PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Emergency-management officials are "very concerned" about the potential storm surge in Upper Narragansett Bay from Hurricane Sandy and the effects it could have on Cranston, East Providence and Providence, according to Christine Hunsinger, Governor Chafee's spokeswoman.
They're particularly concerned because of the anticipated duration of Sandy here in Rhode Island, as well as because of the storm's width.
Typically, hurricanes move through a region faster than this storm is expected to move, Hunsinger said. But Sandy is expected to stay in Rhode Island through at least two high-tide cycles and during the full moon on Monday night, which means the tides will be higher than usual anyway.
"It's kind of a triple whammy," Hunsinger said.
High tides on Monday are between 7:48 a.m. on Block Island and 8:42 a.m. at Weekapaug Point. Then, Monday evening, high tides return during the 8 to 9 p.m. hour, according to AccuWeather.com reports.
Those high tides push the water up Narragansett Bay, Hunsinger said. Then, the storm will continue to push water up the Bay and may not allow the waters to flow back out of the Bay before the next high tide rolls in, she said. And even by the third high tide, Tuesday morning, the storm may not have subsided and thus, there could be a third push of water up the Bay.