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Welcome to Mid-Atlantic Hurricanes: A Closer Examination. This is a monthly column
based on the book, Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. In it the author, Rick
Schwartz, examines tropical cyclones(and nor'easters), as well as climate and
environmental issues, from a historical Mid-Atlantic perspective. New columns will
appear by the 10th of each month.
based on the book, Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States. In it the author, Rick
Schwartz, examines tropical cyclones(and nor'easters), as well as climate and
environmental issues, from a historical Mid-Atlantic perspective. New columns will
appear by the 10th of each month.
| Mid-Atlantic Hurricanes: A Closer Examination (November 2008) |
| More information on hurricanes of the Middle Atlantic states is available on the Web site for historical Mid-Atlantic hurricane information: www.midatlantichurricanes.com |
| Late Season Hurricanes of the Mid-Atlantic Region |
That mariners' proverb doesn't always apply. The hurricane season extends to the end of
November and sometimes later. Although severe tropical cyclones are rare after October,
notable storms have occurred. The following are some that have visited the Middle Atlantic
states:
Nov. 1-2, 1861: "The Expedition Hurricane" As the Civil War raged, a hurricane tracked a
short distance off the East Coast during early 1861, slamming into a federal fleet sailing from
the Virginia capes to South Carolina. Two ships sank and another grounded on the North
Carolina Outer Banks, where it was captured by Rebel militia. A few other vessels limped back
to port in the Chesapeake Bay. The armada remained intact, however, and succeeded in
capturing key Southern fortifications. A soaking rain pelted the eastern half of the Mid-Atlantic
region. Coastal sections reported the worst flooding in many years as the ocean pummeled
beaches.
Nov. 2, 1743: Benjamin Franklin was dismayed to observe an approaching storm that
soon obscured an anticipated lunar eclipse. Philadelphia, Pa., his hometown, received gusty
winds and heavy rain. Franklin wrote of the hurricane, "The Storm did a great deal of Damage
all along the Coast, for we had Accounts of it in the News Papers from Boston, Newport, New
York, Maryland and Virginia..."
Nov. 2-5, 1985: Offshoot low pressure systems from the tropical air mass brought north by
Hurricane Juan dealt West Virginia one of its most destructive floods. Relentless rain also
caused tremendous flooding in northwestern Virginia, western Maryland and south central
Pennsylvania. Juan's offspring brought wind-related inundations along the Chesapeake Bay.
Rivers in central and northern Virginia, as well as those in the northern half of West Virginia,
went on rampages.
Nov. 25-27, 1888: A hurricane remained offshore, producing destructive wind and surf.
Cape Hatteras, N.C., clocked a sustained wind of 66 mph. Cape Henry, Va., registered 72
mph, and Norfolk, Va., clocked 50 mph. A ship reported a barometric pressure of 28.96 inches
as it sailed near the Virginia coast. Another vessel, about 150 miles from the Delmarva
Peninsula, logged 28.20 inches.
Dec. 2-3, 1925: A tropical cyclone briefly gained hurricane strength prior to landfall near
Sarasota, Fla., on November 30. It remains the latest hurricane to make landfall in the United
States. The storm tracked up the East Coast before turning to sea off Virginia and Maryland.
Rain soaked the eastern half of Virginia and Maryland, as well as Delaware and southeastern
New Jersey. Cape Henry, Va., had a peak five-minute average wind speed of 60 mph. Atlantic
City, N.J., reported a gust of 70 mph. The Mid-Atlantic coast suffered beach erosion and
modest flooding.
| --Rick Schwartz (ricschwartz@msn.com) Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States |
| "June--too soon. July--stand by. August--look out you must. September--remember. October--all over." |