'Noreaster Noel whips up high winds and huge waves

'Noreaster Noel whipped past New England Saturday, bringing coastal flooding, heavy rains up to four inches, and numerous reports of downed trees and power lines. The top wind gust in the U.S. was 89 mph at Barnstable on Cape Cod. The highest sustained winds were measured on Nantucket Island--56 mph, gusting to 72. The highest wind gusts in Maine were 64 mph measured at Brooklin and Cutler. Acadia National Park had one of the highest rain fall totals, 4.2 inches, and up to three inches of snow was recorded in northwestern Maine. At the storm's peak, 43,000 people lost power in Massachusetts.

Huge waves up to 34 feet high were measured in Halifax Harbor in Nova Scotia, and waves up to 46 feet high were measured at the Georgian Bank buoy midway between Cape Cod and Nova Scotia. Top winds in Nova Scotia were 50 mph, gusting to 62 mph, measured at Brier Island between 4am and 6am this morning. The 'Noreaster is over the Gulf of St. Lawrence this morning, with a central pressure of 970 mb and sustained winds near 50 mph. The storm knocked out power to over 150,000 people in Nova Scotia.


Figure 1. Rainfall estimate for the six hours ending at 4am EST Sunday, 11/04/07. Rainfall amounts up to 3 inches (75 mm) were observed in extreme northeastern Nicaragua. Image credit: Navy Research Lab, Monterey.

Near-tropical depression hits Nicaragua and Honduras
A region of disturbed weather that was the southern portion of Hurricane Noel's rainy regime acquired a spin of its own, almost became a tropical depression, and has now moved inland near the Nicaragua/Honduras border. This disturbance (91L) is generating rains of up to three inches every six hours (Figure 1). Total rain rain amounts of 5-10 are possible in Nicaragua and Honduras along the path of 91L, which could cause life-threatening flash floods and mudslides.

I'll have an update Monday morning.

Jeff Masters