With as much as 5 inches of rain possible in some areas of southern New England, the National Weather Service issued a Flood Watch.
Hurricane Sandy has taken its predicted turn to the north, and is expected to continue on a path that will see it slam into the coast of the mid-Atlantic states sometime Monday night.
The National Hurricane Center's Monday 2 a.m. update show Sandy about 280 miles east of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and about 425 miles south-southeast of New York City, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. It was moving north at 14 mph.
The storm is expected to take a to the northwest sometime Monday, followed by a turn to the west-northwest tonight – sending it toward the mid-Atlantic states in the area of Maryland, Delaware and – most likely for landfall – New Jersey sometime on Monday evening.
Hurricane force winds (74 mph or greater) are expected along parts of the coast between Cincoteague, Va., and Chatham, Mass., with tropical storm force winds (39 to 73 mph) expected north of Chatham to the Merrimack River, according to the 2 a.m. National Hurricane Center Hurricane Sandy Public Advisory.
According to Mike Skurko, meteorologist for CBS 3 Springfield, the media partner of The Republican and MassLive.com, "The 'peak' of the storm for Western Massachusetts ... heaviest rain and strongest wind ... is expected between 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Monday."
The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning for southern New England, including all of Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin counties, at 10:47 p.m. on Sunday. The warning is in effect from 6 a.m. Monday until 6 a.m. Tuesday.
At 10:23 p.m. Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the area. It is in effect from 8 a.m. Monday through Tuesday evening. "Rainfall of 1 to 3 inches is expected Monday into Tuesday with as much as 5 inches in some locations," according the Flood Watch statement.
In a forecast posted late Sunday night on MassLive.com, Skurko wrote, "Sustained winds will reach 30-35 mph on Monday, with gusts up to 50 mph possible in the Springfield area...60 mph in the hilltowns. The winds should ease up a little bit for the remainder of the storm, eventually dropping to a breezy 15-25 mph by the end of the day Tuesday. The persistent rain eventually comes to an end on Wednesday, although scattered showers will stick around as this storm lingers/dissipates through Friday."
Ahead of the storm, school was canceled for Monday throughout Western Massachusetts. State and local officials, as well as utility companies, were planning for the worst.
Stay with MassLive.com for more updates on Hurricane Sandy as it approaches and hits land