World

East Coast Faces Pounding from "Frankenstorm"

A little bit tropical, a little bit nor'easter, a lot of hassle

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Hurricane Sandy will probably grow into a "Frankenstorm" as it nears the U.S. Northeast early next week with wind and rain that may cause millions in damage anywhere from Washington to Boston, including New York City.

Sandy, a Category 2 storm with winds of 105 miles (169 kilometers) per hour, will begin to transform into a hybrid system as it closes in on the East Coast, said Tom Downs, a forecaster at Weather 2000 Inc. in New York.

"The guys in the government are calling it 'Frankenstorm'" because it will be a hybrid between a tropical system and a nor'easter, Downs said. "It is safe to say that there will be millions of dollars in damage."