Meteorologists are predicting that Hurricane Sandy, now a category 1 storm, is turning into an "extra-tropical cyclone" that will hit a broad region with 50 mph winds and rain and storm surges as it barrels up the East Coast towards New York, in what some are calling the "storm of the century."
Forecasters say that up to ten inches of rain turning into two feet of snow in higher altitude could hit the East Coast next week, and are warning that the track could still change as much as 200 miles.
"This storm has â€" it certainly has the potential to stand on its own. We are dealing with categories we don't normally see here," Dr. Louis Uccellini, director of NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Prediction said.
HURRICANE SANDY: FULL COVERAGE
Uccellini said that it's still too soon to tell who's going to get hit -- and how hard -- as the storm moves back towards the East Coast, and that this storm has "some similarities" to the so-called "perfect storm" of 1991 that hit with massive waves and coastal flooding, killing 13.
"There will be significant surge with this as the storm moves from the southeast to the northwest towards the coastline, and that's going to become a very important part of the forecast for us as we near this event at the beginning part of the week," he said.
AP Photo/Weather Underground
Hurricane Sandy Could Be 'Perfect Storm' on East Coast
Watch Video Hurricane Sandy Hits Jamaica on Path Toward Cuba, Florida
Watch Video By next week Sandy is expected to turn into a winter storm hybrid -- dubbed a "Frankenstorm" by National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecaster Jim Cisco â€" and could ravage the coast with tropical storm winds.
"This is not being overhyped. I would use the terms devastating and historic," Accuweather's Bernie Rayno said. "A one in 30 year storm, or even in the fact the way this storm is going to be tracking east toward the coastline in New Jersey, it could be a once-in-a-lifetime storm."
New York City and northern regions in the eastern corridor are likely to be hit hard and forecasters are warning that the storm may linger for days as it covers a massive area. There is a 90 percent chance that on Monday the East Coast will take a direct hit, forecasters say.
"Compared to [Hurricane] Irene, we're going to see much broader surge impacts. The surge impacts for Irene were fairly tightly focused. This is going to be a broader event. Same thing with the wind, "James Franklin with the NHC told ABC News.
Sandy, currently a category 1 storm, will cross the Bahamas today as its western fringe scrapes eastern Florida, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is expected to slow and turn northwest overnight and during the day.
The storm has left 21 people dead across the Caribbean, killing 11 people in eastern Santiago and Guantanamo provinces and 10 in Haiti.
According to the National Hurricane Center as of 8 a.m. Sandy was moving slowly northward at 6 mph near Great Abaco island, approximately 200 miles from Miami. Florida is expected to see stormy conditions today, with 1-4 inches of rain in some areas. Waves up to 15 feet along the coast are expected, as is a storm surge 1-2 feet along the Florida eastern coat.
Warnings are in effect along Florida's east coast from Ocean Reef to Flagler Beach. Storm watches are in effect on Florida's east coast from Flagler to Fernandina Beach and from the Savannah River north to Oregon Inlet, N.C., including Pamlico Sound.
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