THUNDER BAY – Updated – Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall this evening. The storm is already impacting New Jersey and New York. The Financial Markets in New York will close today, and possibly Tuesday. The transit, including the subway and train service has been suspended. There are huge concerns over the expected storm surge which could be between four and six feet that could cause flooding.
Air traffic over the eastern seaboard of the United States has been impacted, with airport closures. So far at Pearson International Airport in Toronto there have been four hundred flight cancellations.
Livestream Coverage of Hurricane Sandy
StormChasers Coverage of Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Mapping and Data from CNN
Flight cancellations have not yet impacted flights arriving at the Thunder Bay International Airport as of 07:45EDT. However if you are planning a trip by air it is likely worth checking with your airline for your flight status.
Environment Canada states, “The remnants of hurricane Sandy will arrive later today as a large and powerful post tropical fall storm over Southern Ontario.
“The Northeastern United States will take the brunt of the storm where Sandy will make landfall this evening. However, there will likely be some significant impacts in Southern and Eastern Ontario. Strong and gusty winds will be the main threat, with rainfall a lesser concern as Sandy tracks a little farther to the south. The strongest winds and most of the rain will be tonight into early Tuesday. The storm is expected to weaken later Tuesday and on Halloween, but it will remain cool, damp and breezy for the trick-or-treaters.
“Some wet snow is possible over the Haliburton and Dundalk Highlands this evening where temperatures may flirt with the freezing mark. However, accumulations do not appear to be significant at this time.
“A complicating factor is the presence of a stalled front now over Southern Ontario. Moisture-laden post-tropical storms with rain bands interacting with fronts can produce significant rainfall. Persistent rain is forecast near this front for the remainder of today leading up to the arrival of Sandy this evening. A total of 20 to 40 mm is likely today through tonight due to Sandy’s effects, especially across Niagara extending west towards the St Thomas area. Lesser amounts are likely elsewhere. Rainfall warnings appear unlikely at this time but cannot be ruled out completely”.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre shares, “Hurricane Sandy is currently moving north-northeastward well east of Cape Hatteras. Sandy has begun its northward turn and will turn northwestward today while maintaining hurricane intensity. During the day Monday, Sandy is forecast to gradually transition into a large and intense post-tropical cyclone as it heads toward the New Jersey coast. It is possible that this transition could intensify the storm slightly prior to moving inland Monday night.
“It is important to emphasize that impacts from post-tropical Sandy extend over an extremely large area well away from the storm center. It is advised that persons pay close attention to messages from the Canadian Hurricane Centre, as well as information from regional storm prediction centres for the latest official forecasts and warnings for your area”.
