Storm Expected To Become Powerful Extratropical Cyclone

The waves have been raging along the Jersey Shore as well as much of the East Coast for the past several days.  You can expect the rough surf to continue for the next 24 hours or so as Hurricane Katia is now about at the same latitude as New Jersey.  Despite its high latitude the storm is holding up rather well, and is forecast to be a very potent extratropical system within the next day or so.

Katia still has an eye feature that can be picked up on the satellite imagery.  The pressure actually dropped a bit from this time yesterday.  Located some 485 miles to the north of Bermuda, or 385 miles to the south-southwest of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Hurricane Katia is moving rapidly to the Northeast at 29 miles per hour.  Maximum sustained winds are at 85 miles per hour with gusts up to 105 miles per hour.  Barometric pressure in the eye is down to 968 millibars, or 28.59 inches of Hg (Mercury).  

The storm is still a very vast one with hurricane force winds extending some 50 miles from the eye, and tropical storm force winds reaching out some 255 miles.  Katia’s biggest impact will continue to be the heavy surf and dangerous rip currents along the East Coast.  Katia is now well north of the subtropical ridge, and falling under the influence of the westerlies.  So, expect the storm to continue accelerating out to sea.

Hurricane Katia is expected to still be a hurricane for the next 18 to 24 hours.  However, after that, it will enter cooler waters, and transition to a very powerful cold core system.  This extratropical cyclone will impact the British Isles within three days according to the most recent forecast discussion from the National Hurricane Center.