Sandy in Quebec & Ontario

A look at the current forecast track of Sandy from southeast of Cape Hatteras to a landfall in New Jersey and eventually weakening near Montreal by Thursday.

Hurricane Sandy tonight is located 345 miles south of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina with winds of 75 mph. The storm is moving northeast at 13 mph with a gradual turn to the north and eventually northwest expected by Monday. A landfall along the Jersey Shore is likely by late Monday. Tropical storm force winds of over 39 mph extend outwards more than 500 miles from the center of the storm. Tonight wind driven surf is washing over the dunes and onto Highway 12 along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Peak wind gusts have been reported at nearly 60 mph. Winds and seas will increase northward into the metro New York region over the next 24-48 hours.

Local effects from Sandy

My best advice for those in metro Montreal is to prepare for possible power outages on Monday. Locally a high wind and flood watch have been issued for the border counties of New York and Vermont. Look for some form of wind warnings to be posted for Montreal and southern Quebec by late Sunday if not sooner. With current guidance and computer model forecasts showing the center passing to our south and west, Montreal should remain on the windy and warmer side of the storm with less rain but the potential for wind gusts up to 100km/h in the St. Lawrence Valley by Monday. The heavy rain will fall in Ontario where up to 100mm (4 inches) is possible from Kingston west to the GTA. Tonight Ontario remains on the cold side of a front with both Toronto and Ottawa around 8C with rain. Meanwhile Montreal is a much milder 14C with clouds drifting across a full moon. This situation will likely remain that way for some time with the front almost stuck just west of Ottawa. A few showers may drift cross it form time to time but the bulk of the rain will remain in Ontario. The rain and wind will increase by late Sunday and Monday. 

We will have more on the exact timing of wind and precipitation expected as well as any local warnings by early Sunday morning. Thanks for reading., stay safe.