Hurricane Joaquin still threatens US east coast

HOUSTON (ICIS)–The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Friday that while Hurricane Joaquin is unlikely to make landfall in the US, it could still cause significant flooding and storm damage.

In an update, NOAA said that Joaquin is expected to continue moving towards the northeast, moving away from the Bahamas.

Earlier, Joaquin strengthened to a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Wind Scale.

The storm has retained its category 4 rating, with Hurricane Hunter aircraft reports indicating that maximum sustained winds remain near 130 miles/hour (215 km/hour), with higher gusts.

Some fluctuations in intensity are possible during the next 24 hours, and slow weakening is expected to begin on Saturday.

NOAA said that hurricane force winds extend outward up to 50 miles from the centre of the storm, and winds extend outwards up to 205 miles.

The Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Friday that due to the storm’s proximity to the US east coast, high winds, rainfall and flooding could potentially affect energy infrastructure such as power transmission and distribution lines, petroleum refineries, natural gas processing plants and distribution terminals.

The US east coast has already experienced heavy rain across several states, including flooding, from an on-land storm system moving through the region, the EIA said.

The governors in Virginia, Maryland, New Jersey, South Carolina and North Carolina have declared states of emergency ahead of the storm’s arrival.

The EIA has created an energy disruptions map to monitor energy infrastructure and real-time storm information.

The Atlantic hurricane season from 1 June through 30 November.

NASA image by Jeff Schmaltz (LANCE MODIS Rapid Response).