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Posted on Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 8:44 a.m.

Hurricane Sandy impact: Wind advisory, clouds, rain and cold in Ann Arbor

By Cindy Heflin

As the monster storm Sandy bears down on the East Coast, the Ann Arbor area will not escape unscathed, forecasters warn.

Sandy_path.jpg

This map shows the projected path of Sandy. Forecasters warn hazardous weather is possible well outside of the cone-shaped area.

National Weather Service

The National Weather Service has issued a wind advisory in effect from noon Monday through 5 p.m. Tuesday. Winds are expected to increase to 20 to 30 mph this afternoon with gusts of 40 to 50 mph expected, the weather service said. Winds of that intensity could cause power outages, forecasters warn.

Even after the winds die down, cloudy skies, cold temperatures and some rain will stick around until the end of the week. The Ann Arbor area could even see a few snow showers Monday night and Tuesday. We have Sandy to thank for all this cold and gloom.

“We are feeling the effects of it,” said Sara Schultz, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township, which does forecasting for all of southeast Michigan.

Fortunately, any rain that falls will not be enough to cause flooding issues.

“We are the western fringes of the storm system, so our biggest concern is going to be the winds from this,” Schultz said.

As Sandy moves from the Atlantic and merges with a low-pressure system, winds will steadily increase throughout the day Monday, the National Weather Service said. The storm will begin to weaken rapidly on Tuesday, causing winds to decrease.

The area along the lake Huron shoreline will be the hardest-hit in Michigan. Gusts there could reach or exceed 60 mph at times.

The cold and rain will stick around though, making for not-very-pleasant trick-or-treat weather on Wednesday. “It’ll be cold and cloudy with possibly some showers,” Schultz said.

Here’s a rundown of what’s in store for the Ann Arbor area over the next few days.

Monday: Rain likely, mainly after 5 p.m. It will be cloudy with a high near 44. Winds will pick throughout the day with a north wind increasing to 23 to 28 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 41 mph. The chance for precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are expected:

Monday night: Rain, possibly mixed with snow. Low around 36. Windy, with a north-northwest wind 29 to 31 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Tuesday: More rain, possibly mixed with snow, becoming all rain after 2 p.m. High near 43. Windy, with a north-northwest wind 28 to 32 mph, with gusts as high as 46 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. Little or no snow accumulation expected.

Tuesday night: Showers are likely. It will be cloudy, with a low around 36. Breezy, with a north-northwest wind 18 to 24 mph, with gusts as high as 33 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 45. Northwest wind around 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Wednesday night: 
A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a low around 38. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a high near 47.

Friday: We’ll finally get a bit of sun. A partly sunny day is expected with a high near 47.

For updated forecasts and conditions any time, check AnnArbor.com's weather page.

Cindy Heflin is associate news director at AnnArbor.com. Contact her at 734-623-2572 or cindyheflin@annarbor.com or follow her on Twitter.

Comments

jns131

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 9:15 p.m.

I am now hearing rumors that most communities are going to cancel trick or treating on Wednesday. Can anyone follow up on this. I am wondering because I do know if it was tonight? I would not be caught dead out on a nite like this. Although Ichabod was.

Paula Gardner

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 11:50 a.m.

Here is an update to this story from yesterday. We published this a short time ago to update the Ann Arbor area. http://www.annarbor.com/news/hurricane-sandy-impact-high-winds-power-outages-reported-in-ann-arbor/

simone66

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 3:59 a.m.

According to the Freep.com, approx 33k people in the metro Detroit area are w/o power. the winds here in A2 are terrible, but pale in comparison to what's happening on the East Coast. Tuesday is going to be a sad day seeing the aftermath. I used to live in NY, so what happens there is close to my heart.

Ann English

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 11:10 p.m.

The cone covers almost all of Pennsylvania and New York, but I heard on the radio that West Virginia, completely outside the cone, is getting several feet of snow. Ski resorts there can open early.

David Muzzatti

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 7:27 p.m.

I wonder if 'Frankenstorm' will pose a threat to any east coast-based nuclear power plants?

jns131

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 12:55 a.m.

I heard that too. They said the boardwalk is gone and the subways are flooded.

Ann English

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 11:07 p.m.

Kai, I heard from a New Yorker on his own talk radio show that Atlantic City HAS been hit.

Kai Petainen

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 8:02 p.m.

and the refineries... and the private wind farms... and the LNG distribution... and the casinos in atlantic city.....

Sparty

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 7:22 p.m.

Making the rounds is a YouTube clip from a 2011 GOP primary debate in which Romney says that federal disaster relief maybe isn't such a good idea. Services that can be provided by the states should be shifted to the states, rather than the federal government, then-candidate Romney said, but it's even better to shift government services to the private sector. Prompted by moderator John King to expand his stance on federal disaster relief, Romney said that it's something "we cannot afford to do… without jeopardizing the future for our kids… it is simply immoral, in my view, for us to continue to rack up larger and larger debts and pass them on to our kids, knowing full well that we'll all be dead and gone before it's paid off. It makes no sense at all." So, that'll play well with folks on the east coast, watching flood waters rise and waiting for the power to go out. But what's most important to note is that Romney's comments underscore the GOP's untenable stance on small government. The Romney campaign is doing its best to focus on the first portion of the governor's unfortunate FEMA critique, the idea disaster relief is more appropriately conducted on the state level (never mind that, as in Katrina, local first responders were overwhelmed), and totally ignoring the whole part about how disaster relief should maybe be outsourced.

pb

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 12:49 a.m.

So, Ann English, let's let the states take care of it all, including, as the main point, funding disaster relief. Good luck with that. I suppose the wealthy municipalities and other jurisdictions will do just fine, but screw the poor ones, just as we do with public education, transportation, and so on. That's the good old Tea Party mentality for you: It's mine, I keep it, and too bad for you.

Ann English

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 11:05 p.m.

FEMA, being federal, cannot be expected to know local areas hit with disasters like state and local governments do. So state and local governments can tend to disaster areas more efficiently than big, arrogant but inefficient Washington, D. C. programs can.

djacks24

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 8:37 p.m.

Why does this always turn political? Rant all you want. Many folks minds are already made up. More of the same for four more years isn't going to cut it.

justcurious

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 6:27 p.m.

Radar shows the rains heading right for us....actually in the Detroit area now....winds are really gusting now and will for the next day. Expect power outages.

jns131

Tue, Oct 30, 2012 : 12:54 a.m.

We packed up most of our Halloween gear and put it in the garage. I don't think we are going to see a Halloween this year. Especially for the children. Here is hoping we do not get the sleet. Rain and hi winds are ok.

Soft Paw

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 5:54 p.m.

At least they were able to finish the World Series.

Macabre Sunset

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 5:32 p.m.

Fortunately, they've been adjusting the path east, so less of it will hit us. Of course, that means more of it will pound our friends to the east - our gain is northern New England's loss. Hope everyone's OK - this is no doubt a storm we'll all remember.

LXIX

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 5:30 p.m.

The Almighty will do whatever the Almighty wants. Not very predictable. Humans are subject to the laws and order of the Almighty universe. Once the science is understood - very predictable. Last week, Sandy was predicted to do what she is now doing. By Ann Arbor's very own Weatherunderground scientists, too. Who I wrongly predicted would be supressed after their company was bought up by the Weather Channel. Because global climate change meteorologists predicted many years ago that violent weather and suoercells like Sandy would happen more frequently due to the ill effects of human fossil fuel consumption that.large corporations don't want others to worry about. Maybe the Almighty will change that reality part of the universe. I doubt it, but I've been wrong before.

jns131

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 5:13 p.m.

This storm is called Frankenstorm. I can't wait to see it hit the dictionary next year. I also heard that Ohio will get the brunt of Sandy while we get the hi winds. I am wondering what the east coast is going to look like after this is all said and done. Wow. Good luck to all driving out there. As for the winds? I think we have them now. Brrrrrr

Kai Petainen

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.

this is a scary storm. my thoughts/prayers/wishes to friends, students, alumni, families.... in that area.

Dog Guy

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 2:03 p.m.

"Let all men know how empty and worthless is the power of kings. For there is none worthy of the name but God, whom heaven, earth and sea obey". So spoke King Canute the Great from his throne as the tide came in. His fawning courtiers got the message. We are all in this together.

Kai Petainen

Mon, Oct 29, 2012 : 2:01 p.m.

the other storm that went through this area and is hitting sandy... it actually caused damage north of us. highway 17 north is closed at wawa, the highway that runs north of Soo and out west in Canada.... is washed out, and repairs are expected to take a week. i wrote about it here: http://tinyurl.com/8zfffkz