CATASTROPIC COASTAL FLOODING TONIGHT

LATEST COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE FROM THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE:

COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NEW YORK NY
1113 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012

...LIFE THREATENING COASTAL FLOODING EXPECTED THROUGH TUESDAY
MORNING...

SOUTHERN FAIRFIELD-SOUTHERN NEW HAVEN-SOUTHERN MIDDLESEX-
SOUTHERN NEW LONDON-HUDSON-EASTERN ESSEX-EASTERN UNION-
SOUTHERN WESTCHESTER-NEW YORK (MANHATTAN)-BRONX-
RICHMOND (STATEN ISLAND)-KINGS (BROOKLYN)-NORTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-
NORTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHWESTERN SUFFOLK-SOUTHEASTERN SUFFOLK-
NORTHERN QUEENS-NORTHERN NASSAU-SOUTHERN QUEENS-SOUTHERN NASSAU-
1113 AM EDT MON OCT 29 2012

...COASTAL FLOOD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 3 PM EDT
TUESDAY...

* LOCATIONS...ALONG NEW YORK HARBOR...NEWARK BAY...THE ARTHUR
  KILL...THE TIDALLY AFFECTED PORTIONS OF THE HACKENSACK AND
  PASSAIC RIVERS...LONG ISLAND SOUND...THE SOUTHERN AND EASTERN
  SHORES OF LONG ISLAND...AND TIDALLY AFFECTED PORTIONS OF THE
  HUDSON AND CONNECTICUT RIVERS.

* TIDAL DEPARTURES...BETWEEN 3 TO 5 FT ABOVE ASTRONOMICAL TIDES
  THIS MORNING...AND POTENTIAL FOR 6 TO 11 FT ABOVE TONIGHT INTO
  TUESDAY MORNING. THE HIGHER END OF THE RANGE RELEGATED TO THE
  HISTORICALLY MOST VULNERABLE AREAS ALONG NEW YORK
  HARBOR...WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND...THE LONG ISLAND SOUTH SHORE
  BACK BAYS...AND PECONIC BAY.

* HIGH SURF...BREAKING WAVES ARE EXPECTED TO BUILD TO 15 TO 20
  FT ALONG OCEAN FACING SHORELINES THIS AFTERNOON INTO TONIGHT.
  MEANWHILE...6 TO 12 FT WAVES ARE EXPECTED ALONG EXPOSED
  EASTERN AND NORTHEASTERN FACING PORTIONS OF LONG ISLAND
  SOUND...PECONIC AND GARDINERS BAYS...AND NEW YORK HARBOR. THE
  DESTRUCTIVE WAVES ON TOP OF THE STORM SURGE WILL CAUSE
  OVERWASHES AND SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO COASTAL STRUCTURES
  NEAREST TO SEA LEVEL. THIS IS ESPECIALLY TRUE FOR LOW LYING
  AREAS ALONG OCEAN PARKWAY AND DUNE ROAD...THE TWIN FORKS OF
  LONG ISLAND...FIRE ISLAND COMMUNITIES SUCH AS FAIR HARBOR...
  OCEAN BEACH...CHERRY GROVE...FIRE ISLAND PINES AND DAVIS
  PARK...AND HISTORICALLY VULNERABLE LOCATIONS ALONG LONG ISLAND
  SOUND.

* TIMING...THROUGH TUESDAY...WITH THE HIGHEST STORM TIDE
  OCCURRING WITH TONIGHTS HIGH TIDE CYCLE.

* IMPACTS...A LONG DURATION COASTAL FLOOD EVENT IS EXPECTED WITH
  POTENTIAL HISTORIC FLOODING TONIGHT INTO EARLY TUESDAY MORNING.
  THE STORM SURGE UP COASTAL RIVERS WILL RESULT IN MINOR TO
  LOCALLY MODERATE FLOODING. PROBABILITY IS HIGH FOR SIGNIFICANT
  INUNDATION AND DAMAGE TO STRUCTURES IN HISTORICALLY FLOOD PRONE
  SPOTS.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING MEANS THAT FLOODING IS EXPECTED OR
OCCURRING. COASTAL RESIDENTS IN THE WARNED AREA SHOULD BE ALERT
FOR RISING WATER...AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY.

WATER LEVELS FOR THIS EVENING AND TONIGHTS HIGH TIDE CYCLE

...NY HARBOR WATER LEVELS FOR THIS EVENING...

COASTAL............TIME OF......FORECAST TOTAL.....FLOOD.....
LOCATION...........HIGH TIDE.....WATER LEVEL.......CATEGORY..
...................................(MLLW)....................

THE BATTERY NYC.....813 PM.........10-12.............MAJOR....
BERGEN POINT NY.....814 PM.........12-13.............MAJOR....

...OCEAN WATER LEVELS FOR TONIGHT...

COASTAL............TIME OF......FORECAST TOTAL.....FLOOD.....
LOCATION...........HIGH TIDE.....WATER LEVEL.......CATEGORY..
...................................(MLLW)....................

MONTAUK POINT NY.....923 PM.........7.5-8.5........MAJOR...

...WESTERN L.I. SOUND WATER LEVELS FOR TONIGHT...

COASTAL............TIME OF......FORECAST TOTAL.....FLOOD.....
LOCATION...........HIGH TIDE.....WATER LEVEL.......CATEGORY..
...................................(MLLW)....................

KINGS POINT NY......1227 AM........15-16...........MAJOR....
LATTINGTOWN NY......1205 AM........15-16...........MAJOR....
STAMFORD CT.........1201 AM........14-15...........MAJOR....
BRIDGEPORT CT.......1158 PM........14-15...........MAJOR....
NEW HAVEN CT........1157 PM........13-14...........MAJOR....


...SOUTH SHORE BAYS WATER LEVELS FOR THIS EVENING...

COASTAL............TIME OF......FORECAST TOTAL.....FLOOD.....
LOCATION...........HIGH TIDE.....WATER LEVEL.......CATEGORY.. ....
..............................(MLLW/NGVD)................

E ROCKAWAY INLET NY..814 PM.........12/10.5.........MAJOR....
FREEPORT GAGE NY.....858 PM.........11/10.2.........MAJOR....
JAMAICA BAY NY.......900 PM.......12.2/10...........MAJOR....
ROCKAWAY INLET NY....820 PM.......11.5/9.5..........MAJOR....
POINT LOOKOUT........801 PM.........11/9.9..........MAJOR....
LINDENHURST.........1041 PM.......8.4/8.6...........MAJOR....


George Wright is a Certified Consulting Meteorologist for Wright Weather Consulting, LLC. George is also a meteorologist with ABC News and Cablevision News 12. Our website is WrightWeather.com.