East Coast Bracing For Triple Threat

The Atlantic hurricane season is in full swing with a triple threat of storms lining up across the Atlantic.

First and of most immediate concern is tropical storm Hanna, which has devastated Haiti and caused widespread flooding. Hanna may still become a marginal hurricane, but the storm is unorganized and the interaction with the coastal waters is preventing it from gathering steam. Still, the storm is expected to lash the Carolinas with heavy rain by Saturday morning. It will then move rapidly up the East Coast. The NY Metro area will get a nice soaking (figure 1-3 inches) and some wind from the storm, which will cause localized flooding and some problems with travel plans.

Then, there's Hurricane Ike, which is already a category 4 storm. It's storm track suggests that the storm will aim towards a Florida hit, but the GFDL has the storm track well to the South and run roughshod over Cuba before curling up to the Florida coast. The official NHC track has the storm barreling through the Bahamas. With either track, the storm is going to bring plenty of misery to the Islands.

Further out is Tropical Storm Josephine, which is modeled to head off towards Bermuda, and steering currents may mean that the storm delivers nothing but high surf to the East Coast and poses a threat to cargo and cruise ships.

Meanwhile, the Gulf Coast is still surveying the damage wrought by Hurricane Gustav and New Orleans residents are getting a first glimpse at the damage done.