A potent weather system, a ominous cocktail of heavy rain, wind gusts, and potential tornadoes, is bearing down on parts of eastern United States — a tempest with enough fervor to rival a tropical storm if it were to appear two months earlier, or a snow nor'easter a month later. This time, however, Florida finds itself in the crosshairs, slated to witness the initial onslaught. The system will then traverse the Coastal Carolinas before morphing into a substantial wind event for the Northeast by Monday morning.
Forecasts predict significant disruptions in air travel. In particular, flights out of major airports such as Boston, New York (LaGuardia), and Philadelphia are expected to see major delays come Monday. By tomorrow afternoon, the rain is set to saturate the low country, before moving up toward Cape Hatteras and ultimately, the Northeast. Predicted wind speeds could reach up to 60 miles per hour.
Ironically, Florida, known for its sun-drenched beaches and clear blue skies, is suffering a plethora of event cancellations, including maritime parades. With wind gusts approaching 40 mph and imminent rain, the risk for such outdoor activities escalates. As the weather system chews its way up the East Coast, it's expected to dump 2 to 4 inches of rainfall.
While snow might be a natural expectation during this time of the year, this event is primarily a rain affair. Only the highest elevations in the Appalachians may see some of the white stuff. Instead, wind will be the main adversary. From Charlotte and Raleigh, through the Delmarva, and into New England, gale forces will likely cause power outages. By Monday morning, the number of inhabitants without power may number in hundreds of thousands.
Though the weather system seemingly straddles the line between a tropical storm and snow nor'easter, visibility into the severity of its impacts remain somewhat foggy. Nevertheless, the certainty of disruptive winds, roads hampered by rain, and extensive power outages suggest a rough ride is on the horizon.
