The storm’s altered course eased the threat of heavy rain, but Hermine maintained enough power to whip up risky waves and rip currents and keep beaches off-limits to disappointed swimmers and surfers on the Labor Day weekend.
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Hermine rose up over the Gulf of Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane, hitting Florida and crossing over Georgia before whipping up the Carolinas Saturday.
Hermine could reach wind speeds of 75 miles per hour as it strengthens Sunday, forecasters say. The storm system is still expected to keep swimmers and surfers out of beach waters because of its unsafe waves and rip currents, and storm surge and beach erosion remain concerns.
Gusty winds and possible coastal flooding remain the top concerns as Hermine churns over the Atlantic Ocean.
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe warned Friday that people faced a strong possibility of “life-threatening” storm surges in coastal areas over the weekend.
A tropical storm warning remained in effect Sunday night from the DE and New Jersey shores north to New York’s Long Island and beyond to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Island off MA. “Hermine should remain at or near hurricane strength for the next day or so, and begin to gradually weaken by Monday night”.
Hermine’s march up the Eastern seaboard was shifting toward the east Sunday, which forecasters said will lessen the storm’s impact on coastal New Jersey, Delaware and New York City while increasing the threat of bad weather for parts of eastern Long Island, Rhode Island and MA.
Governors all along the coast announced emergency preparations.
And since sea levels have risen up to a foot due to global warming, the storm surges pushed by Hermine could be even more damaging, climate scientists say.
Pennsylvania State University geosciences professor Michael Mann told the Guardian, “We are already experiencing more and more flooding due to climate change in every storm”.
The storm, dubbed Hermine, claimed at least two lives, in Florida and North Carolina.
One person died in Florida as Hermine approached. Winter weather advisories go into effect for western Montana starting early Sunday afternoon.
As the storm moved northward, only cars, pickups, minivans and sport-utility vehicles without exterior cargo were allowed to cross the 17.6-mile span linking the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula to mainland Virginia.
MD Mahabub Khan has worked as a taxi cart pusher at the shore for 27 years and said he still attracted some business over the weekend, but the smaller crowds were noticeable.
Emergency officials gained access to the FEMA broadcast system after 2012, when Superstorm Sandy caused major devastation, flooding and even deaths across Long Island and throughout NY and New Jersey.
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The storm will spend the majority of Monday traveling north, far off the coasts of DE and New Jersey, before weakening and shifting east during the afternoon on Tuesday.
