East Coast prepares as worst of Hurricane Sandy will hit this evening

The eye of Hurricane Sandy is still hundreds of miles away, but New Jersey is already feeling the affects of the storm.

Strong winds have already caused power outages and tidal surges have some towns submerged in water.

As of 5 a.m., Sandy is about 285 miles east of North Carolina and 385 miles southeast of New York City, moving at about 15 miles per hour.

Sandy has begun to strengthen, according to the National Hurricane Center. The winds around the storm’s center ticked up to 85 miles per hour, which is considered a Category 1 hurricane.

The worst of the storm is expected to hit New Jersey this evening and flooding remains the most pressing concern.

Forecasters warn that unprecedented flooding could begin in the next few hours. High tide will take place between 7 and 8 a.m., and then the storm will take another devastating swing at the state with the second high tide at about 7 p.m.

If you are in a mandatory evacuation zone,  you are to leave! Please do not stay around as the worst of Sandy approaches.

If you need any information on your town emergency information, please visit ready.gov