may be saying, "Where's Sandy?"
Stormy conditions would build Sunday night into Monday, then diminish late Tuesday.