http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=2278
Jeff Masters seems really concerned about storm surge impacts around NYC:
[quote]Sandy's storm surge a huge threat
Last night's 9:30 pm EDT H*Wind analysis from NOAA's Hurricane Research
Division put the destructive potential of Sandy's winds at a modest 2.6
on a scale of 0 to 6. However, the destructive potential of the storm
surge was exceptionally high: 5.7 on a scale of 0 to 6. This is a higher
destructive potential than any hurricane observed between 1969 - 2005,
including Category 5 storms like Katrina, Rita, Wilma, Camille, and
Andrew. The previous highest destructive potential for storm surge was
5.6 on a scale of 0 to 6, set during Hurricane Isabel of 2003. Sandy is
now forecast to bring a near-record storm surge of 6 - 11 feet to
Northern New Jersey and Long Island Sound, including the New York City
Harbor. While Sandy's storm surge will be nowhere near as destructive as
Katrina's, the storm surge does have the potential to cause many
billions of dollars in damage if it hits near high tide at 9 pm EDT on
Monday. The full moon is on Monday, which means astronomical high tide
will be about 5% higher than the average high tide for the month. This
will add another 2 - 3" to water levels. Fortunately, Sandy is now
predicted to make a fairly rapid approach to the coast, meaning that the
peak storm surge will not affect the coast for multiple high tide
cycles. Sandy's storm surge will be capable of overtopping the flood
walls in Manhattan, which are only five feet above mean sea level. On
August 28, 2011, Tropical Storm Irene brought a storm surge of 4.13' to
Battery Park on the south side of Manhattan. The waters poured over the
flood walls into Lower Manhattan, but came 8 - 12" shy of being able to
flood the New York City subway system. According to the latest storm
surge forecast for NYC from NHC, Sandy's storm surge is expected to be
several feet higher than Irene's. If the peak surge arrives near Monday
evening's high tide at 9 pm EDT, a portion of New York City's subway
system could flood, resulting in billions of dollars in damage. I give a
50% chance that Sandy's storm surge will end up flooding a portion of
the New York City subway system. [/quote]