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1938 Hurricane Westerly RI


Ginx snewx

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This was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the Northeast, Winds sustained to 125 on long island is something you'd expect in the southern states from a hurricane not the northeast, what do you think might have been the wind gusts in that upwards of 165 maybe or is that likely too high

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This was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the Northeast, Winds sustained to 125 on long island is something you'd expect in the southern states from a hurricane not the northeast, what do you think might have been the wind gusts in that upwards of 165 maybe or is that likely too high

Blue Hill Mass at elevation measured 186 although that has been questioned, there are antecedotal reports of 150 plus but no one knows for sure. I did not post all the pics but some pics show evidence of possible brief tornado spinups, especially in Westerly which was in the Eastern eyewall.

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My Mom was only 4, living in Boston, and remembers that storm.

That storm left an indelible image in a lot of my family and I am sure at 4 it was probably one of your Moms oldest memories. My Dad spent days uncovering bodies and his descriptions of that storm are what probably led me to becoming a weather nut.

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That storm left an indelible image in a lot of my family and I am sure at 4 it was probably one of your Moms oldest memories. My Dad spent days uncovering bodies and his descriptions of that storm are what probably led me to becoming a weather nut.

Hope you never see any of that kind of action again. I think it's so bizarre that people say they want a devastating hurricane.

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Hope you never see any of that kind of action again. I think it's so bizarre that people say they want a devastating hurricane.

Our wired fetish with the extreme has dire consequences but it's what we do. As a homeowner and having a very large family and network of friends still near the beach, it's not something I would ever want, yet there is this creepy side of me that sees a Cat 4 near HAT that says hmmmm.

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Our wired fetish with the extreme has dire consequences but it's what we do. As a homeowner and having a very large family and network of friends still near the beach, it's not something I would ever want, yet there is this creepy side of me that sees a Cat 4 near HAT that says hmmmm.

Bingo! My thoughts exactly.

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couldnt have said it any better

Our wired fetish with the extreme has dire consequences but it's what we do. As a homeowner and having a very large family and network of friends still near the beach, it's not something I would ever want, yet there is this creepy side of me that sees a Cat 4 near HAT that says hmmmm.

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Agreed. Would not want to wish death, injury, destruction on anyone, yet the mighty forces at work, the amazing phenomena, and the scope make it intriguing. This debate comes up all the time on here.

I do like snow better because there tends to be less of the violent nature (and yes I understand about heart attacks and car crashes in the snow).

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Very cool book, Steve! Looks like one that the Providence Journal printed about the hurricane. Did the Westerly paper published this one? Gotta look for that.

As I have heard, those that don't learn from history are bound to repeat it.

--Turtle

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When I was a kid growing up during the 1980s I used to go to First Beach in Newport with my Grandparents and I always talked to their friends (most have passed on) about the 1938 hurricane and how strong the storm surge was and how among other things it destroyed a roller coaster that was located where one of the parking lots is today. My Grandmother had a full day of school that day and she said that the "wind blew her home."

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This is exactly where my Dad spent days looking for survivors and victims. He told me of looting and horrible crimes on victims from out of state National Guardsman. Apparently the locals disdained the guardsman and many arguments and fights broke out. Driving along what is referred to as Boston Post Road today, Shore Rd to us, it is hard to fathom the distance the surge travelled. In the fields there are reminders of debris, a board here or there.4177f21c-88c7-3a6e.jpg

The Debris came from the barrier beach now completely developed once again, in fact a couple of the houses which floated intact to the pond were put on foundations at the pond edge where they rested.

4177f21c-8939-7a17.jpg

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This is from the New London Day (my hometown) on the '38 hurricane. I just watched part 1 and it was pretty good. looking forwrad to wathcing the other segments. Even as a kid growing up (born in '66), I remember still seeing remnants of the storm. For the longest time, there was a tug boat stranded on a small island ("junk island" we called it) in the Thames river.

http://www.theday.com/section/media38hurricane

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This was one of the strongest storms to ever hit the Northeast, Winds sustained to 125 on long island is something you'd expect in the southern states from a hurricane not the northeast, what do you think might have been the wind gusts in that upwards of 165 maybe or is that likely too high

I'm trying to remember from what I've read; I believe Westhampton Beach recorded wind gusts up to 155 in the 1938 Hurricane and wind gusts up around 125 in Donna. (Sustained 121 in 1938 and 111 in Donna).

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most probably have seen this...but the CT State Library has a nice collection of aerial images of damage from the 1938 storm...including some images from coastal RI. http://cslib.cdmhost.com/custom/indexpage_map_state_1938.php

I could've sworn there used to be a website where you could easily flip back and forth from images from the 1934 aerial survey...a sort of before and after look...but maybe I just imagined that.

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most probably have seen this...but the CT State Library has a nice collection of aerial images of damage from the 1938 storm...including some images from coastal RI. http://cslib.cdmhost.com/custom/indexpage_map_state_1938.php

I could've sworn there used to be a website where you could easily flip back and forth from images from the 1934 aerial survey...a sort of before and after look...but maybe I just imagined that.

Thanks and if you find that, very cool.

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Have you seen the American Experience PBS program about it? Not the best but some good footage/interviews. Pretty old.

Yes, I have seen this show and it's pretty good. The best one on the '38 Hurricane was produced by WSBE (RI PBS) in Providence. They usually show this around the anniversary. It has a lot of good interviews and video/photos.

--Turtle

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