As Hurricane Sandy neared landfall on Monday evening, it certainly seemed as if that geological — or meteorological — consent had been withdrawn up and down the Eastern seaboard. Even with the storm still well out to sea, strong winds could be felt from Virginia through New York, and storm surges were already putting low-lying coastal areas under water. And this is just the beginning, with the heaviest surges expected Monday night, as the storm meets a high tide turbocharged by the full moon. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo put it simply during a Monday-morning press conference: “The worst is still to come.”

(MORE: Frankenstorm: Why Hurricane Sandy Will Be Historic)
 
Understandably, people have been glued to their TV screens — or the website of the National Hurricane Center — trying to track Sandy’s approach as it veers westward from the Atlantic toward shore. It’s easy to assume that wherever the storm makes a direct hit will get the worst of the damage.
 
But that doesn’t seem to be the case with the supersize Sandy, whose winds will stretch more than 450 miles (720 km) beyond its core. In fact, it appears that the areas directly to the north and east of the storm’s eye could get the worst of the surge and the coastal flooding. And because the storm is projected to make landfall in southern New Jersey, that’s seriously bad news for New York City and its billions of dollars worth of coastal infrastructure.



Other News:
Landfall: Why New York City Could Get the Worst of Sandy’s Wrath
Inside Breezy Point: An Inferno in a Flood
Greece ministers blamed over Swiss bank account list
Sistine Chapel ceiling at 500: The Vatican's dilemma
Nigeria army 'abuses' in Boko Haram crackdown - Amnesty
Carbon monoxide alarms in new NI homes now compulsory
Housing benefit changes: Warning over affordable housing shortfalls
Illegal waste sites identified