HURRICANE SANDY FOR THE VERMONT TOWNS

...HIGH WIND WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 11 AM EDTTUESDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ALBANY HAS ISSUED A HIGH WIND WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 6 AM MONDAY TO 11 AM EDT TUESDAY. THE HIGH WIND WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* LOCATIONS...ALL OF EAST CENTRAL NEW YORK AND ADJACENT WESTERN NEW ENGLAND.

* HAZARDS...STRONG AND DAMAGING WINDS.

* WINDS...NORTHEAST 30 TO 40 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 60 MPH IN VALLEY LOCATIONS AND UP TO 75 MPH ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN.

* TIMING...STRONG WIND GUSTS WILL PICK UP MONDAY MORNING AND WILL CONTINUE UNTIL TUESDAY MORNING. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT GUSTS WILL LIKELY OCCUR BETWEEN MONDAY EVENING AND MIDNIGHT ON MONDAY NIGHT.

* IMPACTS...STRONG WINDS WILL LIKELY BRING DOWN TREES AND POWERLINES...WITH WIDESPREAD POWER OUTAGES POSSIBLE. THESE DOWNED TREES MAY IMPEDE TRAVEL. ALSO ANY LOOSE OBJECTS CAN EASILY BE PROPELLED WITH THE STRENGTH OF THE EXPECTED WIND. SOME DAMAGE TO POORLY MADE STRUCTURES IS POSSIBLE ACROSS PORTIONS OF THE HIGH TERRAIN.

FROM MONDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT.

* A POWERFUL COASTAL STORM RESULTING FROM HURRICANE SANDY WILL AFFECT THE AREA WITH HEAVY RAINFALL FROM MONDAY THROUGH TUESDAY NIGHT. TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE GENERALLY EXPECTED TO BE 2 TO 4 INCHES ACROSS THE HIGHER TERRAIN OF THE SOUTHEAST ADIRONDACKS...SOUTHERN GREEN MOUNTAINS OF VERMONT...BERKSHIRES...AND LITCHFIELD HILLS...WITH UP TO 6 INCHES POSSIBLE ACROSS NORTHEAST FACING SLOPES OF THE CATSKILLS. VALLEY LOCATIONS SUCH AS THE MOHAWK AND HUDSON VALLEYS CAN EXPECT AROUND 1 TO LOCALLY 2 INCHES OF RAINFALL.

* RUNOFF FROM THE HEAVY RAINFALL COULD LEAD TO FLOODING OF MAIN STEM RIVERS...STREAMS...AND POOR DRAINAGE LOCATIONS. TIDAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE ALONG THE HUDSON RIVER FROM POUGHKEEPSIE NORTHWARD TO ALBANY. LEAVES MAY CLOG STORM DRAINS...WHICH COULD CAUSE ADDITIONAL FLOOD PROBLEMS. IF HEAVY RAIN FALLS WITHIN A SHORTER AMOUNT OF TIME...THERE WOULD BE A RISK OF ISOLATED FLASH FLOODING AS WELL.

THE LATEST ON HURRICANE SANDY FOR NH

October 28, 2012 at 1200 Noon High Wind Watches are now in effect for all of New Hampshire. A Coastal Flood Watch is also in effect for Coastal Rockingham County beginning Monday morning through late Monday Evening.

A Weather Advisory is issued if after review of pertinent weather information it is determined that escalating emergency conditions may be possible.

Scattered light rain showers will be possible later this afternoon and will remain possible through tonight. Non hazard winds are expected through daybreak Monday with any wind gust expected to be 28 mph or less. It will be 9am Monday before winds reach hazard levels across the New Hampshire Seacoast, as well as across Connecticut and western Massachusetts. Winds will reach hazard levels across the rest of New Hampshire after noontime on Monday.

The forecast for Monday and beyond continues to remain difficult. However, model guidance is exhibiting better agreement. Hurricane Sandy will interact with a cold front to create a major impact coastal cyclone beginning Monday morning and lasting through at least Tuesday. The latest model guidance has changed little as far as the track and timing of the storm moving inland into southern New Jersey or even a bit further south. The storm’s wind field will be very large, so the track won’t make a huge difference.

Impacts are broken down below by type:

Rainfall: Rainfall amounts of 1-3 inches will be widespread across the New England region. Rainfall amounts of 1-2 inches will be possible across northern New Hampshire, from the Lakes Region northward. Localized higher rainfall totals of 3-5 inches can't be ruled out. The heaviest rain should begin by 3-4 pm Monday across New Hampshire. The heavy rain period should end by 2-4am Tuesday for most and 10am Tuesday across northern New Hampshire. Heavier rain will taper to scattered showers that will be lighter in intensity for the remainder of the day Tuesday.

Wind: Widespread damaging winds will be possible over an extended period of time. In New Hampshire, the strongest winds should be during the period from 2pm Monday through 2am Tuesday morning. The New Hampshire Seacoast should see sustained winds of 30-45 mph, with gusts of 50-60 mph. Interior sections of New Hampshire should see sustained winds of 20-35 mph, with gusts of 35-55 mph, strongest across interior southern New Hampshire and through the higher terrain. The winds should gradually diminish later at night and throughout the day on Tuesday. Peak gusts should be 30-40 mph by Tuesday afternoon. We should see gusts of 25-35 mph on Tuesday night.

Thunder and Lightning: Low amounts of lightning will be possible during the period of heavy rainfall. In addition, isolated tornadoes cannot be ruled out from the beginning of the heavy rain period through 10pm Monday. The chances of this will be 5%.

Storm surge: Onshore winds will bring an enhanced risk of coastal flooding across the Seacoast of New Hampshire at times of high tide. Storm surge should be 2-5 feet for the New Hampshire Seacoast. This should occur Monday and Monday night for the New Hampshire Seacoast. The worst of the coastal flooding should be at times of high tide. This should be Monday evening and into Monday night.

TRAINING OPPORTUNITY

The Mid State Fire Mutual Aid Association Presents its 8th Annual Dinner and Seminar:

"Leading the Call for Rational Aggressiveness on the Fireground"

Presented by John Sullivan, Deputy Chief, Worcester Fire Department

Thursday, November 15, 2012, 6:00pm Cyprian Keyes Golf Club 284 East Temple St., Boylston, MA Tickets $25

Details and tickets at http://midstateseminar.org/

CLASS IN WILMINGTON

The Windham County Firefighter’s Association will be hosting an Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Safety Class, Saturday, October 20th, at 0900 hours in Wilmington. Please RSVP with Michelle Barrows at 802-579-1474.