The weather outlook for the eastern U.S. is starting to resemble the plot of a 1970s disaster movie in which everything that could go wrong did.
From the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, the coastal states have been soaked by rain. While this is happening, Hurricane Joaquin lurks in the shadows, passing over water that is just perfect for it to strengthen explosively. No one can say where it will go.
On top of that, high pressure in Canada and low pressure in the southern U.S. will conspire to slam the surf onto land, eroding beaches and keeping water pinned along the shoreline. As that happens, another round of rain could leave 2.5 inches (6.4 centimeters) in New England to as much as 5 to 8 inches from New Jersey to North Carolina.
