The National Weather Service said a tropical storm warning remains in effect for Rehoboth Beach in DE, which could experience wind gusts of up to 50 miles per hour and life-threatening storm surges during high tide late Sunday and into Monday.
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“It’s going to sit offshore and it is going to be a tremendous coastal event with a unsafe storm surge and lots of larger waves probably causing significant beach erosion, for the next few days”, said Daniel Brown, senior hurricane specialist at the National Hurricane Center. However, it remains a risky storm and is expected to pack a punch through the Labor Day weekend as it slams the East Coast beaches with drenching rainfall, gusty winds, storm surge flooding, and life-threatening rip currents.
But first forecasters expect Hermine to turn to the north-east and decrease its forward speed on Saturday night, pick up strength and then achieve hurricane force again on Sunday. A tropical storm warning was in effect from New York’s Long Island to MA.
The storm has damaged properties and left hundreds of thousands without electricity from Florida to Virginia.
The National Hurricane Center said Hermine was expected to become almost stationary by Tuesday night before turning toward the northeast Wednesday.
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said during a Sunday afternoon news briefing that he didn’t see the need for evacuations from the shore yet, but “we are prepared if things wobble west”. “It was just the most bad thing you think would happen”.
Storm-related rip currents forced the closure of many beaches, keeping swimmers and surfers out of risky waters.
The East Coast appeared to buy itself a holiday weekend reprieve from the storm dubbed Hermine, but officials warned it the danger is not over yet. Meanwhile, in Virginia, strong winds ripped the siding off a building in Virginia Beach Saturday. In Florida, a homeless man in Marion County was hit by a falling tree and was killed.
High winds tipped over this18-wheeler, killing its driver and shutting down the US64 bridge in North Carolina.
According to the Governor’s Office, State Emergency Personnel in New York City and Long Island counties are prepared with staff and emergency equipment such as pumps and generators.
Malloy said all state campgrounds will be closed at noon Sunday and the state emergency management center will be partially activated at 6 p.m.to monitor conditions as Hurricane Hermine moves south of CT.
Overnight, four people suffered minor injuries when a tornado hit a campground in Hatteras Village, Dare County, North Carolina, officials said.
Dominion Virginia Power said crews were working to restore power to about 5,000 customers in North Carolina and 1,500 in southeast Virginia.
Forecasters said that many locations between Sandy Hook and Bridgeport, Conn., could also be at risk of surge over the next 48 hours.
The weather service has advised people to stay away from flooding-prone areas – particularly, anywhere near the water.
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Beaches were ordered closed for Sunday as far north as NY, because of unusually strong, storm-induced riptides, which can pull swimmers and boats dangerously far out to sea.
