Hurricane Sandy, or “Frankenstorm” as it’s been renamed, is quickly making its way toward the Eastern seaboard and is sending many into a panic.
While it’s always good to be prepared in a situation like this–where hurricane-force winds merge with cold air coming down from Canada–there’s always the possibility that things are getting blown out of proportion, especially since the storm is so unpredictable. If it veers north, there will still be rain and likely damage, but nothing like the billion-dollar mess which is being predicted. In other words, forecasters say, be prepared, but don’t freak out.
What’s making things difficult, however, are the images of the storm from space, which are hard to comprehend and terrifying at the same time. First, there was this one, from the International Space Station:
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Then came this one, which is in infrared and seems so much more sinister:
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Meteorologists first thought that the storm could veer off, away from the coast, but now predictions are that it will hit right before Halloween and could possibly drop tons of snow up north.
“The current forecast track from the National Hurricane Center brings Sandy in for a landfall in central New Jersey on Tuesday, Oct. 30,” Rob Gutro of NASA said. “Regardless, it appears that Sandy may be a strong wind event for the U.S. mid-Atlantic and Northeast.”
The storm has already hit the Bahamas, Cuba, and Jamaica and has a death toll of around 20 people.