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Storm Is Expected to Be Less Powerful, and Less Drenching, as It Moves Inland Storm Is Expected to Be Less Powerful, and Less Drenching, as It Moves Inland
(about 7 hours later)
WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The monster storm that has battered and drenched the coastline of the northeastern United States is likely to become less monstrous as it moves inland. Hurricanes and tropical storms generally lose strength once they move over land, and this storm should be no exception, said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami.WILKES-BARRE, Pa. — The monster storm that has battered and drenched the coastline of the northeastern United States is likely to become less monstrous as it moves inland. Hurricanes and tropical storms generally lose strength once they move over land, and this storm should be no exception, said Brian McNoldy, a senior research associate at the University of Miami.
That is one reason Vermont’s governor, Peter Shumlin, seemed to be anticipating the storm with an air of imperturbability, even though much of his state was devastated last year by the remnants of Hurricane Irene.That is one reason Vermont’s governor, Peter Shumlin, seemed to be anticipating the storm with an air of imperturbability, even though much of his state was devastated last year by the remnants of Hurricane Irene.
“This is not Irene revisited,” he said in a telephone interview Monday. “We’ve been preparing for this for the last five days, and we’re ready to rock.”“This is not Irene revisited,” he said in a telephone interview Monday. “We’ve been preparing for this for the last five days, and we’re ready to rock.”
Forecasters project that this storm’s path will take it up through Pennsylvania and upstate New York before making a turn to the northeast and speeding into Canada and, eventually, the North Atlantic. Along the way, the winds will bring down branches and trees that will snare power lines, but the potential for widespread flooding is low, Mr. McNoldy said, because even though Hurricane Sandy covers a lot of territory, “this storm is not a gigantic rainmaker — it’s not going to have the rainfall total that we saw in Irene.” In its 5 a.m. update, the National Hurricane Center noted that in its initial entry onto land, the storm remains a drenching, windy threat. While the storm’s surge is subsiding, the center noted that tides could bring high water back in, with up to four feet above ground of flooding along the Delmarva Peninsula and the upper and middle Chesapeake Bay.
The storm will still pack a punch, Mr. Shumlin said. “This time, the wind will be our enemy,” he said, with the worst gusts reaching 80 miles per hour in some areas Tuesday morning. Mr. Shumlin said the state had prepared for power failures by recruiting extra line crews from Hydro-Quebec. Forecasters project that this storm’s path will take it up through Pennsylvania and upstate New York before making a turn to the northeast and speeding into Canada and, eventually, the North Atlantic. The storm will continue to drop high amounts of rain along the mid-Atlantic states and beyond, with a foot of rain in spots along the Delmarva, and up to six inches of rain in northeastern North Carolina, with some areas potentially reaching eight inches.
The center predicted snowfalls of two to three feet in the mountains of West Virginia, “with locally higher totals today through Wednesday.” Southwestern Virginia to the Kentucky border can expect one to two feet, and the mountains along the North Carolina-Tennessee border could get 12 to 18 inches. While Upstate New York might get one to three inches of rain, local areas could receive as much as five inches — more than enough to cause flash floods as debris dams up creeks, the dam bursts and water cascades down from the blockage, or as water fills small creeks. In northeastern Pennsylvania near the town of Hazelton, officials asked residents living near Nescopeck Creek to evacuate.
The storm will still pack a punch, Mr. Shumlin said. “This time, the wind will be our enemy,” he said, with the worst gusts reaching 80 miles per hour in some areas Tuesday morning. Mr. Shumlin said Vermont had prepared for power failures by recruiting extra line crews from Hydro-Quebec.
Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said, “We are expecting damaging wind gusts from Illinois to the Carolinas and eastward to Maine” on Tuesday with enough force to knock out power. Luckily, he noted, the rivers have been low, so the rain from this storm is unlikely to cause hazardous rises in water levels. “That’s going to be a big help,” he said.Alex Sosnowski, senior meteorologist at AccuWeather, said, “We are expecting damaging wind gusts from Illinois to the Carolinas and eastward to Maine” on Tuesday with enough force to knock out power. Luckily, he noted, the rivers have been low, so the rain from this storm is unlikely to cause hazardous rises in water levels. “That’s going to be a big help,” he said.
Flooding could still be a problem, Mr. McNoldy said. Even though the amount of rain predicted in some areas is relatively low, like the three inches of rainfall expected here in the Wilkes-Barre area, storms do not drop their rain in a uniform way, he said.Flooding could still be a problem, Mr. McNoldy said. Even though the amount of rain predicted in some areas is relatively low, like the three inches of rainfall expected here in the Wilkes-Barre area, storms do not drop their rain in a uniform way, he said.
So while residents in northeastern Pennsylvania are reassured that the mighty Susquehanna River will not flood this time around, emergency officials say they remain worried about the potential for flash floods. Gene Dziak, the emergency management official for Pennsylvania’s largely rural Wyoming County, said that “people who live next to creeks and streams need to keep vigilant, with their heads on a swivel,” and get to the county’s shelter if they see signs of trouble.So while residents in northeastern Pennsylvania are reassured that the mighty Susquehanna River will not flood this time around, emergency officials say they remain worried about the potential for flash floods. Gene Dziak, the emergency management official for Pennsylvania’s largely rural Wyoming County, said that “people who live next to creeks and streams need to keep vigilant, with their heads on a swivel,” and get to the county’s shelter if they see signs of trouble.
At G.A.R. Memorial Junior-Senior High School in Wilkes-Barre (the abbreviation stands for “Grand Army of the Republic”), the principal, Colleen Robatin, was waiting by the gymnasium on Monday afternoon for the Red Cross to set up a shelter. Last year’s flooding brought hundreds of people into the gym, but “some people are thinking they won’t need to be here this time.”At G.A.R. Memorial Junior-Senior High School in Wilkes-Barre (the abbreviation stands for “Grand Army of the Republic”), the principal, Colleen Robatin, was waiting by the gymnasium on Monday afternoon for the Red Cross to set up a shelter. Last year’s flooding brought hundreds of people into the gym, but “some people are thinking they won’t need to be here this time.”
In Prattsville, N.Y., fear of flash floods ran high at Beth’s Cafe on Main Street. The owner, Beth Ballard, who was serving blueberry pancakes and burgers to a dozen people Monday, said most of the residents who had rebuilt homes devastated by Irene evacuated them this time, and many swore not to return if it happened again.In Prattsville, N.Y., fear of flash floods ran high at Beth’s Cafe on Main Street. The owner, Beth Ballard, who was serving blueberry pancakes and burgers to a dozen people Monday, said most of the residents who had rebuilt homes devastated by Irene evacuated them this time, and many swore not to return if it happened again.
“I had 22 inches in here,” she said. “I opened up with paper plates just to get people food. If it comes in the restaurant, I’m done. I’m 56 — that’s too old to do it again.”“I had 22 inches in here,” she said. “I opened up with paper plates just to get people food. If it comes in the restaurant, I’m done. I’m 56 — that’s too old to do it again.”
Michael and Jennifer Traver and their two children were holed up in a Hampton Inn in Oneonta, N.Y., anxiously waiting to hear whether the Schoharie Creek had swept back into their Prattsville home, which was devastated by last year’s inland flood.Michael and Jennifer Traver and their two children were holed up in a Hampton Inn in Oneonta, N.Y., anxiously waiting to hear whether the Schoharie Creek had swept back into their Prattsville home, which was devastated by last year’s inland flood.
“We all thought we were going to die,” Mrs. Traver said. “For six hours we prayed in that upstairs bedroom. We saw neighbors’ houses float by.”“We all thought we were going to die,” Mrs. Traver said. “For six hours we prayed in that upstairs bedroom. We saw neighbors’ houses float by.”
The Travers are still rebuilding, and if they are flooded again, she said, “mortgage or not, we’re not going back.”The Travers are still rebuilding, and if they are flooded again, she said, “mortgage or not, we’re not going back.”
In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick said, “All in all, we’re holding our own.” The governor, at the state’s emergency bunker in Framingham, said that shelters for more than 10,000 people had opened, but as of Monday afternoon, only about two dozen had made use of them.In Massachusetts, Gov. Deval Patrick said, “All in all, we’re holding our own.” The governor, at the state’s emergency bunker in Framingham, said that shelters for more than 10,000 people had opened, but as of Monday afternoon, only about two dozen had made use of them.
The weather picture showed fierce winds continuing, with especially heavy gusts and waves topping six feet along Cape Cod. Nearly half a million people in Massachusetts had lost power by late Monday afternoon, but that and a few road closings were the only noteworthy effects.The weather picture showed fierce winds continuing, with especially heavy gusts and waves topping six feet along Cape Cod. Nearly half a million people in Massachusetts had lost power by late Monday afternoon, but that and a few road closings were the only noteworthy effects.
“It’s going well,” Mr. Patrick said, “but it’s nature — and it can change in a minute.”“It’s going well,” Mr. Patrick said, “but it’s nature — and it can change in a minute.”

John Schwartz reported from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Nina Bernstein from New York. Katharine Q. Seelye contributed reporting from Boston.

John Schwartz reported from Wilkes-Barre, Pa., and Nina Bernstein from New York. Katharine Q. Seelye contributed reporting from Boston.