Hurricane Sandy, which has earned the nickname “Frankenstorm” by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,  swept through the Caribbean on Thursday night and Friday, destroying buildings, flooding streets, and taking at least 39 lives. A Category 1 hurricane, Sandy is over 550 miles wide and boasts winds of approximately 80 miles per hour. The Frankenstorm is poised to start rolling up the East Coast soon, hitting New England hardest on Tuesday and Wednesday. Here are a few photos of Hurricane Sandy aka Frankenstorm.

Hurricane Sandy aka Franken Storm [PHOTOS]

Reuters said Friday afternoon that Hurricane Sandy has claimed at least 39 lives in the Bahamas, Haiti, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and other Caribbean nations. The majority of these deaths were caused by relentless rain, overwhelming flooding, and high-powered winds.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration gave Hurricane Sandy it’s Frankenstorm nickname for its potential to combine forces with a cold front form the West, creating a “superstorm” that could “sit over New England for days,” says CNN.

As is often the case with destructive hurricanes, the category is not representative of their potential damage. The category system refers only to wind speeds, not size or potential for flooding. Many have predicted Sandy to be a a storm of “historic proportion” and cost $1 billion in damage along the East Coast. The storm has been compared to the so-called Perfect Storm that hit off the coast of New England in 1991, but a less populated area.

Forecasters said Friday that Sandy is “losing its shape,” but should not be dismissed.

“From Sunday through Wednesday, winds of hurricane force are expected to lash exposed areas of the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic states, leading to potentially serious coastal erosion and coastal flooding,” the National Hurricane Center said.

For more information on how Hurricane Sandy will affect New England, read our local coverage here.