OCEAN CITY, Md. – Hermine roared through communities along the Atlantic coast Saturday, battering beaches from the Outer Banks to the Delmarva Peninsula with blustery winds and rain, but sparing many areas inland.
Up to seven inches of rain fell, and 30-to-60 mph winds blew from North Carolina to the Eastern Shore, chasing vacationers and disrupting Labor Day weekend plans as the country bade farewell to the summer season.
The fast-moving storm, hurrying northeast at about 20 mph, was expected to be off Chincoteague Island, Va., Sunday, and possibly resume hurricane strength early next week as it moves north.
The National Weather Service posted storm warnings and watches as far north as Cape Cod.
“There is still considerable uncertainty as to how many of the characteristics of a tropical cyclone Hermine will have while it is off of the coast of the Mid-Atlantic and New England,” the National Hurricane Center said Saturday.
The storm has a rather elongated circulation, the hurricane center said: “Regardless of its structure, Hermine is expected to be a vigorous storm with a large wind field that will cause wind, storm surge and surf hazards along the coast.”
Indeed, Hermine was downgraded from tropical storm status Saturday morning.
By Tuesday, it was forecast to be stalled over warm water in the 80s southeast of Long Island, said National Weather Service senior meteorologist Luis Rosa.
“The system will begin to slow down ... and by Monday it’s not going to move much,” he said. “It’s going to be sitting over water temperatures that are supportive of hurricane formation.”
Meanwhile, off shore, from the Baltimore Canyon, east of here, to Cape Charles, Va., huge waves, as high as 35 feet, were expected Sunday, with visibility a mile or less, the weather service said.
On shore, the threat of storm surge and flooding loomed all along the coast, especially in southeastern Virginia.
“One of the biggest concerns ... is the onshore wind flow that is likely to persist into the coming week,” noted Ian Livingston, of the Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang.
“As the storm slows down, thanks to a high pressure to the north blocking its path out to sea, winds rotating around it toward shore will continue to pile water into the coast,” he reported Saturday.
“Major beach erosion ... dangerous surf, torrential rain, and serious coastal flooding are all likely,” he wrote.
“Surge levels will be high everywhere, but will also vary a bit,” he wrote. “In the Hampton Roads area, surge is expected to be between three and five feet. Similar (surge) is anticipated from Chincoteague to Sandy Hook, NJ.”
Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe issued a state of emergency Friday ahead of the storm. During a news conference on Saturday, McAuliffe said they were expecting a lot of wind and rain. Already they had seen three-feet-surge at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge .
In Maryland, a state of emergency was in effect for Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Kent, Queen Anne’s, Somerset, Talbot, Wicomico, Worcester, Calvert, Charles, and St. Mary’s Counties.
Gusts on the boardwalk here Saturday were so strong that walking north was difficult, and a southbound stroller was propelled by wind.
Sand blew off the beach, onto the planks, and into the teeth of those out and about.
The beach was largely deserted, but dozens of vacationers had ventured onto the boardwalk.
