Hybrid storm system tracking along the US Southeast coast

AccuWeather

A tropical wind and rainstorm is churning along the Southeast coast of the U.S. and is expected to track toward the Northeast, potentially bringing significant damage to coastal communities.

Transcript

00:00We saw one scenario that would take it out to sea. Maybe it's not as strong. There'd be some

00:04problems. But now what's becoming a little crystal clear here is that this storm is going to be

00:11closer to the coast and it appears as it's going to be stronger or strengthening as it pulls

00:16northward. And that's going to cause a bevy of problems. That's correct, Bernie. This is going

00:20to be a major storm and I'm afraid a damaging one. And that's why we've been calling this

00:25a tropical wind and rainstorm here at AccuWeather since Monday. No other source is calling it that.

00:32We're calling it that to raise awareness that even though there are no in many places, no

00:36government issued watches or warnings in effect, this is going to be a damaging storm. And now

00:41is the time to prepare along the coast. Now, let's take a look at this. It's not just

00:45the prolonged and strong winds. That's a part of it, John. But you know what? The problems along

00:51the coast are going to be amplified by the king tides. Right. The astronomical tide level is

00:56already at the higher end of where those tides can be. So then you add a relentless onshore wind

01:03here in some areas that is going to be going on strong winds, onshore winds for hour after hour

01:09after hour over multiple consecutive days. That's going to really amplify that water level and result

01:15in significant major coastal flooding and the risk for extensive damage to beaches, coastal

01:22homes, overwash onto roads and also boardwalks. And this storm, Bernie, it may never get a name,

01:28but it may produce billions of dollars in damage and total economic loss. A very serious

01:34situation along parts of the East Coast. It's a unique setup that we see this time of the year

01:39early on because this is what we call homegrown development. That's a unique AccuWeather term.

01:46We develop it as the jet stream comes on south. What happens? It interacts with the warm waters off

01:53the southeast coast of the United States. You get the storm to form, John, and initially this is going

01:58to have a feel of like a winter storm, a nor'easter. The problem is it's not wintertime. It's summer

02:05and that storm interacts with this. Yeah, take a look at that. It's interacting with the gulf stream

02:11here with temperatures, water temperatures near 80 or a bit above. And that's going to add a tropical

02:17component to this as well. So it's a hybrid howler, as we've been talking about here. It has

02:23characteristics of a nor'easter and also that of a subtropical or tropical storm too. And so that again

02:29is going to increase the risk for damage. You can see is the storm. Watch what happens. You see more lines.

02:34What does that mean? The storm is strengthening. And that is not the track that we were hoping for

02:40with this storm. As it comes northward, listen, much needed rain in the Mid-Atlantic. But John,

02:45look at those winds howling out of the east-northeast. And you know what? You know what? When this is going

02:51to start getting tropical characteristics, don't be surprised on the northern side of this storm.

02:56You start seeing thunderstorms going off. That's the concern we have. That's correct. And look at this

03:02onshore flow. This is where we're talking about these northeast winds, winds from the northeast

03:06directing that water to the coastline over multiple high tide cycles. And this can be a problem not only

03:12right along the immediate coast, but along the sounds and bays in some of these areas where there

03:17can be bay side or sound side flooding where that water can't drain off. And again, that's why we're

03:23talking about the risk for road closures, beach erosion, and major damage in some places. Prepare,

03:28batten down the hatches for a major storm from parts of the Mid-Atlantic all the way through

03:33the Carolinas. And again, what's been the epicenter area for the hurricane season so far? And there's

03:38not been any landfalling storms. The outer banks of North Carolina, those areas, once again,

03:44are going to get battered. Bad news. All right, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter,

03:49thanks for joining us here on AccuWeather Early. Stay with us.

Category

Transcript

Be the first to comment

Recommended