As expected, Hurricane Sandy weakened last night into a Tropical Storm as she continues to take on extra-tropical characteristics.  As Sandy moves into the warm Gulf Stream waters on Sunday and Monday she will strengthen and her wind field will expand. 

In a warm core, tropical, system the highest winds are usually located around the eye wall.  However, this storm will be transitioning into a mid-latitude cyclone and as her central pressure rapidly drops, a term sometimes referred to in meteorology as bombogenesis, the wind field will increase in size.  *This is why tropical storm status versus hurricane status isn’t important in regards to the widespread damaging wind gusts that this system will contain.

The models seem to be converging on the idea that Sandy will possibly make landfall between Ocean City, Maryland and the central New Jersey coastline.  A land fall anywhere between Northern Virginia and Long Island remains possible as well. (image courtesy: weatherundeground.com)

The Wind Field (in knots – which are higher than mph): 

European forecast model’s depiction of the massive wind field (in knots which are higher than mph) associated with Sandy on Monday.  Image courtesy: weatherunderground.com

In the immediate DC Area, I would be preparing for the potential of tropical storm force winds of 40 to 60 mph with higher gusts.

Latest Forecast of Rainfall Potential  (Image courtesy NOAA, hpc.ncep.noaa.gov)