This unusually strong November storm is moving north. We haven’t seen anything like this in the mid-Atlantic since at least 2003. Forecasters are making comparisons to storms in 2003, 1998, 1962, and 1933.
Today, Thursday, Virginia Beach, Richmond, and all of southeast Virginia are getting the worst of it. The storm will continue to worsen in Virginia Beach this afternoon. State of emergency in that area.
High tides 4-5 feet above normal in Virginia Beach today. Waves hitting Virginia Beach, 18-22 feet high. Beach erosion is reported, possibility of some structural damage to buildings there this afternoon. Coastal flooding possible throughout Tidewater Virginia. Up to a foot of rainfall total in that part of Virginia.
In Ocean City today, and West Ocean City, Ocean Pines and Berlin, we’ll have rain all day and evening Thursday, light rain right now, but we expect heavy rain throughout the afternoon. North-northeast winds 35 to 50 mph, possible gusts over 60 mph. We’ve received an estimated two inches or more of rain already. One to two inches of rain today, and another one to two inches tonight. Another two inches of rain possible Friday. You do the math.
Jeff Masters is prognosticating “near-record storm surges onto the coast in Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware.” See Dr. Jeff Masters Wunder Blog.
Very heavy surf pounding the Ocean City beach, 15- to 20-foot-high waves at times today. Of course we have reason to be concerned about beach erosion in Ocean City.
Ocean City officials have closed the Inlet Parking Lot to the public. Some downtown Ocean City streets are flooded.
Next Ocean City high tide, about 3: 45 this afternoon, predicted to be four feet higher than normal, with some coastal flooding.
Friday, waves 15-20 feet high all along the Delmarva Coast, Chincoteague, Assateague Island, Ocean City, Delaware beaches, Atlantic City. High winds and rain all day Friday.
The Weather Channel’s Jeff Morrow describes conditions on the Ocean City beach right now: “nasty” and “miserable,” “a rotten day.” He says it’s hard to distinguish between the wind, the blowing sand, and the ocean spray. They all hurt. Winds over 40 gusting to over 50.
The storm will push some water up the Chesapeake Bay, so possible coastal flooding all along the Eastern and Western Shores of the Chesapeake Bay, and into the tidal Potomac River.
Sussex County, just south of Worcester County, is feeling the storm. Some schools may be closing early Thursday afternoon in Sussex County.
North Carolina beaches continue to be pounded, although the strongest part of the storm is moving into Virginia. Some buildings have been damaged in Nags Head, NC.
The storm is reported to be intensifying, possibly stronger than a few days ago, when it was still Tropical Storm Ida. Barometric pressure has fallen in that big low-pressure system in the Atlantic.
If anyone’s interested in the temperatures, our Ocean City high temperature will be 55 today. Not much temperature fluctuation. The low today, 54. Friday high temperature, 59, Saturday, 62.
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