1991 Halloween Nor'easter

Infobox Hurricane
Name=1991 Halloween Nor'easter
Type=hurricane
Year=1991
Basin=Atl
Image location=Unnamed Hurricane 01 nov 1991 1906Z.jpg

November 1 at peak intensity
Formed=October 28, 1991
Dissipated=November 2, 1991
1-min winds=65
Pressure=980
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=12 direct
Areas=East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada
Hurricane season=1991 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1991 Halloween Nor'easter, also known as the Perfect Storm, was an unusual nor’easter which was extratropical, absorbed one hurricane, and ultimately evolved into a small hurricane late in its life cycle. The unnamed hurricane of 1991 was the last tropical cyclone of the 1991 Atlantic hurricane season, and its fourth hurricane. By November 2, Atlantic Canada experienced the effects of a landfalling tropical storm. Damage totaled $208 million (1991 USD) [ [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/satellite/satelliteseye/cyclones/pfctstorm91/pfctstdam.html NCDC: Satellite Events Art Gallery: Cyclones ] ] and deaths climbed to 12 people. Most of the damage occurred while the storm was extratropical. The hurricane was the second costliest storm of the season, behind only Hurricane Bob.

Meteorological history

A low pressure system which initially formed in Indiana moved east-northeast into Atlantic Canada. By October 28, the system had become a deepening extratropical cyclone east of Nova Scotia. The system moved east-southeast and then curved to the west due to a blocking ridge in the far northern Atlantic. Hurricane Grace was swept aloft by its cold front into the warm conveyor belt circulation of the deep cyclone on October 29.

The Halloween Nor'easter reached peak intensity at approximately 12:00 UTC 30 October 1991 with the lowest pressure being 972 millibars. This extratropical cyclone, with its associated high winds from the pressure gradient between the high to its northeast and its low pressure center, created large waves. Canadian buoy 44137 located at coord|42.26|-62.0 reported a wave height of 100.7 feet (30.7 m) at 03:20 UTC on October 30. [ [http://www.meds-sdmm.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/meds/Databases/WAVE/ArchPlot/ArchPlot_Form_e.asp Marine Environmental Data Services (MEDS) - On-line Data Visualization] ] NOAA buoy 44011 located at coord|41.1|-66.6 reported maximum sustained winds of 49 knots (91 km/h) with gusts to 65 kt (120 km/h) and a significant wave height (average height of the highest waves) of 39 feet (12 m) near 15:00 UTC. Buoy 44008 located at coord|40.5|-69.5 reported maximum sustained winds of 53 kt with gusts to 63 kt (117 km/h) and a significant wave height of 31 ft (9 m) near 00:00 UTC on October 31. [ [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/satellite/satelliteseye/cyclones/pfctstorm91/pfctstorm.html NCDC: Satellite Events Art Gallery: Cyclones] ]

The core of the storm, which moved southwards, ended up over warmer Gulf Stream waters and began to develop the convection (thunderstorms, rain, etc.) of a tropical storm early on November 1. It later strengthened into a true hurricane, with minimum pressure of 980 mbar and sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h), making it a category 1 hurricane. Since the northeast of the United States had already received a pounding from the main storm, and the hurricane was forecast to remain offshore, it did not receive a name and is known as the Unnamed Hurricane of 1991. The hurricane continued to the northeast, and dissipated on November 2 after making landfall between Peggy's Cove and Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada as a tropical storm with 50 (statute) mph (80 km/h) winds.

Impact

The Halloween Storm of 1991 was costly; damage was estimated at $208 million (1991 USD), mostly in Massachusetts and New Jersey. [ [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/satellite/satelliteseye/cyclones/pfctstorm91/pfctstdam.html NCDC: Satellite Events Art Gallery: Cyclones ] ] It caused 12 confirmed deaths; including 6 onboard the "Andrea Gail" and one Air National Guard pararescue jumper, TSgt Arden "Rick" Smith [http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1298/storm2.htm] . It lashed northeastern U.S. with a storm tide of more than 13 ft (4 m) above a storm surge of approximately 5 ft (1.5 m), and piled on top of that 30 ft (10 m) waves. The worst of the storm stayed offshore. Duxbury Beach, Massachusetts had gusts up to 85 mph.

Naming

The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NWS Natural Disaster Survey Report called the storm "The Halloween Nor’easter of 1991". The "perfect storm" moniker was coined by author and journalist Sebastian Junger after a conversation with NWS Boston Deputy Meteorologist Robert Case in which Case described the convergence of weather factors as being "perfect" for the formation of such a storm. [(2000, June 29). " [http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2000/06/000628101549.htm Meteorologists Say 'Perfect Storm' Not So Perfect] ", "Science Daily"] [West, James. (2000, July 6). " [http://www.usatoday.com/weather/movies/ps/psname.htm The naming of 'The Perfect Storm'] ", "USA Today"] In New England it is still colloquially referred to as simply "the No Name Storm" or "the Halloween Storm." Had it been given a name, it would have been called Hurricane Henri.

Quotations

See also

* Halloween Blizzard
* List of Atlantic hurricanes
* List of New England hurricanes
* Nor'easter
* Perfect storm

External links

* [http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/satellite/satelliteseye/cyclones/pfctstorm91/pfctstorm.html Summary of the storm and its formation, with satellite imagery]
* [http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s451.htm News article covering the storm]
* [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/pstorm1.pdf NWS Service Assessment]
* [http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/box/PS.htm Semi-official report]
* [http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/satellite/satelliteseye/hurricanes/unnamed91/unnamed91.html The unnamed hurricane spawned by the storm]

Notes and references