Issue link: https://newsleader.uberflip.com/i/91307
Sarasota News Leader November 2, 2012 25 Oct., 1:30 p.m.: Sandy is now a Category 2 storm with sustained winds of 105 mph and central pressure at 28.47 inches. It still looks like it will pass offshore of the Florida east coast. The northerly winds blowing against the Gulf Stream are going to play havoc with boating conditions. Here is the marine forecast off- shore of Palm Beach: FRIDAY NIGHT TROPICAL STORM CONDITIONS EXPECT- ED. N OF 29N W OF 79W...N TO NE WINDS 30 TO 40 KT...BECOM- ING N 35 TO 45 KT LATE. ELSEWHERE...N TO NE WINDS 55 TO 75 KT...BECOMING N 50 TO 70 KT LATE. SEAS 22 TO 32 FT. NU- Page 31 MEROUS SHOWERS AND ISOLATED TSTMS. VSBY 1 NM OR LESS. Yessiree, 32-foot seas and 70-knot wind. Sounds a bit Cape Horn-ish to me. The Baha- mas are expecting a 5- to 8-foot storm surge; for Florida, on the protected side of the storm, the surge is predicted to be only 1 to 2 feet. Locally we are told to expect gale-force winds starting tomorrow and continuing through Saturday, but little rain. My family and I were planning on launching the boat this weekend, but needless to say, that's not happening. Sandy is the 10th hurricane of the year and the fourth to reach Category 2 or higher. It was supposed to die somewhere between Jamai- ca and Cuba, but instead it intensified. Even the Cuban highlands did not affect it, and it Sandy has come ashore in southern New Jersey. Image courtesy of NOAA