Hurricane Sandy May Slam US East Coast As Halloween Week ‘Frankenstorm,’ Warns NHC

The New York City and New Jersey may turn the most likely targets of Hurricane Sandy and winter storm next week, which forecasters are calling as "Frankenstorm."

Forecasters upped the chances of a weather mess stating there is 90 percent chance that the East will get steady gale force winds, heavy rain, flooding and snow may start Sunday stretching past Halloween Wednesday.

Meteorologists state that it is likely to cause $1 billion in damage. Identified as a Category 2 storm in the West, Hurricane Sandy has subsequently weakened to a category one hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph, the US National Hurricane Center stated.

A blast of arctic air from North, it's predicted to collide and park over country's coastal corridor and reach as far inland as Ohio, the Associated Press (AP) reported.

Violent winds and torrential rains lashed central Bahamas Thursday night, where it caused at least 21 deaths and postponed hearing at the Guantanamo Naval Base, Cuba.

The hurricane is likely to come near New Jersey Tuesday morning, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecaster Jim Cisco stated. This storm is likely affect a wider area, so people along the East have to be wary, he warned.

Florida is already being lashed by heavy rain and high winds, and the coastal state has a tropical storm warning in place.

"It will get broader. It won't be as intense, but its effects will be spread over a very large area," James Franklin, chief hurricane specialist, the NHC, told the AP Thursday.

"So we can't really emphasize enough to keep people out of the water, the winds are going to be very strong," he added, according to the BBC.

Some U.S. broadcasters were referring to Sandy as The Halloween Hurricane or even Frankenstorm due to the possibility of it blending with a winter storm over the United States – as it was expected to bring coastal flooding and power outages around All Hallow's Eve – Oct.31.

Although it is forecast to weaken, the NHC said it is likely remain a hurricane during the next 48 hours.