US Atlantic coast braces for super-storm Sandy
This is how Hurricane Sandy looks from space. NASA’s Suomi NPP satellite passed over Sandy after it made landfall over Cuba and Jamaica, capturing this highly detailed infrared imagery that shows areas of deep convection around the central eye.
With Hurricane Sandy menacing the US eastern seaboard, airlines have already canceled over 3,200 flights into the region, according to USA Today, and parts of New York City were ordered evacuated Sunday, reported The Wall Street Journal.
More from GlobalPost: Hurricane Sandy, Frankenstorm, Snowicane: Call it what you will — forecasters say US storm could be huge
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters "now it is time to take action" as he ordered public transportation shut down in the capital Sunday night. He also told 370,000 New Yorkers they needed to leave their homes for their own safety and canceled Monday classes in 1,750 schools, according to WSJ.
Rainfall from the monster storm could hit New York City as early as Sunday, reported the Associated Press.
Delaware and New Jersey have already issued evacuation orders, said AP.
AP listed five major reasons why Sandy is expected to be one of the worst storms in decades: 1) it's at hurricane strength already, 2) it's expected to collide with another winter storm hanging out in the area, 3) next it'll pick up strong Arctic winds, 4) then it's projected to land right at full moon (read: high tides), promising higher-than-usual storm surges, 5) finally, Sandy's winds could be as strong as 74 miles per hour, threatening to wreak havoc on the coast's power supply lines.
Cuomo on Friday declared a State of Emergency on Friday as Sandy — likened to the "perfect storm" of 1991 — leveled homes across the Caribbean late last week.
The storm hit Florida on Friday after whipping Cuba, killing 66 people in the Carribbean, according to AP.
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