High Winds Still Linger In The Wake Of Irene

With Hurricane Irene now moving out of the way into New England and Canada, you would think that conditions would be finally calming down around the New York City Metropolitan area.  However, we are still dealing with a lot of wind.  The reason for that, a phenomenon called the pressure gradient.

Hurricane Irene was not just a tropical system, but it was also a powerful low pressure system with pressures dropping to 28.64 inches in South Plainfield as the storm passed by earlier this morning.  Now, with the skies finally starting to clear, you have high pressure trying to move in.  There is a great difference in pressure between the high and the low.

Balancing that difference, air rushes in from the high toward the low.  It is similar to when you open a can of coffee with a can opener.  The winds are really whipping along Route 27 in Edison.  As what is left of the hurricane pulls away and high pressure continues to build in, the winds will gradually subside.  We have a full week of nice weather ahead in Central Jersey, and that will go a long way in helping things dry up, and beginning the clean-up process.