UPDATE: Where is Hurricane Sandy now and What to Expect

Tuesday

UPDATE: 6:16 a.m—NATIONAL Weather Service: Former Hurricane Sandy will continue to weaken as it moves west of the Greater Philadelphia area. The National Weather Service reports the highest winds occurred overnight; however, we can still experience gusts up to 65 mph, enough to uproot large trees. The NWS expects the higher winds to start to dissipate around 9 a.m.

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UPDATE: 5:00 a.m—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: At 5 a.m., the center of the storm is just east of York, Pennsylvania moving at 15 mph. It has maximum sustained winds of 65 mph with higher gusts. It is expected to continue west-northwest with reduced speed into westerns Pennsylvania with a turn north into New York and Canada tonight. . The center is expected to move across Pennsylvania during the next day  and then move into western New York Tuesday night. Steady weakening is forecast over the next 48 hours. The was the last update from the NHC. Since the storm is no longer a hurricane and now inland, it is no longer monitoring it directly.

Gale force winds will be the biggest hazard today with some storm surge and flooding. At this time, PECO and PPL have more than 150,000 customers, combined, without power in Bucks and Montgomery Counties.

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Monday

UPDATE: 11:00 p.m—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: 11 p.m., last update until 5 a.m. Tuesday: Post-tropical cyclone Sandy is moving northwest at 18 mph with sustained winds at 75 mph. The center is expected to move across Pennsylvania during the next day  and then move into western New York Tuesday night. Steady weakening is forecast over the next 48 hours.

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UPDATE: 9:00 p.m—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: Hurricane force winds have been reported over Long Island and the New York Metropolitan Area. A wind gust of 79 mph was reported at JFK Airport.

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UPDATE: 8:00 p.m—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: Sandy, now post-tropical cyclone Sandy, has hit land along the southern coast of New Jersey near Atlantic City with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph.

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UPDATE: 7:00 p.m—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER is now designating Sandy as a post-tropical cyclone. The maximum winds have decreased slightly to 85 mph. It's path is heading between Cape May and the Delaware Bay, skirting under the Greater Philadelphia area.

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UPDATE: 5:00 p.m.—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: the center of the storm is expected to hit southern New Jersey in the next few hours. Sustained winds are at 90 mph with higher gusts. Sandy is forecast to weaken after landfall, and continue dumping rain throughout southeastern Pennsylvania through Tuesday.

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UPDATE: 2:00 p.m.—NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER: The center of the hurricane was located by an Air force Hurricane Hunter aircraft, about 110 miles off Atlantic City. Sandy has picked up speed, moving northwest at 28 mph. The center is expected to make landfall at the southern New Jersey shoreline by early evening. The sustained winds are at 90 mph with higher gusts. At the shore, waves are 20 feet high and wind gusts up to 69 mph.

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UPDATE: 11:00 a.m.—National Hurricane Center: Max. sustained winds at 90 mph; Sandy is forecast to turn northwest soon with the the center expected to make landfall tonight just south of southern New Jersey. Pushing into Pennsylvania through Tuesday with a drop in temperature due to the Nor'easter coming down from the North.

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UPDATE: 6:00 a.m.—Dangerous Hurricane Sandy will turn west and slam ashore along the central or southern New Jersey Coast this evening ... moving into southeastern Pennsylvania and weakening rapidly over western Pennsylvania later Tuesday then slowly migrating into southeast Canada by the end of the week. A secondary cold front should cross the region Friday with Canadian high pressure to build into the northeast U.S. during the weekend.

Sunday

UPDATE: 8:00 p.m.—Hurricane Sandy continues to move northward tonight but remains offshore. The impacts are already moving into the region with an increase in winds especially over coastal waters and coastal locales. The farther inland one is, the longer it should take for the winds to ramp up, but by daybreak it will be windy across both Bucks and Montgomery Counties. Sandy continues to be and will be be a large storm, which will have a major to perhaps historic affect across our region.

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UPDATE: 5:30 p.m.—"Extremely dangerous storm to impact the region." Hurricane Sandy continues to move northeast at 14 mph with sustanined winds of 75 mph.

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UPDATE: 4:30 p.m.— In a press conference, Gov. Tom Corbett said when the "Frankenstorm" (Hurrican Storm Sandy mixing with a Nor'easter) turns into Pennsylvania Monday, it could bring "unprecedented" flooding and power outages. Small streams and rivers are expected to flood and sustained winds will affect the entire state. What will make it worse, Corbet, said, is that it will be a full moon, creating higher tides in addition to flooding.

Corbett has asked the Federal Government for disaster assistance. He has put 1,600 National Guard troops on standby. And if you live in a flood prone area, he said,  be prepared to evacuate. When the weather starts Monday afternoon, Corbett urges residents to stay home and off the roads.

Philadelphia Michael Nutter said President Obama told him FEMA is ready to respond to the potential disaster expected in the greater Philadelphia area. Nutter urged "resident who live in low-lying areas to relocate now."

We can expect 5 to 10 inches of rain from 4 p.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Tuesday, the equivalent of 5 feet of snow, Nutter said.

Service on SEPTA will shut down from midnight to 2 a.m. Monday. Archdiocese of Philadelphia have close all schools on Monday. The Philly government, except emergency agencies and departments, will be closed tomorrow.

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UPDATE 2 p.m.—Sandy is moving toward the northeast near 14 mph and this general motion is expected to continue today. A turn to the north and then northwest is expected tonight and early Monday. The massive reach of the storm is already bringing showers to parts of Pennsylvania and New Jersey. The center of the storm, however, will be earer the Mid-Atlantic coast Monday night.

Maximum sustained winds are near 75 mph with higher gusts. Sandy is expected to transition into a frontal or wintertime low pressure system prior to landfall. However, this will not be accompanyied by a weakening system; in fact a little strengthening is possible during this process. Sandy is expected to weaken after moving across Pennsylvania Tuesday. NWS

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UPDATE Noon—Hurricane Sandy is now off the North Carolina coast and will turn northwest and intensify before slamming into the New Jersey Coast late Monday evening. It will have a major impact in our region Monday afternoon and monday night before weakening over Pennsylvania later Tuesday. Thereafter ... while still influencing our weather, it continues to weaken northward into southeast Canada by the weekend, according to the National Weather Service

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UPDATE 10 a.m.—The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning, which is in effect from 8 a.m. Monday to 8 p.m. Tuesday. Wind gusts of more than 45 mph are expected Monday morning and wind gusts up to 60 mph are expected Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

Coupled with heavy rain, the high winds will lead to significant tree damage and power and communication outages, the National Weather Service advises.

For those who live near large trees, the National Weather Service recommends staying in the lower level of your home or seeking shelter elsewhere if possible; residents should also refrain from traveling and stay indoors.

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Pennsylvania is in a declared State of Emergency during the path of the storm. Officials in Bucks County and Montgomery County on Friday called for residents to prepare for the storm by having three days of supplies at home—including batteries, water and food—in case of widespread power outages.

For closings and event cancellation information, check your local Patch regularly for updates.