Along East Coast, communities prep for Joaquin
Towns and cities along the East Coast, already dealing with heavy rain and strong winds in some areas, are bracing for Hurricane Joaquin, which has strengthened to a Category 4 storm.
Even if Joaquin does not hit land – and forecasts remain uncertain as to the path of the storm's eye – downpours and strong winds are still likely.
With these factors in mind, local officials Thursday were stepping up measures to deal with the storm. Here is how regions are preparing and what some are expecting:
DELAWARE
In Delaware, Wilmington's News Journal reports that as much as 10 inches of rain – on top of what has already fallen – could cause coastal and inland flooding as Joaquin moves up the coast.
Early Thursday morning, the National Weather Service reported that New Castle County, whose capital is the state's largest city, Wilmington, is under a coastal flood advisory through 8 p.m. Thursday. Kent County, inland Sussex County and the state's Atlantic beaches are under a coastal flood warning through 6 a.m. Friday. The state, the second smallest in the nation, has three counties.
A major worry, according to the paper, is that the size of the storm could not only impact the coast but also cause significant inland flooding and wind damage.
No matter the track of Joaquin, the National Weather Service is forecasting significant rain for Delaware, about 4 to 10 inches on top of what has already fallen.
In addition, strong winds with gusts of 20 to 30 miles per hour inland and 45 miles per hour along the coast are expected to start later Thursday.
"People should really be paying attention," said Chip Guy, a spokesman for Sussex County. "This is the kind of scenario emergency planners have trained for."
Guy said that it's important to keep an eye on the forecast because in the days ahead, flooding could be an issue even if residents don't live along the coast.
MARYLAND
Just to the south on the same Delmarva Peninsula, the Salisbury, Md., Daily Times quotes an official as warning of a "possible disaster" that "a lot of folks in this region have never experienced."
The official, Jeff Orrock, a meteorologist at a National Weather Service office in nearby Wakefield, Va., advised residents to use the relative calm on Thursday as an opportunity to prepare. Thursday is the last day there will won't be a significant amount of rain, Orrock said, so it will be the best time to do things such as securing boats and bringing in lawn furniture.
"When it's coming at us full bore, it's going to be too much of a frantic rush in heavy rain," Orrock said. "Folks really do need to be thinking about preparing."
Meanwhile, many events scheduled for the rest of the week – such as Ironman competition in Cambridge, Md., and the Wine of the Beach festival in Ocean City, Md. -- have been canceled or postponed, the paper reported.
The seven-day forecast for rain, which includes impacts from Joaquin as well as rain from the system that's hitting Thursday, shows 11 inches of precipitation over some parts of Delmarva, the peninsula shared by parts of Delaware, Maryland and Virginia.
If Joaquin does come near the region, it will likely do so Saturday evening, Orrock added.
VIRGINIA
Further inland, in Staunton, Va., an area already dealing with severe flooding, the News Leader reports that officials and residents also are bracing for the effects of Hurricane Joaquin.
According to Jim Lee, a National Weather Service meteorologist based in nearby Sterling, Va., heavy rain spurred by Joaquin will begin late Friday night and continue through the weekend and possibly into Monday and Tuesday. Between five and 10 inches is expected, Lee said, and widespread flooding is expected.
"Residents and business should be aware of the situation and be in touch with media outlets for up-to-date information," he added.
As in Maryland, several local events have been canceled, including the Toni's Kicking Colon Cancer 5K and the Coyner Springs Kite Fly. However, the local British Car Show was waiting to decide whether or not to cancel. British cars, of course, are accustomed to rain.
Virginia's Gov. Terry McAuliffe has urged to be aware of weather forecasts and get to a safe location in the event of further flooding.
Virginia State Police are urging drivers to not drive through water because what looks like a puddle can sometimes be deep and swift-moving water..
NEW JERSEY
Farther north, in New Jersey, the Asbury Park Press is offering continual updates on the evolving situation. On Thursday morning, the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals reminded people with pets to set up evacuation plans that include them, the paper reported.
Those preparations should include food, medication, water, flashlights, crates and copies of shots and vaccinations, among other items, according to a statement on the SPCA's Facebook page.
Animals in low-lying areas should be evacuated with families and taken to places offering temporary shelter, according to the SPCA.
Meanwhile, even without Joaquin, a high tide cycle is increasing the chances of flooding in coastal areas, the paper reports.
The tides come as New Jersey is looking at anywhere from 2 inches of rain in the northwest to as much as 4 inches in the Cape May area at the southern tip of the state, said Joe Miketta, meteorologist for the National Weather Service's Mount Holly station.
The paper also pointed readers to a "Hurricane/Evacuation Preparedness Checklist" provided by the Monmouth Beach Office of Emergency Management.
Part of the list advises residents to secure outdoor objects such as lawn furniture, guidance which is echoed by other local authorities from Asbury Park to Surf City, where residents are being warned to secure backyard items and move their cars to higher ground.
In Bay Head, the local office emergency management warned residents to secure patio sets, trampolines, decorations and boats.
"If it can fly or float, please secure," said a Facebook post. "All vehicles should be moved to higher ground, and ideally should not be parked on the street."
FLORIDA
In Brevard County, Fla., home of the Melbourne-based Florida Today, the effects of Hurricane Joaquin brought good news – perfect conditions for surfers.
With the center of the storm set to bypass the Sunshine State as it heads north, what the paper calls "a perfect storm" of conditions has come together to create the biggest waves that Central Florida surfers have seen since February. Waves generated by Hurricane Joaquin are in the well-overhead range, and are expected to stay that way through the weekend. Helping the waves are winds that switched offshore earlier in the week, hollowing out the waves and creating barreling conditions for many south Brevard surf spots.