Hanna Closing in on the Carolinas

Tropical Storm Hanna is less than 150 miles south of Cape Romain, S.C. early Friday evening. The storm is moving at 20 mph but is expected to pick up and possibly double the speed by tomorrow. Hanna will make landfall overnight along the Grand Strand of South Carolina before racing up the Interstate 95 corridor on Saturday. Hurricane Ike is close behind, expected to reach the Bahamas by Sunday. Hanna is close to hurricane strength, with maximum sustained winds near 70 mph. The storm is expected to weaken after landfall. The storm is forecast to make landfall Saturday morning between 12 A.M. to 3 A.M. (EDT) near the South Carolina - North Carolina border.Isolated tornadoes are possible tonight over the coastal areas. The Severe Weather Center lists the hurricane and tropical storm-related watches and warnings in effect from Florida to southern New England.Wind gusts above 40 mph Friday have buffeted Fla., with a 61 mph gust recorded at Leesburg. Many areas of the Sunshine State have already received 2 to 3 inches of rain, with 3.72 inches recorded in Pompano Beach through Friday 5:00 p.m. EDT. The South Regional News story has an up-to-date list of rain and wind data in the Southeast. Once over land, Hanna will speed up the Interstate 95 corridor, bringing heavy rain and damaging winds to the major cities from Richmond, Va. to Boston, Mass. According to AccuWeather.com, Expert Senior Meteorologist John Kocet, "This storm will do some damage, much like winter nor'easters that are even more powerful." All interests along the Eastern Seaboard should be making preparations for heavy rain and powerful winds that could cause significant damage. The fast forward speed will limit rain amounts along the East Coast. Up to 8 inches will fall over eastern North Carolina and southeastern Va., while 2 to 4 inches is forecast from eastern South Carolina to southern New England. With the heaviest rain and strongest winds near and east of the eye of the storm, areas to the west of I-95 could experience significantly lower rain totals and weaker winds. The rain will spark localized flooding and flash flooding, while wind gusts between 40 to 60 mph could topple trees and power lines along the Interstate 95 corridor. Hurricane-force wind gusts are possible from coastal North Carolina and southeast Virginia through Cape Cod, Mass. The combination of wind and rain will cause problems for motorists and could lead to flight delays at the major airports along the Eastern Seaboard.


The storm surge of 3 to 6 feet above normal tides could cause coastal flooding and beach erosion, especially along the Outer Banks, Long Island and Cape Cod. North Carolina Gov. Mike Easley and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine have declared states of emergency. South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford urged people in two northern counties to leave flood-prone areas and mobile homes by this afternoon. Associated Press reports preparations are underway in New England. Workers from Washington D.C. to Providence, R.I., cleared storm drains and stocked up on sandbags, while officials urged residents to stock up on supplies. "If nothing else it's a good dress rehearsal for Ike if Ike were to come," said Peter Judge, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency.
To read more go to:
http://www.accuweather.com/news-top-headline.asp?partner=accuweather&traveler=0&date=2008-09-05_16:25
As in the days of Noah...