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NEW YORK The low pressure system that's kept the attention of meteorologists along the east coast is picking up in intensity and could form a tropical depression or even a tropical storm by later today, forecasters say.CBS 2 has been monitoring the system closely as it's been taking a northwesternly trail as expected, about 400 miles off the Carolina coast. An Air Force reserve hurricane hunter aircraft is planning to investigate the system, the National Weather Service says.Over the past 24 hours wind shear has been ripping apart the storm. However, according to CBS 2 HD meteorologist Jason Cali, during the last few hours the shear has diminished and the storm is showing signs of life again.For several days now, CBS 2 has projected this storm making a U-turn and heading back toward the Carolina coast. Sure enough, the storm now appears to be moving westward and all computer models indicate a very close brush with the United States.Computer models are creating three different possible scenarios for this storm. CBS 2 HD tropical storm expert Lonnie Quinn has been following the models and has the following analysis:"In the first scenario, the storm makes landfall in the Carolinas, preventing it from strengthening as it heads up the East Coast," Quinn said. "It could bring heavy rain and tropical storm force winds to the tri-state area."Quinn said the second scenario is the worst for our area."The storm hugs the shore and stays over water, allowing it to intensify, possibly into a category 1 hurricane as it clips the East Coast," he said.In the third scenario, Quinn said the storm stays off-shore and passes about 200 miles to our southeast. "In this case, we would probably see gusty winds and some rain, but the bulk of the system would not hit the area," Quinn said.In any of the above scenarios there's going to be a danger of strong rip currents along the South Shore of Long Island and the New Jersey Shore both Sunday and Monday."We should know much more about this storm as it tracks into warmer water and away from the shear," Cali said. "The next 24 hours are critical for this storm. If it reorganizes quickly that won't be a good sign for our area."As in the days of Noah...
