COLDWATER,  MI (WTVB) - We may not feel the full brunt of Hurricane Sandy in Branch County and Southwest Michigan but forecasters are saying we will feel the leading edge with sustained winds of 20 to 30 MPH beginning later today and gusts of 40 to 50 mph on Tuesday.  Expect gale warnings on Lake Michigan, and they say there could be waves of 20 feet or more battering the southern shore of the lake in extreme northern Indiana.   They say that’s the result of strong north winds pushing water the entire length of the lake to the south, where it will slam into the lakes southern shores, perhaps causing flooding. 

Forecasters are saying that Hurricane Sandy may be a 100-year storm meaning higher storm surges, higher winds and more damage than they have seen in a century.   40 Red Cross volunteers from Michigan and the Emergency Response Units from west Michigan Chapters were dispatched this weekend to move in quickly after it blows through. The volunteers will be deployed for at least three weeks.