A monster hurricane that has killed at least 40 people and is lurching toward Pennsylvania could bring wind gusts up to 60 mph and drop as much as 6 inches of rain overnight Monday into Tuesday in Northeast Pennsylvania.
Dubbed the "Frankenstorm" by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Hurricane Sandy could blend with other weather fronts crossing over America's Heartland and transform into what "could certainly be a once-in-a-lifetime" storm, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tom Kines said Friday.
"People should not put their guard down," Mr. Kines said. "It can bring major damage."
On Thursday, Hurricane Sandy pummelled Cuba, killing at least 11 people there, including a 4-month-old boy who was crushed when his home collapsed on top of him, The Associated Press reported.
The Category 1 storm is expected to move along the eastern seaboard over the weekend, then turn inland and strike Pennsylvania on Monday. New York and other U.S. eastern seaboard cities are expected to be hard hit.
"We can handle up to 2 inches of rain without too much difficulty. Three sort of flips us on the borderline," said Robert Flanagan, Lackawanna County's director of emergency management. "Anything above that starts putting us in the problem area. Six inches, forget it. Six inches - I don't think we can handle in any way, shape or form."
While early forecasts called for snow, it appears the chance of that is now slight.
Forecasters also believe Hurricane Sandy will be downgraded to a tropical storm by the time it arrives here.
"My gut feeling is it won't be a hurricane when it comes ashore, but I don't think people should focus on that," Mr. Kines said. "Whether or not it's a hurricane, the damage will be the same."
Anywhere from 2 to 6 inches of rain could fall Monday through Tuesday night. Wind gusts of about 20 miles an hour and a chance of rain is possible Wednesday as the stronger elements of the storm track north out of the region.
The National Weather Service, however, warned that "significant uncertainty still exists with the track of the system."
If the current forecast track holds, the downpour could bring widespread flash flooding in a region still recovering from the devastating blows of Hurricane Irene and Tropical Storm Lee last year.
"I suspect the Susquehanna River can handle it," Mr. Kines said. "The smaller creeks and streams - that may be a different issue. I'd be prepared."
On Friday, the NWS issued a statement warning of the likelihood of urban flooding.
Leaves could clog storm water drains, exacerbating the flooding.
And after the storm moves out, there is the possibility river levels could still rise into minor and moderate flood ranges by midweek, the NWS reported.
Gauges on the Lackawanna River near Forest City and Archbald on Friday reported above normal river levels - still well below concern for flooding, according to U.S. Geological Survey data on Friday.
A gauge on the Lackawanna River in Old Forge reported normal conditions.
More than 120 million gallons of water per day will be released from the Neversink Reservoir in Sullivan County, N.Y., into the Delaware River to make room for the expected heavy rainfall from the hurricane, state Department of Environmental Protection officials said Friday.
The reservoir holds drinking water for New York City residents.
"Residents along the Delaware River may see higher than normal river volumes in the coming days in advance of the storm," DEP Secretary Mike Krancer said in a statement. "But this release now will help prevent the possibility of much higher river flows and flooding later on in the course of the storm event."
Areas with poor flood protection defenses, like communities near the Lackawanna River in Carbondale and Old Forge, could be susceptible to rising waters.
Besides the threat of flooding, local emergency responders and public works departments are bracing for more destruction from the storm's winds.
Forecasts on Friday predicted sustained winds of 20 to 40 miles per hour Monday night into Tuesday and wind gusts up to 50 to 60 miles per hour. This could bring massive power outages and countless downed trees.
The city of Scranton will call additional DPW workers in and pay overtime if the storm knocks down several trees, forcing the closure of city streets, or if flooding becomes an issue.
"If I have to bring in the guys, I'll bring them in. I already talked to the mayor about it," DPW director Mark Dougher said. "Safety is number one. It's a matter of life and death sometimes."
The American Red Cross is planning for the worst. Local volunteers are now preparing to open shelters, placing disaster workers on alert, and readying vehicles and supplies.
"Two weeks ago, we thought the storm was not going to hit. A week ago, maybe. And now, pretty definite," said Carmon Flynn, executive director of the American Red Cross of Northeast Pennsylvania. "When EMA calls and says it's time to open a shelter here, we're ready to do it."
If need be, Mr. Flanagan said officials will activate the county's emergency operations center in Jessup to help coordinate and mobilize resources.
The county's 911 center is also considering calling in additional dispatchers.
"The question of major flooding is still up in the air," he said. "We have to keep an eye on that."
Contact the writer: smcconnell@ timesshamrock.com
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