Meteorologist Explains why New England will be Sunny Despite Monster Storm to the South
09/13/2018
Contact: Nancy Cicco, 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette, 978-934-2209 or Christine_Gillette@uml.edu
Hurricane Florence, a Category 3 storm expected to slam into the Carolina coast tomorrow putting millions at risk, packs a more powerful wallop than any hurricane to hit New England in recent memory, according to meteorologist Frank Colby, an expert on severe weather, modeling and forecasting.
“The hurricanes here have not been as intense as Florence. Hurricane Gloria in 1985 was a Category 4 at its strongest, but by the time it reached New England, it was much weaker. Hurricane Bob in 1991, originally a Category 3, was also downgraded to a Category 2 storm before hitting New England,” he said.
Colby predicts that while Florence will inundate the southern part of the country, there will be little effect to the north. He can explain the forces at work that will keep the hurricane away and sunny skies over New England for most of the next several days.
With two more potential tropical storms currently forming, Colby can also give his outlook on the possibility of more hurricanes and whether they could reach New England.
Colby is a professor in UMass Lowell’s Atmospheric Sciences Program, which has educated countless weather researchers and meteorologists throughout the country. Students in the program run the UMass Lowell Weather Center, which offers them a chance to gain real-world experience in the field.
He is available for interviews about the storm and the extended forecast. To connect with him, contact Nancy Cicco at 978-934-4944, Nancy_Cicco@uml.edu or Christine Gillette at 978-934-2209, Christine_Gillette@uml.edu.