National Hurricane Center to expand storm warnings

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What it was then storm for the record books is concerned sandy it's powerful wallop devastating parts of the East Coast and it may have been -- a category one hurricane right -- a category one but remember.

Remember this morning from -- very I'm Janice Dean.

Million people could be affected by the storm so.

They really -- it's -- northeast storm it's only a category one food what's the big deal.

No this is an impressive storm and it's not just a tropical system as John -- mentions we've got basically a hurricane.

Inside a giant nor'easter already for the record books the lowest pressure.

On record at this latitude.

So that is impressive what pressure means the lowered -- the stronger the storm that we are dealing with.

And if -- remember this but at this sad time in -- is giving us that forecast was going back and forth is that a hurricane is not a hurricane is that a hurricane well.

Now the National Hurricane Center is taking a lot of heat because -- didn't issue hurricane watches and warnings.

To the center has to code apropos isn't changes to its criteria for storm warnings for everybody.

Because of this wind storm in the East Coast what is this -- mean really -- Janice Dean is here.

Hopefully you can explain -- -- -- because what was going on behind the scenes about weather this storm weather hurricane wasn't right what what what what was going on.

Well the bottom line is this was a storm that impacted millions of people with ninety mile per hour winds once and made landfall.

It had a storm surge of ten feet and we had twenty foot waves and New York Harbor OK so.

What was happening was and behind the -- the National Hurricane Center said.

Well because this storm is transitioning it's not a full -- just remember we were talking about the nor'easter with the hurricane inside of it I was making a transition.

From a warm core low to a cold core -- it was making.

It was interacting with a cold Canadian -- it was becoming that's superstore in their buried -- rare meteorological event.

This is historically never had something like this making landfall so the national hurricane was the center was saying well scientifically it's not a hurricane so we can't.

In good faith issue hurricane watches and warnings -- let me.

In every case to Europe one weather forecast of the best weather for -- by the way in my in the entire country of course and a little bias there it's just say there's there's thousands though.

-- weather forecasters happen along the East Coast that we're getting these.

Messages every -- half an hour hour from the National Hurricane Center.

And what were they getting into their new Yzerman and had an impact they're telling of the story -- what happened was they didn't the National Hurricane Center decided that once the storm.

Move north of North Carolina it was up to the local offices across the northeast to really take.

Over with the storm advisories.

And because they were saying it was going to be transitioning storm.

A couldn transitioning into a cold core low.

It was up to -- local forecasters.

Issued their own warnings but they couldn't issue hurricane watches and warnings because my.

Because the National Hurricane Center are the only ones that -- issue the hurricane watches and warnings.

So the northeast with issuing.

Gale warnings and flood warnings and high wind warning something you would typically see -- -- nor'easter but this was unprecedented.

So.

They did that and as the storm is making landfall with ninety mile per hour winds ten foot storm surge.

We were jumping up and down -- why aren't you saying there's needs to be hurricane watches and warnings and I you know.

From my perspective from a lot of meteorologist perspective may -- people would have -- more warning because if I don't relax or what yeah when you mentally think to yourself.

Hurricane watch hurricane warning a hurricane is coming so high how -- -- change now.

What's changed and what they're thinking about doing -- haven't implemented this yet they are saying that the National Hurricane Center can perhaps now.

Incorporate not only tropical storms.

But transitioning storms and post tropical storms of storms making that transition to.

A nor'easter takes -- so they will still be able to issue a hurricane watches and warnings.

Even -- scientifically.

It's not a hurricane and Jenna.

You know I think -- mixed messages might have been the problem here with Mayor Bloomberg two days before the storm hit two days and it was still technically a hurricane.

He was saying.

It's not going to be -- it's not going to be as bad as I -- I think we have a clip from Mayor Bloomberg.

We are not ordering any evacuations as of this time what any parts of the city.

We're making that decision based on the nature of this storm.

Although we're expecting a large surge of water it is not expected to be a tropical storm or hurricane -- surge.

With this storm will likely see a slow pile up of water rather than a sudden surge.

Which is what you would expect from a hurricane and which we saw with I -- in fourteen months ago.

So it will be less dangerous but make no mistake about it there will be a lot of water.

And low lying areas will experience flooding.

But what was he supposed to do there the National Hurricane Center is saying is not a hurricane then what would anyone I know we were.

As meteorologists we were pulling our hair out going we have been seeing -- -- That this was going to be an -- that storm.

So I don't know what information he was going -- But I'm just gonna say the fact that there were no hurricane watches and warnings may have played -- -- him down playing it now later on.

He started to say okay this is serious situation.

It was two days before the storm hit we were saying a week before that this was going to be a big deal was interesting to see how one event may change the entire system so we'll continue to watch out because it affects all storms -- they are in the country we learned from arms Dixon the hard way that's at some point -- thank you can appreciate that John.

Bloomberg the guy who set up those information terminals he can't have a hotline to Janice Dean place I'm let's -- our red phone.

I'm in still OK let's do it you can you can take those 3 AM phone calls from the mayor of New York.

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National Hurricane Center to expand storm warnings

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