Deadly Storm Strikes Northeastern U.S.

Storm Kills 7, Damages Many Buildings and Leaves Up to a Million Homes Without Electricity

At least 7 people were killed many buildings were damaged and up to a million homes lost electricity after a torrential rainstorm battered northeastern United States.

Most of the damage occurred in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania, where strong winds and torrential rains uprooted trees, snapped power lines and flooded many of the streams in the weekend.

Three people were crushed to death by falling trees in Greenwich, Conn, Westport, Conn., and Hartsdale, N.Y.

NWS Radar Mosaic. Click Image to enlarge and update. (24-Hr FE ED).

“In Teaneck, N.J., two neighbors were killed by a falling oak tree as they headed home from a synagogue at 7 p.m. on Saturday.” A report said.

A police officer was killed in Rhode Island, after his car hydroplaned in a pool of water formed by the weekend storm.

“In New Hampshire, a large pine tree fell on a car travelling on a highway on Sunday afternoon, killing a man and injuring his wife and child, police said.”

In Ocean Grove, N.J., five homes were consumed by a large fire that was fueled by strong winds which also damaged a historic inn, reports said.

Storm advisories and flood warnings are in place in many areas throuought the Northeast and elsewhere.

Predominant Weather. Click Image to enlarge and update. (24-Hr FE ED).

Hazards. Click Image to enlarge and update. (24-Hr FE ED).

Related Links:

• US Weather
• Satellite Imagery
  

Tropical Cyclone ULUI

Birth and Life of ULUI

Tropical Cyclone ULUI – Visible image – MTSAT 1R – Dated March 15, 2009 at 06:00UTC.   Source: Digital Typhoon.  Click image to enlarge.

ULUI Close Up

Tropical Cyclone ULUI – Visible image – MTSAT 1R – Dated March 15, 2009 at 06:00UTC.   Source: Digital Typhoon.  Click image to enlarge.

How TOMAS and ULUI were born:

• Last 24 Hours : MPEG / WMV
• Last 120 Hours : MPEG / WMV
• Last 240 Hours : MPEG / WMV

Latest Brief:

• TOMAS:  Sustained Wind speeds of about 213 km/hr (115 kt) with wind gusts of up to 260 km/hr (140 kt)
• ULUI:  Sustained Wind speeds of about 242 km/hr (130 kt) with wind gusts of up to 300 km/hr (160 kt)

[Intensity is based on PGTW and KNES DVORAK intensity estimates of 130 kt, JTWC said.]

Related Links:

• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 15
• Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

Tropical Cyclone TOMAS

Image of the Day:

TOMAS is HERE!

Tropical Cyclone TOMAS – Visible image – MTSAT 1R – Dated March 15, 2009 at 05:00UTC.   Source: Digital Typhoon.  Click image to enlarge.

TOMAS Close Up

Tropical Cyclone TOMAS – Visible image – MTSAT 1R – Dated March 15, 2009 at 05:00UTC.   Source: Digital Typhoon.  Click image to enlarge.

How TOMAS and ULUI were formed:

• Last 24 Hours : MPEG / WMV
• Last 120 Hours : MPEG / WMV
• Last 240 Hours : MPEG / WMV

Latest Brief:

• TOMAS:  Sustained Wind speeds of about 213 km/hr (115 kt) with wind gusts of up to 260 km/hr (140 kt)
• ULUI:  Sustained Wind speeds of about 242 km/hr (130 kt) with wind gusts of up to 300 km/hr (160 kt)

[Intensity is based on PGTW and KNES DVORAK intensity estimates of 130 kt, JTWC said.]

Related Links:

• Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 15
• Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale

Cyclones TOMAS and ULUI – UPDATE Mar 15

TOMAS a Cat 3B hurricane, still intensifying; ULUI weakened to a Cat 3C

In the last 24 hours, Cyclone TOMAS has grown into a Cat 3B Hurricane force on the FEWW New Hurricane Scale and is still intensifying.  ULUI has weakened from a super cyclone force to a Cat 3C hurricane in the same period.

A very low probability of increased interaction exists between the two  systems. If the odds were to improve, whereby pinwheeling occurred between the two cyclones, TOMAS could change track, moving westward, then wobbling close to, around, or over the Fiji islands for a much longer period than anticipated.

Cyclone TOMAS. Latest GOES Image as of posting. (GOES Sat. NOAA). Click image to enlarge.

(L to R) Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS. MTSAT Colorized IR Image (NOAA).  Click image to enlarge.

• Animate the above image
  

Tropical Cyclone Tomas (TC 19P) – Summary of Details on March 15 at 00:01UTC

• Position:  15.6S 179.4W
• Max Sustained Winds :  ~ 195km/hr (105 kts)
• Wind Gusts: ~ 240km/hr ( 130 kts)
• Movement: Southwestward
• Forward Speed:  5km/hr (~ 03 kts)
• Location: 500km  (270 NM) NORTHEAST of NADI, FIJI
• Comment: TOMAS is a Category 3B hurricane on the  FEWW New Hurricane Scale. The cyclone has good radial outflow and is experiencing low vertical wind shear. It is  expected to continue intensifying over the next 36 – 48 hours until it experiences lower ocean heat content and higher vertical wind shear.
• Maximum significant wave height: 9m (27 feet)
• Sources: JTWC, Digital Typhoon, CIMSS and others.
• Comment: TOMAS is expected to transition to an extratropical system in 96 to 120 hours.

Cyclone TOMAS: Latest forecast track. Source: JTWC. [Nature’s acute geometry, or wishful thinking?]

Cyclone ULUI  (TC 20P) Details on March 15 at 00:01UTC

• Position: 12.9S 159.2E
• Max Sustained Winds:  205 km/hr (~ 110 kts)
• Wind Gusts: 270km/hr (~ 145 kts)
• Movement:  West
• Forward Speed:  ~ 12 km/hr ( 7 kts)
• Location: About 695km (375 NM) WNW of Espiritu Santo, Vanuatu
• Maximum significant wave height: 10m (30 feet)
• Sources: JTWC, Digital Typhoon and others.
• Comment: ULUI is expected to start dissipating over water after about 96 to 120 hours.

Cyclone ULUI: Latest projected path.  Source: JTWC.

MTSAT (NOAA) images from NOAA– Click images to enlarge and animate.

MTSAT – IR Image

MTSAT – Colorized IR Image

MTSAT – Visible Image

• Water Vapor Loop

Related Links:

• Cyclones ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 14
• TC ULUI and TOMAS – UPDATE Mar 13
• Tropical Cyclones Now Come in Pairs
• FEWW New Hurricane Scale