Sandy Pounding Coast with Surge and Waves

Source: http://www.newsday.com/news/weather/hurricane-sandy-speeds-up-as-officials-give-last-warning-to-evacuate-1.4162130?qr=1

Sandy is pounding the East Coast with surge and waves. Surge is overwashing roads and flooding buildings in some places. This pic above shows wave action slamming the coast on Long Island.

Speaking of Long Island, the highest surge level available right now on the NOAA Tides and Currents is actually from Kings Point, on the extreme southwest portion of Long Island Sound, where surge levels are 7.62 feet, as of approximately 5:00PM EDT. This means winds are blowing hard from the E or NE, pushing water down Long Island Sound from E to W.

Surge levels at Sandy Hook, NJ were 7.37 feet, and in other portions of coastal NJ and NY, surge levels ranged from 5 to 7 feet. Large, destructive waves are riding on top of this surge.

Sandy is forecast to make landfall in the next few hours. Peak surge levels often occur near the time of landfall, to the "right" of the storm path.

Take note- after Sandy makes landfall, the wind direction in Northern NJ, NYC, and Long Island, should be from the southeast. This will likely produce even higher surge levels in these areas, even though the eye of the hurricane already hit the coast. Winds will eventually come from the south on Tuesday, which will push surge into the southern portion of Long Island, Long Island Sound, CT, RI, and MA. Southerly winds may keep surge levels near NYC high through Tuesday.

Some areas of southern Long Island may be experiencing offshore winds, if winds are howling from the northeast right now. This may serve to temporarily reduce surge levels, however, when winds come from the southeast or south later, surge levels may rapidly rise.

High water is washing over the roadway in Ocean City, MD

http://www.usnews.com/pubdbimages/image/39015/FE_DA_121028sandy_ocmd425x283.jpg