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Hurricane Sandy closes in on US East Coast Hurricane Sandy closes in on US East Coast
(35 minutes later)
Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on America's most densely populated region, with storm surges and flooding forecast up and down the East Coast. Hurricane Sandy is bearing down on the US East Coast, threatening storm surges and flooding that could affect 50 million people.
Thousands have been ordered to evacuate New York City and New Jersey. The storm could affect 50 million people. Hundreds of thousands of residents have been ordered to evacuate New York City and New Jersey.
Public transport in Washington DC, Philadelphia and New York is suspended and more than 7,000 flights grounded. Public transport has been suspended in cities up the eastern seaboard and thousands of flights grounded.
Forecasters fear Sandy will become a super-storm when it collides with cold weather fronts from the west and north.Forecasters fear Sandy will become a super-storm when it collides with cold weather fronts from the west and north.
It also coincides with a full moon, which is bringing higher tides. The category one hurricane coincides with a full moon, which is bringing higher tides.
At the White House, President Barack Obama warned Americans in harm's way to follow emergency instructions.
"Do not delay, don't pause, don't question the instructions that are being given," said Mr Obama, who has cancelled campaign events, eight days before the US elections.
"This is going to be a big storm, it's going to be a difficult storm."
Slow-moving stormSlow-moving storm
Sandy has already killed 60 people after sweeping through the Caribbean in the past week. The president has signed eight emergency declarations: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and District of Columbia.
The US presidential campaign has been disrupted, eight days ahead of election day on 6 November. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq was suspended.
At Battery Park City on the southern tip of Manhattan, the water is already lapping over my boots. It's only mid-morning, hours before Hurricane Sandy is due to make landfall, and the ocean is swelling.At Battery Park City on the southern tip of Manhattan, the water is already lapping over my boots. It's only mid-morning, hours before Hurricane Sandy is due to make landfall, and the ocean is swelling.
Tonight with the storm surge the water levels are expected to rise, though already it seems to me the water is as high as it was during Hurricane Irene last year. The city is eerily quiet. The Nasdaq sign at Times Square was blank - even the stock exchange isn't trading.Tonight with the storm surge the water levels are expected to rise, though already it seems to me the water is as high as it was during Hurricane Irene last year. The city is eerily quiet. The Nasdaq sign at Times Square was blank - even the stock exchange isn't trading.
The subways are shut, grocery stores have signs up saying they've already run out of food. The city is braced for what could be the worst storm in a generation. At this point the preparations have been made - sandbags are everywhere in lower Manhattan. All anyone can do is wait, anxiously.The subways are shut, grocery stores have signs up saying they've already run out of food. The city is braced for what could be the worst storm in a generation. At this point the preparations have been made - sandbags are everywhere in lower Manhattan. All anyone can do is wait, anxiously.
At 11:00 EDT (15:00 GMT), Sandy was churning about 260 miles (415km) south-east of New York City, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said. The storm threatens to devastate an 800-mile (1,290-km) swathe of the US, from the Atlantic Ocean to the Great Lakes in the Mid-West.
Up to 3ft (91cm) of snow is expected to fall on the Appalachian mountains in West Virginia, Virginia and Kentucky.
The storm has already killed 69 people - 52 of them in Haiti - after sweeping through the Caribbean in the past week.
At 11:00 EDT (15:00 GMT), Sandy was churning about 260 miles south-east of New York City, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said.
The storm had strengthened from the morning, with maximum sustained winds clocked at 90mph with higher gusts.The storm had strengthened from the morning, with maximum sustained winds clocked at 90mph with higher gusts.
Hurricane force winds extended for 175 miles and tropical storm force winds for 485 miles, the NHC added.Hurricane force winds extended for 175 miles and tropical storm force winds for 485 miles, the NHC added.
The vast hurricane, spanning about 520 miles, is moving slowly north-west and could linger over as many as 12 states for 24-36 hours, bringing up to 10in (25cm) of rain, 24in of snow, extreme storm surges and power cuts. The eye of the weather system, which has been dubbed Frankenstorm, is expected to move across the coast of mid-Atlantic states by Monday night, the NHC said.
President Barack Obama has signed eight emergency declarations: New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Maryland and District of Columbia. Forecasters say the vast hurricane could linger over as many as 12 states for 24-36 hours, bringing up to 10in of rain, 24in of snow, extreme storm surges and power cuts.
At least 14 out of 16 people on board a replica of HMS Bounty - built for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty - have been rescued, the US Coast Guard says. President Obama cancelled a planned rally in Florida with former President Bill Clinton on Monday and an event for Tuesday in Wisconsin, far from the storm.
They were plucked from two life rafts off the coast of North Carolina after abandoning ship. The Coast Guard is searching for the missing crew members. "I am not worried at this point about the impact on the election," he said on Monday at the White House. "The election will take care of itself next week."
In Ocean City, Maryland, a tourist pier was destroyed overnight. President Obama's Republican challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, has also suspended campaign events until Wednesday.
The eye of the storm is expected to move across the coast of mid-Atlantic states by Monday night, the NHC said.
Due to hit the US East Coast just before Halloween, it has been dubbed Frankenstorm.
Amtrak has suspended passenger train services across the north-east and air travel has been badly hit, with some 7,500 flights cancelled.Amtrak has suspended passenger train services across the north-east and air travel has been badly hit, with some 7,500 flights cancelled.
Many workers stayed at home on Monday. With public transport systems suspended in New York, Washington DC, Philadelphia and Boston, many workers stayed at home on Monday.
In New York, taxi driver Peter Franklin told the BBC that the city was "shut down". Authorities said that high tides triggered by a full moon could create storm surges of up 11ft.
"I feel like I am living in a science fiction movie," he said. In New York City, officials warned that flooding in lower Manhattan could inundate the city's underground electric and communications lines and flood the subway system.
Hundreds of thousands of people from Maryland to Connecticut were ordered to leave low-lying coastal areas. Trading on the New York Stock Exchange and Nasdaq was suspended. The United Nations headquarters in New York has also been shut down.
They included about 375,000 residents in lower Manhattan and other areas of New York City, 50,000 in Delaware and another 30,000 in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Mass evacuations are under way in low-lying coastal areas from Maryland to Connecticut.
They included about 375,000 residents in lower Manhattan and other areas of New York. The city has established evacuation shelters in 76 schools.
Another 50,000 residents were ordered to leave their homes in Delaware and 30,000 in Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Authorities will close the Holland Tunnel under the Hudson River between New York and New Jersey, though on Monday morning other bridges and tunnels remained open.
The East River in New York City has begun overflowing its banks on the Brooklyn side.
In New York, taxi driver Peter Franklin told the BBC that the city was "shut down". "I feel like I am living in a science fiction movie," he said.
Maritime operations at shipping terminals in New York City and New Jersey were also suspended.
There are already reports of flooding in Atlantic City, where the city's 12 casinos have been closed for only the fourth time ever.There are already reports of flooding in Atlantic City, where the city's 12 casinos have been closed for only the fourth time ever.
President Obama pulled out of a planned rally in Florida with former President Bill Clinton on Monday and headed back to the White House to monitor emergency operations. The campaign also cancelled an event scheduled for Tuesday in Wisconsin, far from the storm.
President Obama's Republican challenger, former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney, cancelled campaign events on Monday and Tuesday.
Visiting the Federal Emergency Management Agency (Fema) in Washington on Sunday, Mr Obama vowed that the government would "respond big and respond fast" after Sandy had passed.
Authorities warned that high tides triggered by a full moon could create storm surges of up 11ft (3m), sending seawater surging through parts of lower Manhattan.
The United Nations headquarters in New York has also been shut down. The East River in New York City has begun overflowing its banks on the Brooklyn side.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg described it as "a serious and dangerous storm".
"If you don't evacuate, you are not only endangering your life, you are also endangering the lives of the first responders who are going in to rescue you," he said.
The city has established evacuation shelters in 76 schools.
New Jersey Governor Chris Christie advised residents of that state: "Don't be stupid. Get out."
Some 200 National Guardsmen will patrol Manhattan and 300 more will be deployed in Long Island.Some 200 National Guardsmen will patrol Manhattan and 300 more will be deployed in Long Island.
In Ocean City, Maryland, a tourist pier was severely damaged overnight.
At least 14 out of 16 people on board a replica of HMS Bounty - built for the 1962 film Mutiny on the Bounty - have been rescued, the US Coast Guard says.
They were plucked from two life rafts off the coast of North Carolina after abandoning ship. The Coast Guard is searching for the missing crew members.
Path of Hurricane Sandy Path of Hurricane Sandy
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Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy

Map Key

  • Land
  • Cloud
  • Lakes, Rivers & Sea

Fog

Light Heavy

Frost

Light Heavy

Pressure Fronts

Cold Warm Occluded

Rain

Light Heavy Extreme

Snow

Light Heavy
Temperature tab onlyTemperature tab only

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather

Temperature (°C)

More details from BBC Weather
Are you in the path of Hurricane Sandy or have you already been affected by it? You can send us your experiences using the form below.Are you in the path of Hurricane Sandy or have you already been affected by it? You can send us your experiences using the form below.
Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.Send your pictures and videos to yourpics@bbc.co.uk or text them to 61124 (UK) or +44 7624 800 100 (International). If you have a large file you can upload here.
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