Oct 28, 2012 3 min read

If there was ever a time to batten down the hatches, it’s today. Hurricane Sandy’s gusty winds will roar across Western Pennsylvania for a 12-hour period beginning tonight. The 30-mph sustained winds with occasional gusts reaching up to 60 mph will fling porch furniture, loose garbage cans, wind chimes, hanging baskets and anything else outside and not secured. “This is a hurricane wrapped in a Nor’easter,” warned Gov. Tom Corbett during an afternoon news conference live streamed to media Sunday. “Take everything off the porches and out in the yards that could become flying projectiles,” he said. This area of Pennsylvania rarely gets sustained winds higher than 20 mph, noted Bob Davis, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh. Those winds may lead to the loss of electrical power across the state, Corbett said. Hurricane Sandy is still out in the Atlantic Ocean but, in an atypical pattern for most hurricanes coming up the East Coast, Sandy will hook left and head inland somewhere around New Jersey or Delaware rather than trekking further out into the Atlantic. The amount of rain this area is expected to receive is less than first anticipated. Davis said Washington County could receive between 2-3 inches of rain but that will occur over a 24-hour period. “It’s not really going to be a hurricane when it gets to Harrisburg,” he said. “It will lose its tropical characteristics fairly quickly and that’s going to help keep the rain totals down.” Also good news for the area is any snow won’t be significant. In another unusual weather pattern, cold air is wrapping around the southern edge of the storm so that snow will fall south of us in portions of Kentucky, West Virginia and the ridges in Maryland. Washington County might see some snow flakes, but Davis noted the ground is so warm there won’t be any accumulation. Corbett warned people to be prepared to stay in their homes for an extended period without electrical power and water. Although power companies are bringing in crews from other areas, power won’t be restored until high winds subside. He urged people to have water and non-perishable food on hand, as well as medications, flashlights, batteries, baby supplies and pet food. If the weathermen are correct, he said, “this is when the whole state has to come together.” Emergency preparedness information is available at www.readypa.org. Motorists can check road conditions at www.511pa.com.