1933 Chesapeake Potomac hurricane

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane
Type=hurricane
Year=1933
Basin=Atl
Image location=Stormking2.jpg


Formed=August 17, 1933
Dissipated=August 26, 1933
1-min winds=105
Pressure=971
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=18-30 direct
Areas=North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Washington, D.C., Mid-Atlantic States,
Northeastern United States
Hurricane season=1933 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaerly20hur.htm] was the 8th storm and third hurricane of the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season. The August storm formed in the central Atlantic, where it moved west-northwest. Aided by the warm ocean waters, the hurricane briefly reached Category 3 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale before making landfall along the Virginia/North Carolina coast as a Category 1 storm.

The hurricane caused severe damage along the East Coast of the United States. The state hardest hit by the storm was Virginia, where the center of circulation passed directly over Norfolk. WeatherBook [http://www.weatherbook.com/hurricane1933.html The Chesapeake/Potomac Hurricane of August 23, 1933] URL Accessed: July 27, 2006] The hurricane was the worst storm to strike Virginia until Hurricane Isabel of 2003. Elsewhere, the hurricane left damage across Maryland, Washington, D.C. and Delaware. In all, the hurricane caused $27.2 million dollars (1933 USD, $368.4 million 2005 USD) in damage and 30 fatalities.

Meteorological history

A strong tropical storm was detected on August 17 northeast of the Leeward Islands. The storm became a hurricane just hours later and continued on its west-northwest heading, reaching Category 2 status on the 19th and passing 150 miles (241 km) to the south of Bermuda. Then the storm slowed its forward speed and reached a peak intensity of 120 mph (193 km/h) and an estimated low pressure of 971 millibars. The hurricane then quickly weakened before hitting the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane.cite web|author=Blake, Rappaport, and Landsea|year=2006|title=The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones (1851 to 2006)|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2007-06-08|url=http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pdf/NWS-TPC-5.pdf] The hurricane's center then passed directly over Norfolk as a strong tropical storm on the 23rd, as the storm rapidly curved to the northeast. The hurricane then crossed over New England as a tropical depression. [ [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at193308.asp Weather Underground 1933 Archive] URL Accessed: July 27, 2006] National Weather Service (1933) [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1933.pdf 1933 MWR Report] Monthly Weather Review. URL Accessed: July 27, 2006]

Preparations

Hurricane warnings were issued on August 21. The warnings extended from Cape Hatteras to Boston. The next day the warnings were extended to Southport, North Carolina. Evacuations may or may not have taken place. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1933.pdf 1933 MWR Report] ]

Impact

The Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane was the most severe Atlantic hurricane to hit the East Coast since 1821. In all, the storm caused $27.2 million dollars (1933) dollars of damage and left 18-30 fatalities. "Unknown" [http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/weather/hurricane/sns-hc-history-1933,0,800519.story Storm pushes eight feet of water through downtown Norfolk, Va.] Sun-Sentinel. URL Accessed: July 27, 2006] [http://www.hurricanecity.com/city/oceancity.htm hurricanecity.com] ]

North Carolina and Virginia

In Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, winds up to hurricane force were reported. Damage in North Carolina was considered severe, with monetary damage estimated at $250,000 (1933 USD). ["NOAA" [http://web.archive.org/web/20070311045226/http://repository.wrclib.noaa.gov/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1002&context=nws_tech_memos North Carolina hurricanes] .URL Accessed: July 27, 2006] In Virginia, a weather station in Norfolk recorded sustained winds of 56 mph (90 km/h), while Cape Henry reported a wind gust of 82 mph (132 km/h). Several tide gauges reported tides 7-9 feet above normal and a storm surge of 6-9 feet. The high tides and storm surge flooded much of downtown Norfolk and sank ten ships. ["Unknown" [http://www.newpointcomfort.com/history/history_html/33_storms.html The Great 1933 Storms] . URL Accessed: July 27, 2006] Elsewhere along the coast, the hurricane's storm surge caused severe beach erosion. On Cedar Island, the hurricane destroyed a hotel and several other buildings. In Surry County, the storm surge from the hurricane caused the James River to overflow its banks and sweep away a ferry pier. The York River also rose 5-8 feet above flood stage. The flooding along the York River caused severe damage in Gloucester County. Further inland, strong winds knocked out power and phone service in Alexandria, while flooding knocked out roads and flooded a Ford Motor Company plant. In Fairfax County and Loudoun County, flooding caused severe damage to farms and crops. Richmond sustained $250,000 dollars (1933 USD, $33.8 million 2005 USD) in damage, mainly to trees and roofs. In all the hurricane killed 18 people in Virginia and left $10 million dollars (1933 USD). "NOAA" [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaerly20hur.htm Virginia Hurricane History] .URL Accessed: July 27, 2006]

Mid Atlantic

In Washington, D.C., the storm produced a storm surge of convert|11.3|ft|m, rainfall of 6.18 inches (152 mm) and winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). [http://www.weatherbook.com/hurricane1933.html The Chesapeake/Potomac Hurricane of August 23, 1933] ] In Maryland, the hurricane caused $17 million dollars (1933 USD, $230 million 2005 USD) in damage to crops and buildings. The storm also destroyed a railroad bridge heading into Ocean City and created the Ocean City Inlet between the town and Assateague Island. The storm killed 13 people and 1,000+ animals. [http://www.hurricanecity.com/city/oceancity.htm hurricanecity.com] . URL Accessed. July 27, 2006] On the coast, the storm damaged or destroyed several wharves and fishing piers. In Delaware, the storm caused $150,000 dollars (1933 USD, $2.03 million 2005 USD) in damage but no deaths. Damage was also reported in New Jersey, although damage figures are unknown. At least 7 were reported dead. Offshore, the hurricane sank or badly damaged 100 boats and ships. [ [http://www.thehurricanearchive.com/Viewer.aspx?
] ] cite book|last=Buchholz|first=Margaret|coauthors=Larry Savadove|year=1993|title=Great Storms of the Jersey Shore|publisher=Down the Shore Publishing|id=ISBN 0-945582-51-X]

Aftermath

In Maryland the American Red Cross collected over $300 dollars (1933 USD, $4,063 2006 USD) in relief during the cleanup after the storm. [Scarborough, Ellen [http://www.redcross.org/article/0,1072,0_507_1772,00.html Hurricane Isabel Stirs Stormy Memories in Maryland] American Red Cross. URL Accessed July 28, 2006]

tatistics

The Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane held the record of being the earliest eighth Atlantic tropical cyclone to form before September, a record held until 2005, when Tropical Storm Harvey formed on August 2. [Unisys Weather [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2005/index.html Unisys 2005 Atlantic Hurricane Season Archive] .URL Accessed: July 28, 2006]

The 1933 hurricane's track and impact was similar to Hurricane Isabel in 2003. Both storms struck northeastern North Carolina as a Category 1 or 2 hurricane, and both left severe damage in southeastern Virginia. The wind speed and pressure at landfall brought by the 1933 storm was tied by Hurricane Isabel in 2003. However, the record tidal surge was broken by Isabel. ["Unknown" Geocache.com. URL Accessed; July 28, 2006] [Dennison, Bill, University of Maryland. URL Accessed:July 28, 2006]

ee also

*tropical cyclone
*list of tropical cyclones
*list of Atlantic hurricanes

External links

* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1933/8/track.dat Chesapeke Potomac Hurricane Hurricane Best Track Data]
* [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/chesapeakepotomac1933.html HPC rainfall page on this hurricane]

References