Hurricane Joaquin strengthens to category 4
The governors of three states declared a state of emergency Thursday as powerful Hurricane Joaquin strengthened to a Category 4 storm and headed toward the U.S. East Coast.
North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory said that towns on the Outer Banks are facing special risks from the approaching storm because rain there has been coming nearly nonstop for a week followed by a weekend nor'easter that's chewed up protective sand dunes.
McCrory said up to 10 inches of rain could fall in parts of the state's western mountains and foothills, and that water pouring downhill could cause damage to communities there.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Thursday he has declared a state of emergency to allow emergency responders to begin to prepare for flooding from heavy rains and damage from a hurricane.
"I'd say be prepared but don't panic," New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said during a morning news conference Thursday.
The storm with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph bore down Thursday on the lightly populated islands of the central and eastern Bahamas.
Islands such as San Salvador, Cat Island and Rum Cay were expected to be hit hardest before the storm begins an expected shift toward the north, forecasters said.
"Everyone is just trying to get their stuff battened down," said Frances Missick, chief councilor of Rum Cay, which has a population of about 100 and 40 homes.
Missick and other people on the small island gathered in a shelter set up at the St. Christopher Anglican Church. As of Thursday, there was only some minor flooding and power and water were still running.
Flooding was reported across parts of Long Island, but no one had been injured, said Parliament member Loretta Butler Turner.
"We will have to wait for the winds to die down before we can go out and really assess the damage," she said.
Joaquin was previously a Category 3 storm with maximum sustained winds of 125 mph and hurricane strength winds extending 45 miles from the eye, the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami said.
As of 5 p.m. EDT, the storm was located about 15 miles northwest of Crooked Island after passing over Samana Cays, Bahamas. It was moving southwest at 6 mph.
The storm was predicted to turn to the north and northwest toward the United States on Friday, but forecasters were still gathering data to determine how it might affect the U.S. East Coast, which was already suffering flooding and heavy rains from separate storms.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency was increasing its staffing in advance of the storm, the White House announced Thursday.
"There's still a distinct possibility that his could make landfall somewhere in the U.S.," said Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and hurricane center spokesman.
In the New York City area, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey said Thursday the agency is making preparations in advance of Joaquin’s arrival, activating its Emergency Operations Center and positioning nearly 4 miles of flood barriers to protect transportation facilities.
As the storm approaches, the Port Authority is strongly advising airline passengers to check with their carriers on the status of their flight.
On Eleuthera, a narrow strip to the north of Cat Island, people removed stray coconuts and other debris from their yards and put up storm shutters in blustery winds, said Chris Gosling, who runs a volunteer ambulance service on the island. Islanders have learned from past storms not to take chances.
"People don't panic too much. There's nothing you can do about it. If it comes, it comes, and you do what you can," said Gosling, who has lived on Eleuthera for 27 years. "If the forecast is right we will get some wind and rain and it will go back out to sea."
The Hurricane Center said parts of the Bahamas could see storm surge raising sea levels 5 to 10 feet above normal, with 10 to 15 inches of rain falling on the central Bahamas.
The U.S. National Hurricane Center's long-term forecast showed the storm could near the U.S. East Coast along North Carolina and Virginia on Sunday or Monday.
"Residents of the Carolinas north should be paying attention and monitoring the storm. There's no question," said Eric Blake, a hurricane specialist with the center. "If your hurricane plans got a little dusty because of the light hurricane season, now is a good time to update them."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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@jingles1024 Remember 3 weeks ago? A "devastating" hurricane was going to hit Florida (where I live) and thousands of people were clearing out store shelves. At the local Walmart there was no bread, milk, meats, etc... GONE!!!
And we got.... NOTHING....
Anyone that believes the weathermen also probably believe in the tooth fairy and the Easter bunny also.
Use common sense and watch the radar yourself.
I dont feel any pity for anyone who built homes along any coast. They knew the risks living there, and have to accept the consequences. You were asking to get wiped out.
It's like homes built on stilts in CA. on hill sides; when the get a quake, guess what--there goes your home down the hill side! You knew it before you bought it; live with the result!
@JSJAERN I have the utmost genuine empathy for those who, because of no doing on their own part, suffer from a natural disaster like this.
On the other hand, knowing an area is prone to a natural disaster like this and moving there anyway is quite another thing altogether.
If I can't afford a Ferrari I simply don't buy one.
We
don't want or need your pity. I have insurance, and will move out of
the way. Don't come crying if your home ever gets hit by a tornado or
other calamity.
@autobug2 I agree.
It's also like people who build/buy homes near long existing airports then complain about the noise and even attempt to close down the airport.
How
can a hurricane form after the coldest summer in decades? Global
warming must not be the cause of this storm. Who would have guessed it?
Before someone is hurt or killed...
Please don't risk the lives of " on scene reporters " just to show us the weather is impacting an area.
@gskendall
But the media has to bank on the 'drama' they instill in their
newscasts by putting some jamoke out on the beach, getting blown away
& trying to make sense for the cameras. The TV stations could care
less what happens to the reporter; they want RATINGS!!!!
All
the joking is well and good, but I hope people on the east coast are
taking this seriously. A category 4 is VERY dangerous -- and even if it
doesn't directly hit your area, it can still cause a ton of damage and
loss of lives. I'm on the east coast, but approximately an hour and a
half from the actual coast, but I'm taking it very seriously, even tho
I'm not a run to get supplies at the drop of a hat kind of person.
this is unbelievable ...we have a category 4 hurricane in the Bahamas
which probably by tomorrow will devastate the whole island... the
hurricane is moving Southwest and some one in Maryland is declaring a
state of emergency...I feel crazy...I have never ever seen anything as
ridiculous as the weather men right now...I have lived in Florida since
1952 and when a hurricane is this close to the state... the only one
that usually worries about the storm is Florida not New
Jersey......actually it not only is crazy it is hilarious...
The
Weather Channel and the major media outlets love this sensationalism
and are always disappointed when the big storms don't come to fruition.
Don't worry about it until there is a real risk.
@Bleekerman By calling the storm a slob, an ugly woman, or a beast. That'll teach that storm alright...
@autobug2 @Bleekerman
Slob: Hurricane Wasserman-Shultz. Ugly: Hurricane Pelosi. Beast: Hurricane Hilary.
All that has to be done, is the liberals huff and puff and with their hot air blow the hurricane back to sea!
Or, please mr dumbo save us, save us!!!!! The fool probably will schedule a meeting with the DNC and tell the storm to move away!
@PandasDontShare They've endured more hurricanes then I have. I bet they know a breeze from a real storm, so they know not to over-react.
Maybe it will clean up some of that filth known as the east coast and run it out to sea.
People, people... Not to worry...
I just read that President Obama just issued a "red line" to the hurricane, so there is no way it will do anything to America.
All is good!
@PandasDontShare @MarineMSergeant You aren't very bright are you?
Don't worry, most 12 years old's aren't. You'll mature eventually.
GET
READy get ready get ready. It will only be a few days after/if this
storm hits the Eastern coast when the wacko climate change fools are in
the media out in force.
Sometimes "it" rains (whatever "it" is). Sometimes "it" snows. Sometimes "it" is sunny. The weather and the climate is much more dependent upon the cycles of the Sun that it is the number of cigars that Al Gore smokes.
How long before the first imbecile is swept out to sea by trying to show us how great of a surfer he is?
And
with the hurricane, the media frenzy begins and the global cooling /
global warming / climate change trolls and freaks will be running around
like chicken little!!
@HappyJohn9
freaks and trolls? I'm just saying that this storm is on our doorstep
and none of the "weather experts" know for sure where it will go. This
is a fact. So how can we trust them to predict what the temperatures
will be like in 10 years?
@HappyJohn9 Yeah, this is like the most mild H season in years, but it's that darned man made global climate change that is causing it.
How can they not know where it's going when Al Gore could tell us the daily temperatures from 10,000 years ago?
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