They said it would be the storm of a lifetime - and it was. Epic and historic, Superstorm Sandy did exactly as the computer models predicted - in fact a little worse. The storm is smashing records, I won't list them all as many won't have relevance in New Zealand, but air pressure-wise, storm surge-wise, wave-wise and snow-wise this was a record breaker.
As some of you know I was at CNN's main headquarters in Atlanta yesterday as Sandy hit. The meeting was organised months ago as WeatherWatch.co.nz has built up a very close relationship with their American and International weather teams. In part because MetService won't work with us or share data but also because in this close global world connections matter. Last year I provided CNN with several global interviews and WW readers would also know we frequently promote CNN coverage and stories.
The meeting was pretty much cancelled - but instead I got to watch CNN cover what may well be the most expensive natural disaster in US history.
Here in Atlanta it's cold, cloudy and windy. When I first arrived at the CNN Centre yesterday the first thing the meteorologist said to me was "I've never walked to work to cover a hurricane wearing a winter coat". The 'feels like' temperature was around zero degrees here yesterday morning, normally with a hurricane you'd be smothered by rich tropical air bringing sticky heat and humidity. But this was no ordinary hurricane.
Reporters up and down the east coast say they have never covered a hurricane while freezing cold. Snow continues to fall today - and it's heavy - up in the ranges.
