Possible ‘life threatening’ storm surge in NYC from Hurricane Sandy
Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge may drive tides to record levels in New York City Monday night, forecasters warned, as the epic storm churns towards expected landfall on the Jersey Shore.
Storm surge, a mound of water driven towards the shore, could cause unprecedented and “life threatening” flooding to vulnerable areas, according to the National Weather Service.
Tides have the potential to reach 6 to 11 ft above normal levels in parts of New York Harbor Monday night into Tuesday morning. Breaking waves could build to 15 to 20 ft along ocean-facing shorelines. The destructive waves on top of the storm surge could cause “significant damage to coastal structures nearest to sea level,” depending upon the timing of the storm, according to the National Weather Service.