Community Corner

Hurricane Sandy Likely to Come Ashore ... But Where?

The exact path remains a mystery, but forecast models indicate Hurricane Sandy won't just swing out to sea as it heads north.

Is your Halloween costume waterproof?

Last year, Halloween - primarily trick-or-treating - was disrupted in Foxborough by an unexpected snowstorm – "Snowtober" – which left the town without power for days. This year, it could be wind and rain. 

"There is a consensus forming in weather forecast models that hurricane Sandy is unlikely to go out to sea," according to The Washington Post.

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

It gets worse.

The Washington Post goes on to report that Sandy will more likely merge with a cold front and transition into a "powerhouse, possibly historic" storm that forecasters expect to make landfall anywhere from the Mid-Atlantic states to northern New England or Canada.

Find out what's happening in Foxboroughwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

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Chris Lambert on the WHDH weather blog reports that it will still be a few days until forecasters can say where Sandy -- or its "hybrid" remnants -- will make landfall, but the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place that would bring a powerful storm to the the Boston area on Monday and Tuesday, with showers lingering into Wednesday.

As a piece of energy rotates in around that buckling jet stream, just at the right time across the eastern U.S., Sandy may actually phase with that upper-level energy and move back toward the coast. As this occurs, Sandy, turns into more of a massive Nor’easter, provides an expanding wind and rain field that produces damaging gusts, flooding rains and coastal flooding over parts of the mid-Atlantic and/or New England anywhere in the Monday-Tuesday timeframe. This scenario is now more likely, and over the next few days, we will be ironing out the details. Although, the timing of all these ingredients coming together has to be precise, so there is still a chance of a miss to the east, but that chance has lowered.

The scenario mentioned above, Lambert continues, would mean winds in the 50-60mph range, with hurricane force (74mph-plus) gusts at the coast, beach erosion, both coastal and inland flooding from torrential rain, and widespread power outages due to wind and downed tree branches.

If Sandy's path shifts into the Mid-Atlantic states or further north into the Maritimes, Lambert reports, the impact in this area would be much less severe.

The exact impact of Sandy remains unknown, but it's not too early to prepare. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offers these hurricane preparedness tips and the town of Foxborough has recently finished putting together an emergency handbook to be distributed to residents around town.

Foxborough Patch will continue to provide updates on the Sandy situation as they become available.

Foxborough was hit by two major storms last year that left the majority of town without power for days. In addition to "Snowtober," Tropical Storm Irene occurred in August and knocked power out across the area for nearly a week. 

The long stretches without power following each storm and lack of communication from National Grid sparked outrage and frustration towards the utility company.

during a public hearing held at Attleboro High School with the Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities. It was the issues of preventive tree-trimming, lack of communication and the extended duration of the outages that proved to be a recurring theme from those who addressed the DPU.

As a result of the utility company’s “inadequate response” in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Irene, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced in July she is recommending a $16 million fine against the company – the largest penalty ever recommended against a utility in Massachusetts.

According to the AG’s brief, National Grid officials violated four separate storm response obligations under the company’s emergency response plan (ERP) including:

  • Failing to communicate effectively with customers and municipalities throughout the two major storms;
  • Failing to provide timely damage assessments;
  • Failing to properly staff for the two emergency events; and
  • Failing to respond to public safety calls about downed wires.

There were 7,820 National Grid customers in town when Tropical Storm Irene hit.


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