Quincy Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'll let someone else post more details, but the storm blew through the area on the afternoon of September 21st, 1938. To date, it remains to be one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history to impact New England. Flooding was severe, but the winds of the storm were worse than most tropical systems in our area. That had to do with the forward speed of the storm. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I'll let someone else post more details, but the storm blew through the area on the afternoon of September 21st, 1938. To date, it remains to be one of the worst natural disasters in recorded history to impact New England. Flooding was severe, but the winds of the storm were worse than most tropical systems in our area. That had to do with the forward speed of the storm. I think it had to do with the storm's intensity. By the time it made landfall it had decelerated quite a bit by the time it made landfall... probably on the order of 40 mph or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 For clarification, the storm did not have much of a chance to weaken, as it was moving at a faster speed than any other New England tropical system on record. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 For clarification, the storm did not have much of a chance to weaken, as it was moving at a faster speed than any other New England tropical system on record. I disagree lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian5671 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Would love to see a radar loop....or even a satellite pic...imagine the mayhem if the models showed this today...(on this board and the media) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Besides the storm being exceptionally intense off of HSE (cat 5, possibly) the storm also got a major league baroclinic assist as it was being propelled north by a deep cut off low diving out of the Great Lakes toward the Apps. As the storm was undergoing ET it was not weakening as quickly as some storms do because it was within a region of extreme synoptic forcing/QG lift. The forward speed argument is sort of bunk IMO since the storm was in the process of decelerating rapidly when it made landfall on Long Island. While at one point the storm had a forward speed in excess of 50 mph it had slowed considerably as it was being absorbed into the mid latitude trough that had cut off to its SW. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The forward speed of the hurricane may have approached 70mph to our south. Reanalysis has it going about 45mph between LI and the N VT border as it travels a little over 300 miles in 7 hours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The forward speed of the hurricane may have approached 70mph to our south. Reanalysis has it going about 45mph between LI and the N VT border as it travels a little over 300 miles in 7 hours. Yeah although looking at the reanalysis points even the 70 mph off the Delmarva may be overstated. It 40-50 mph makes sense at landfall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Yeah although looking at the reanalysis points even the 70 mph off the Delmarva may be overstated. It 40-50 mph makes sense at landfall. How does 40-50mph forward speed through New England compare to other tropical systems inour area once at the shoreline? That still seems to be moving at a good clip if it averaged 40-50 through New England....that's the speed of a good fast squall line. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian5671 Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 only 8 storms that year and 3 canes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_Atlantic_hurricane_season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quincy Posted September 21, 2012 Author Share Posted September 21, 2012 How does 40-50mph forward speed through New England compare to other tropical systems inour area once at the shoreline? That still seems to be moving at a good clip if it averaged 40-50 through New England....that's the speed of a good fast squall line. Still looks like the fastest, although Gloria (1985) came close. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Go Kart Mozart Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I highly recommend the book "Sudden Sea". It is not heavy on meteorology, but hasa lot of fascinating anecdotes of people who lived through the storm. The storm caught everyone flat-footed. Interestingly, on the day of the storm, people living west of the track (i.e. NYC) were having pouring rains with thunder. People east of the track (New Haven on east) had sunny weather with a freshening breeze from the east. I would like to think that if any of us were alive back then, we would have been alarmed by clear skies, high dewpoints, falling barometer, and an increasing east wind! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I highly recommend the book "Sudden Sea". It is not heavy on meteorology, but hasa lot of fascinating anecdotes of people who lived through the storm. The storm caught everyone flat-footed. Interestingly, on the day of the storm, people living west of the track (i.e. NYC) were having pouring rains with thunder. People east of the track (New Haven on east) had sunny weather with a freshening breeze from the east. I would like to think that if any of us were alive back then, we would have been alarmed by clear skies, high dewpoints, falling barometer, and an increasing east wind! Also.A wind to shook the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wx4cast Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Also.A wind to shook the world That's a very good book too + the PBS (I think American Experience) show on it too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Jamestown RI school bus story was tough... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Why? What was faster? I disagree lol Why? What was faster? Nevermind...saw the later qwuote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 That's a very good book too + the PBS (I think American Experience) show on it too. Yes it is great, Hurricane Josh gave me one as a present for getting him an Original 1938 Norwich Ct Bulletin Special Hurricane Edition paper. My dad worked for the Town at the time and was on Shore Rd in Westerly when the massive surge, wave took out the barrier beach at Misquamicut and washed all the houses up across the coastal pond. My weather geekdom stems from his stories of this storm. I think 100+ residents of my hometown lost their life that day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Yes it is great, Hurricane Josh gave me one as a present for getting him an Original 1938 Norwich Ct Bulletin Special Edition paper. My dad worked for the Town at the time and was on shore Rd in Westerly when the massive surge, wave took out the barrier beach at Misquamicut and washed all the houses up across the coastal pond. My weather geekdom stems from his stories of this storm. I think 100+ residents of my hometown lost their life that day. This is the road my Dad was on upper picture when it all washed up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 From Jamestown, RI (where my mom, brother, uncle, aunt live) http://www.jamestown...8/news/030.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 From Jamestown, RI (where my mom, brother, uncle, aunt live) http://www.jamestown...8/news/030.html on you tube there is a short clip about this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ORH_wxman Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The damage in ORH was quite staggering considering it was mostly wind damage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The damage in ORH was quite staggering considering it was mostly wind damage. Some of the video from inland is incredible. Some folks do not know this but the board lumber that fell was used in our World War 2 supply chain. The amount of downed lumber all the way to the Canadian border was amazing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 The damage in ORH was quite staggering considering it was mostly wind damage. What were the measured wind speeds around SNE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 I interviewed an incredible gentleman by the name of Whit Davis informally here at the Museum about the 38 hurricane last year. His family owns a farm in Ct across the bay from Napatree Point. The survivors from Napatree road an attic roof to his property.He was 14 at the time and assisted with the rescue. He also told me to my surprise that although 38 was worse with wind he thought 54 surge was worse.in the bay. I told him probably because Napatree was wiped out and there was little to block the ocean in 54, he said to me, young man it was higher everywhere inside the bay. LOL I shut up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderfreak Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Wikipedia entry for the NNE states on the Hurricane of 1938... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_New_England_hurricane#Vermont Vermont The hurricane slammed into Vermont as a Category 1 storm at approximately 6:00 pm EST.[8] Hurricane-force winds caused extensive damage to trees, buildings, and power lines. Over 2,000 miles (3,200 km) of public roads were blocked, and it took months for crews to reopen some of the roads. Despite the damage, the storm killed only five people in Vermont.[20] Until Hurricane Irene in 2011 (which had weakened to a tropical storm by the time it struck Vermont), the 1938 hurricane was the only tropical cyclone to make a direct hit on Vermont in its recorded history. New Hampshire Damage done to pine forests in Wolfeboro, NH, 1938, by Peter Roome Even though the storm center tracked further west through Vermont, New Hampshire received appreciable damage. As in Vermont, very high winds brought down numerous trees and power lines, but rainfall totals in New Hampshire were significantly less than those in other states. Only one inch (25 mm) of rain fell in Concord.[citation needed] But damage at Peterborough was worse; total damage there was stated to be $500,000 (1938 USD, $6.5 million 2005 USD), which included the destruction of 10 bridges. Much of the lower downtown burned because floodwaters prevented firefighters from reaching and extinguishing the blaze. Other communities also suffered considerable damage to forest resources. In New Hampshire, 13 people perished. At the Mt. Washington observatory, peak 5-minute sustained winds reached 136 m.p.h.[citation needed] Maine Damage in Maine was mostly limited to fallen trees and power outages. Storm surge was minimal, and winds remained below hurricane strength. The storm did not claim any lives in Maine.[21] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginx snewx Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 What were the measured wind speeds around SNE? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Whalom Park in nearby Lunenburg lost a roller coaster in 1938 http://www.flickr.co...3@N00/333955935 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HoarfrostHubb Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Rocky Point Park in RI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CT Rain Posted September 21, 2012 Share Posted September 21, 2012 Landsea's reanalysis places first landfall in Bellport, NY at 105kt/943mb. Second landfall at New Haven, CT at 100kt/946mb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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