Post-tropical Cyclone Hermine took an unexpected veer east, which means that some of the worst of the rains and winds could happen out to sea if it continues on its trajectory. But even on that path, it could still send us a wave of storm surge floods.
The National Hurricane Center’s latest forecast shows Hermine continuing to move offshore and north through Monday—which is “some good news,” noted the National Hurricane Center’s Director Rick Knabb in a briefing this morning. But, the move could also trigger Hermine to develop hurricane-force winds tonight and Monday due to the warmer waters it will travel over, which could push water to the shores even harder.
NHC is warning that rising waters could bring “life-threatening inundation” over the next 36 hours. If the biggest surge also occurs at peak tide, NHC says above ground water heights of 3-5 feet are possible between Chincoteague, Virginia and Sandy Hook, New Jersey. In Connecticut, they could see above ground water heights of 2-4 feet and 1-2 feet in North Carolina.
“The most dangerous aspect of this storm is going to be the beaches,” noted Knabb. “Stay off the water and beaches this weekend.”
In addition, parts of the mid-Atlantic coast remain under tropical storm watches and warnings and the latest NHC prediction warns of the possibility of “multiple occurrences of tropical storm conditions” over the next couple days. Even if Hermine continues its movement outwards, it looks like the storm is still far from passed.