NOAA busts out the ‘M’ symbol as Hurricane Joaquin predictions for New Jersey get more dire

HUDSON COUNTY — Hype, or legitimate predictions? The federal government now expects Hurricane Joaquin to intensify over water in the next few days and threaten New Jersey on Monday morning — but considering the storm may be five days away, it’s hard to know what will change. Anyone who’s lived in New Jersey has seen plenty of hurricane hype, and in 2012 we saw week-long blackouts, flooding, and more than 50 deaths from Hurricane Sandy. It’s advisable to prepare and watch your local media outlets.