National Hurricane Center: Hurricane Sandy Path to Reach U.S. Tonight [Map]
Florida is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Sandy.
The National Hurricane Center issued tropical storm warnings for eastern Florida on Thursday.
At around 5 pm ET Thursday, the hurricane center reported that tropical storm weather will reach U.S. territory later this evening and into Friday.
Hurricane Sandy is currently storming through Cuba and is near Cat Island in the central Bahamas. The wind field is expanding at around 105 mph. The hurricane is moving in a northerly path near 20 mph.
"Some weakening is forecast during the next 48 hours but Sandy is expected to remain a hurricane as it moves through the Bahamas," said the NOAA's advisory.
USA Today reports that here's a possibility the worst of the hurricane can miss hitting Florida.
However, even if the brunt of the storm doesn't hit the east coast, severe weather is still in store for Florida residents.
If Hurricane Sandy continues on its path, The Associated Press reported that the worst of it should be on early Tuesday but it will go on until mid week. Forecasters have claimed the hurricane could reach all the way up the eastern seaboard hitting New York City and Boston.
"It is likely that significant impacts will be felt over portions of the U.S. East Coast through the weekend and into early next week," the National Hurricane Center said.
The hurricane hit Cuba early Thursday morning with at least one death reported, according to one Cuban radio station. The rest of the country has experienced damaged homes, power lines, and debris from falling trees.
According to Accuweather's expert Alex Sosnowski some areas will be hit with "damaging winds, power outages, flooding rainfall, battering surf and storm surge. Windswept rain will slow travel in general."
Sandy is now a Category 2 hurricane after being upgraded when it struck Jamaica.
