Sandy is changing.

[Are_grits_groceries]

It is intensifying, and it is moving at a faster forward speed. This is as of right now.

On my Twitter feed, pics coming in from the coast are very bad already.
Scary!

[ItsTheMediaStupid]

1. It's bizarre for a tropical system to lose tropical characteristics

And get stronger

God bless all in her path.

Please don't take any unnecessary chances.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. Yesterday they were expecting this

Will act like a nor'easter

[Mz Pip]

22. It's colliding with a cold front from the north

That will slow it down and it will sit on Pennsylvania for an extra day. It doesn't get much worse than this.

[meow2u3]

26. Crap! I'm right in the path!

I'm in the Lehigh Valley, about 20 miles NE of Bethlehem. I'm on higher ground, but IDK if it's going to help or hurt.

[Danmel]

2. It is getting bad out there

Power went out at my office at 10:30. Traffic lights out, lots of debris in road. Winds picking up, and we have hours to go before it even hits.

[janx]

6. Where are you? n/t

[Danmel]

10. Western Suffolk County

Huntington area. I am inland, as much as anyone can be on Long Island, but I am really worried about the shores, both North and South. We stand to have extended power outages, significant flooding and substantial erosion. I am out of adjectives but this is one scary mother fucker.

[KittyWampus]

21. Flooding already bad in Amityville to Babylon Old MTK HWY is closed. Lindenhurst is flooding badly

already. And it's going to get a lot worse.

[WorseBeforeBetter]

24. A friend in Huntington just texted that they've lost power.

Good luck up there.

[marions ghost]

4. As of 10-11 am

it seems to be making its turn to the west... following all the predictions.

[countryjake]

27. It began nudging West at 6 am EDT, when surface pressure fell to 941 mb,

and wind speeds jumped up to 85 mph. Just as forecast.

I believe the most recent reported low pressure is at 937.5 mb and with every drop, Sandy is predicted to intensify. She has broken historic barometric records all day long!

[mfcorey1]

5. It is really strange that in cold waters it would intensify. It is just not what hurricanes do. eom

[Hosnon]

9. Apparently non-tropical storms are powered by atmospheric temperature differences,

as opposed to warm water.

This "shift" was predicted.

[Jersey Devil]

11. It is not in cold water - it hit the Gulf Stream just off NJ/Del, water about 80 degrees

Cold water near the shore but the Gulf Stream water just offshore is a lot warmer

[NutmegYankee]

13. It's changing from a Hurricane to a Nor'easter.

Rather than getting energy from moist water it is feeding off of the pressure differences like a nor'easter. This change is why they issued "high wind warnings" rather than tropical storm/hurricane warnings in the northeast.

[WilliamPitt]

7. It just met the cold front

that has been moving east all week.

[KittyWampus]

20. there have to be areas of Boston like the Battery that are really low. It's right on the water

[WilliamPitt]

25. Cape Cod is under greater threat than Boston.

The city proper is pretty well-protected (especially with the Cape curling over it like a protective arm), and the harbor blunts a lot of the force of most storms. You'll hear about Scituate tomorrow, though.

[LisaL]

8. I don't understand why it would intensify.

Colder water is not good for hurricanes.

[TBF]

12. I think this is different because it's not tropical

Story from WV where they are having blizzard warnings - this story looks very different from what we experience down here in the Gulf area.


SEVERE WEATHER: Hurricane Sandy Gaining Strength, Blizzard Warning Expanded in W.Va.
Click image to view slide show.

UPDATE 10/29/12 @ 11:50 a.m.
NICHOLAS COUNTY, W.Va. (WSAZ) -- The state of West Virginia has activated the state's Emergency Operations Center.

The center was activated at noon today.

State officials have been working around the clock making preparations to handle the impacts and aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

This center will coordinate statewide assistance to cities, counties and emergency responders ...

http://www.wsaz.com/breaking/home/SEVERE-WEATHER-Bracing-for-Hurricane-Sandys-Impact-176138631.html

[NutmegYankee]

14. It changed to an extratropical storm (feeds on temp differences like a Nor'easter)

Notice the lack of hurricane warnings in the northeast - they are all high wind warnings. It's now a monster Nor'easter.

[HopeHoops]

16. It's already bad here (Harrisburg, PA area), but it will get worse. I've never seen anything like it

The combination of conditions is unique. She's projected to park over my house for at least 24 hours before turning north toward State College. We're fucked.

[Bake]

17. The Gulf coast sees sh*t like this every year

Not that anybody gives a shit. Yeah, it's gonna be a bad storm. Get ready.

Bake

[hootinholler]

19. Hmmm

Down south a little in Frederick Md. I'm just getting rain and a few wind gusts, I doubt we've seen anything over 30MPH yet. Steady light rain, getting heavier at times.

[KittyWampus]

18. Old Montauk Hwy is already flooding. And idiots are NOT EVACUATING. Long Island may every well end

up with a new inlet.

[obamanut2012]

23. The good news is that it's moving faster

So, it'll move through an area faster. Less flooding, wind damage, etc.

It's changed because of hitting the cold. Not unusual for storms this late in the season.