The National Weather Service Taunton, MA office has a released a public information statement summarizing the destructive effects of hybrid Hurricane Sandy in their forecast area. According to the report, Rhode Island was the hardest hit in their forecast warning area, with an 86 mph wind gust in Westerly, and a storm surge and coastal flooding that was at the upper boundary of a category 1 hurricane. Wind gusts ranged from 50-60 mph inland to 70-80 mph along the RI and Southeast MA coasts.
The damage along the RI coast was caused by a 4-5 ft. storm surge and waves of 30 ft in the offshore waters. The damaged in some places rivaled what occurred during Hurricane Bob in 1991 – a storm that passed right over SE RI and SE MA.
Here is the full NWS statement on the event:
PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA 302 PM EST THU NOV 08 2012 ...NEW ENGLAND EFFECTS FROM THE HURRICANE SANDY HYBRID STORM... WEATHER SYNOPSIS SANDY...A HYBRID STORM WITH BOTH TROPICAL AND EXTRATROPICAL CHARACTERISTICS...BROUGHT HIGH WINDS AND COASTAL FLOODING TO SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND. EASTERLY WINDS GUSTED TO 50 TO 60 MPH FOR INTERIOR SOUTHERN NEW ENGLAND...55 TO 65 MPH ALONG THE EASTERN MASSACHUSETTS COAST AND ALONG THE I-95 CORRIDOR IN SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND...AND 70 TO 80 MPH ALONG THE SOUTHEAST MASSACHUSETTS AND RHODE ISLAND COASTS. A FEW HIGHER HIGHER GUSTS OCCURRED ALONG THE RHODE ISLAND COAST. A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM EMBEDDED IN AN OUTER BAND ASSOCIATED WITH SANDY PRODUCED WIND GUSTS TO 90 MPH AND CONCENTRATED DAMAGE IN WAREHAM EARLY TUESDAY EVENING... A DAY AFTER THE CENTER OF SANDY HAD MOVED INTO NEW JERSEY. IN GENERAL MODERATE COASTAL FLOODING OCCURRED ALONG THE MASSACHUSETTS COASTLINE...AND MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING IMPACTED THE RHODE ISLAND COASTLINE. THE STORM SURGE WAS GENERALLY 2.5 TO 4.5 FEET ALONG THE EAST COAST OF MASSACHUSETTS...BUT PEAKED LATE MONDAY AFTERNOON IN BETWEEN HIGH TIDE CYCLES. SEAS BUILT TO BETWEEN 20 AND 25 FEET MONDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING JUST OFF THE MASSACHUSETTS EAST COAST. ALONG THE SOUTH COAST...THE STORM SURGE WAS 4 TO 6 FEET AND SEAS FROM 30 TO A LITTLE OVER 35 FEET WERE OBSERVED IN THE OUTER COASTAL WATERS. THE VERY LARGE WAVES ON TOP OF THE STORM SURGE CAUSED DESTRUCTIVE COASTAL FLOODING ALONG STRETCHES OF THE RHODE ISLAND EXPOSED SOUTH COAST. SANDY GREW INTO A HURRICANE OVER THE SOUTHWEST CARIBBEAN AND THEN HEADED NORTH ACROSS JAMAICA...CUBA...AND THE BAHAMAS. AS SANDY HEADED NORTH OF THE BAHAMAS...THE STORM INTERACTED WITH A VIGOROUS WEATHER SYSTEM MOVING WEST TO EAST ACROSS THE UNITED STATES AND BEGAN TO TAKE ON A HYBRID STRUCTURE. STRONG HIGH PRESSURE OVER SOUTHEAST CANADA HELPED WITH THE EXPANSION OF THE STRONG WINDS WELL NORTH OF THE CENTER OF SANDY. IN ESSENCE...SANDY RETAINED THE STRUCTURE OF A HURRICANE NEAR ITS CENTER /UNTIL SHORTLY BEFORE LANDFALL/ WHILE TAKING ON MORE OF AN EXTRATROPICAL CYCLONE CONFIGURATION WELL AWAY FROM THE CENTER. SANDY/S TRACK WAS UNUSUAL. THE STORM HEADED NORTHEAST AND THEN NORTH ACROSS THE WESTERN ATLANTIC AND THEN SHARPLY TURNED TO THE WEST TO MAKE LANDFALL NEAR ATLANTIC CITY...NJ DURING MONDAY EVENING. SANDY SUBSEQUENTLY WEAKENED AND MOVED WEST ACROSS SOUTHERN PENNSYLVANIA ON TUESDAY BEFORE TURNING NORTH AND HEADING ACROSS WESTERN NEW YORK STATE INTO QUEBEC DURING TUESDAY NIGHT AND WEDNESDAY. IN THE TAUNTON WEATHER FORECAST OFFICE WARNING AREA...RHODE ISLAND WAS HARDEST HIT. A PEAK WIND GUST OF 86 MPH OCCURRED IN WESTERLY...AND NEARLY THE ENTIRE RHODE ISLAND SHORELINE EXPERIENCED MODERATE TO MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING. NUMEROUS POWER OUTAGES OCCURRED WITH WINDS GUSTING TO 60 MPH OVER THE INTERIOR AND TO 80+ MPH ALONG THE SOUTH COAST. MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING STRUCK THE RHODE ISLAND OCEAN EXPOSED SOUTH COAST DURING THE MONDAY EVENING HIGH TIDE. THIS STORM TIDE...ESPECIALLY DESTRUCTIVE ACROSS SHORELINES IN WESTERLY...SOUTH CHARLESTOWN...SOUTH KINGSTON...NARRAGANSETT...AND BLOCK ISLAND...RIVALED THE IMPACT FROM HURRICANE BOB IN 1991. ALONG THE RHODE ISLAND SOUTH COAST...THE DAMAGING COASTAL FLOODING WAS FUELED BY A STORM SURGE AROUND 5 FEET AND WAVES OF 30+ FEET THAT PROPAGATED ON A LONG FETCH INTO BLOCK ISLAND AND RHODE ISLAND SOUNDS. A SURVEY OF IMPACT ALONG MISQUAMICUT BEACH REVEALED AN INUNDATION EXTENT CONSISTENT WITH THE UPPER BOUNDARY OF A CATEGORY 1 HURRICANE AND VERY SEVERE EROSION. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THE PREVIOUS HIGH TIDE DURING MONDAY MORNING PRODUCED MINOR TO MODERATE IMPACTS ALONG THE RHODE ISLAND COAST AND LIKELY WEAKENED DUNES AND OTHER COASTAL STRUCTURES IN ADVANCE OF THE MORE DESTRUCTIVE MONDAY EVENING HIGH TIDE. LOWEST BAROMETRIC PRESSURE IN NWS TAUNTON AREA OCT 29 2012 WESTERLY RI KWST 979.2 MB 41.34N 71.80W 353 PM HARTFORD CT KHFD 980.1 MB 41.73N 72.65W 453 PM WILLIMANTIC CT KIJD 980.6 MB 41.74N 72.18W 452 PM WINDSOR LOCKS CT KBDL 981.5 MB 41.93N 72.68W 551 PM NEWPORT RI KUUU 982.3 MB 41.53N 71.28W 353 PM VINEYARD HAVEN MA KMVY 983.3 MB 41.39N 70.61W 253 PM WESTFIELD MA KBAF 983.7 MB 42.15N 72.72W 453 PM NANTUCKET MA KACK 984.0 MB 41.25N 70.06W 253 PM NEW BEDFORD MA KEWB 984.2 MB 41.67N 70.96W 353 PM WARWICK RI KPVD 984.2 MB 41.72N 71.43W 353 PM HIGHEST WIND GUSTS OCT. 29 2012 WESTERLY RICITIZENS WXOBS86 MPH244 PM BUZZARDS BAY TOWERBUZM383 MPH300 PM 80 FT ELEV JUDITH RIMESONET 81 MPH240 PM 18 M ELEV WEST ISLAND MAMESONET80 MPH335 PM MARSTONS MILLS MAAMATEUR RADIO 79 MPH447 PM BARNSTABLE MAAMATEUR RADIO79 MPH101 PM MATTAPOISETT MA AMATEUR RADIO76 MPHUNKNOWN BLUE HILL MILTON MA KMQE74 MPH332 PM PLEASURE BAY MA MESONET73 MPH300 PM WARREN RISPOTTER73 MPH410 PM EAST FALMOUTH MASPOTTER72 MPH200 PM KALMUS-HYANNIS MAMESONET72 MPH325 PM CONIMICUT RINOS PORTS71 MPH 324 PM CPTR1 BROOKLINE MACLAY CENTER69 MPH354 PM WESTERLY RIKWST69 MPH321 PM CHILDREN/S ISLAND MAMESONET68 MPH 300 PM VINEYARD HAVEN MAKMVY68 MPH157 PM BEDFORD MAKBED67 MPH555 PM MILFORD MASPOTTER67 MPH148 PM ROSE ISLAND RIMESONET67 MPH320 PM QUONSET POINT RINOS PORTS63 MPH400 PM QPTR1 BOSTON MAKBOS62 MPH416 PM DUXBURY MAMESONET62 MPH520 PM JAMESTOWN RINOS PORTS 62 MPH254 PM PTCR1 FAIRHAVEN MAAMATEUR RADIO62 MPH126 PM FALMOUTHAWOS62 MPH415 PM WAKEFIELD MAAMATEUR RADIO 62 MPH341 PM WINDSOR LOCKS CTKBDL62 MPH708 PM BARRINGTON RIAMATEUR RADIO 61 MPH1239 PM HYANNIS MAKHYA61 MPH339 PM LAWRENCE MAKLWM61 MPH226 PM NEW BEDFORD MA KEWB61 MPH 420 PM WORCESTER MAKORH61 MPH531 PM RANDOLPH MASPOTTER60 MPHUNKNOWN NANTUCKET MAKACK60 MPH241 PM PEPPERELL MASPOTTER60 MPHUNKNOWN BEVERLY MAKBVY59 MPH600 PM NEWPORT RIKUUU59 MPH113 PM WARWICK RIKPVD59 MPH451 PM BURLINGTON CTSPOTTER58 MPH422 PM HARWICH MAAMATEUR RADIO 56 MPH1010 AM PLYMOUTH MAKPYM56 MPH414 PM BRIDGEWATER MAPUBLIC55 MPH134 PM MANCHESTER NHKMHT55 MPH 822 PM HARTFORD CT KHFD54 MPH634 PM NORWOOD MAKOWD54 MPH530 PM SOUTHBRIDGE MASPOTTER54 MPH315 PM CHICOPEE MAKCEF53 MPH447 PM JAFFREY NHKAFN53 MPH455 PM WILLIMANTIC CTKIJD53 MPH615 PM CHATHAM MA KCQX52 MPH 451 PM WESTFIELD MAKBAF51 MPH255 PM TAUNTON MAKTAN47 MPH350 PM SMITHFIELD RIKSFZ45 MPH415 PM ORANGE MAKORE43 MPH543 PM HIGHEST SUSTAINED WINDS LAND SITES OCT. 29 2012 POINT JUDITH RI MESONET65 MPH235 PM 18 M ELEV WESTERLY RICITIZENSWXOBS64 MPH244 PM WEST ISLAND MAMESONET59 MPH335 PM PLEASURE BAY MA MESONET58 MPH235 PM REVERE BEACH MA MESONET54 MPH345 PM CHILDREN/S ISLAND MAMESONET54 MPH300 PM KALMUS-HYANNIS MAMESONET53 MPH325 PM DUXBURY MAMESONET51 MPH520 PM SCITUATE MAMESONET50 MPH425 PM SAGAMORE BEACH MAMESONET49 MPH225 PM EAST FALMOUTH MASPOTTER48 MPH200 PM BLUE HILL - MILTON MAKMQE48 MPH522 PM BURRILLVILLE RI PUBLIC48 MPH216 PM BOSTON MAKBOS46 MPH814 PM BEDFORD MAKBED45 MPH555 PM PLYMOUTH MAPUBLIC45 MPH914 AM VINEYARD HAVEN MAKMVY45 MPH109 PM ROSE ISLAND RIMESONET44 MPH315 PM NANTUCKET MAKACK43 MPH417 PM NEW BEDFORD MAKEWB 43 MPH421 PM BLOCK ISLAND RI MESONET42 MPH1019 AM JETTY WARWICK RI KPVD41 MPH450 PM BEVERLY MAKBVY40 MPH942 PM PLUM ISLAND MAMESONET40 MPH320 PM WINDSOR LOCKS CTKBDL40 MPH708 PM WORCESTER MAKORH40 MPH631 PM JAMESTOWN RIMESONET39 MPH230 PMBEAVERTAIL CHATHAM MAKCQX38 MPH305 PM MANCHESTER NHKMHT38 MPH822 PM WILLIMANTIC CTKIJD38 MPH1247 PM HIGHEST SUSTAINED WINDS WATER SITES OCT. 29 2012 CONIMICUT POINT RI NOS PORTS53 MPH548 PM CPTR1 QUONSET POINT RINOS PORTS49 MPH442 PM QPTR1 BUOY 44020 NANTUCKET SOUND 47 MPH350 PM BUOY 44013 16 NM E OF BOSTON45 MPH250 PM JAMESTOWN RINOS PORTS44 MPH212 PM PTCR1 BUOY 44029 MASS. BAY/STELLWAGEN 43 MPH304 PM FOX POINT-PROVIDENCE RI NOS PORTS39 MPH430 PM FOXR1 HIGHEST SIGNIFICANT WAVE HEIGHTS BUOY 44008 54 NM SE OF NANTUCKET36 FEET500 PM BUOY 44097 BLOCK ISLAND RI31 FEET 600 PM BUOY 44029 MASS. BAY/STELLWAGEN 23.3 FEET300 PM BUOY 44013 16 NM E OF BOSTON23 FEET900 PM BUOY 44020 NANTUCKET SOUND10.3 FEET 300 PM $$ FIELD