1933 Outer Banks hurricane

Infobox Hurricane
Name=Outer Banks Hurricane
Type=hurricane
Year=1933
Basin=Atl
Image location=Theb2559.jpg

North Carolina.
Formed=September 8, 1933
Dissipated=September 21, 1933
1-min winds=105
Pressure=957
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=21-39 direct, 2 missing
Areas=North Carolina, Virginia
Hurricane season=1933 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1933 Outer Banks Hurricane was the 13th storm, 6th hurricane and 4th major hurricane of the very active 1933 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane formed on September 8, 1933 where it moved in a similar track to the 1933 Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane a month earlier. The hurricane reached a peak intensity of 120 mph (193 km/h) and a low barometric pressure of 957 millibars before hitting the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The storm later turned north-eastward and hit Nova Scotia.

Like the Chesapeake-Potomac Hurricane a month earlier, the September Hurricane caused severe damage along the Outer Banks, while the damage in Virginia was minimal. There was considerable damage also in New England. In all the hurricane left 21-39 people dead and over $1 million dollars (1933 USD, $13.5 million 2005 USD) in damage.

Meteorological history

A tropical storm formed on September 8 , east of the Leeward Islands and was not detected until September 10. By that time the storm was already a Category 1 hurricane. The storm then turned on a west-northwest trajectory as it reached category 2 status. The hurricane maintained that status for three days until it reached Category 3 status on September 14. The next day, the hurricane reached a peak intensity of 120 mph (193 km/h) and an estimated low pressure of 957 millibars before making landfall on the Outer Banks of North Carolina on the 16th as a Category 3 storm.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] Weather Underground (2006) [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at193313.asp Weather Underground 1933 Archive] URL Accessed; July 31, 2006] National Weather Service (1933) [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1933.pdf 1933 MWR Report] Monthly Weather ReviewURL Accessed; July 31, 2006]

After grazing the Outer Banks, the hurricane paralleled the northeast coast of the United States before making a second landfall in Nova Scotia as a strong tropical storm. The hurricane then became extratropical over Newfoundland. [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at193313.asp Weather Underground 1933 Archive] URL Accessed:July 31, 2006]

Preparations

On September 14, forecasters issued storm warnings from Jacksonville, Florida to Beaufort, North Carolina. Hours later, the warnings were extended to Virginia. As the storm moved closer to land, forecasters predicted that the hurricane would hit North Carolina in 12 hours. Because of this, hurricane and gale warnings were issued from North Carolina to Boston, Massachusetts. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1933.pdf 1933 MWR Report] ]

Impact

In North Carolina, the hurricane produced 68 mph (109 km/h) winds with 76 mph (122 km/h) gusts. The winds caused severe tree and roof damage. Heavy rains brought by the hurricane caused localized flooding. In some places water reached up to convert|4|ft|m. The combined wind and flooding caused 21-39 fatalities and $1 million dollars (1933 USD) in damage in North Carolina. In Virginia, winds up to 68 mph (109 km/h) was reported near Norfolk, in Cape Henry, the winds up to 88 mph (142 km/h) were reported. Along the Virginia coast, tides reached convert|8.3|ft|m above normal. [NOAA (2006) [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaerly20hur.htm Virginia Hurricane History] ; URL Accessed; August 1, 2006] There were no fatalities due to advanced warnings. [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1933.pdf 1933 MWR Report] ] In New England the hurricane brought 54 mph (87 km/h) winds and rainfall of 9.92 inches (252 mm). In Cape Cod, the storm brought 13.27 inches (337 mm) of rain in a 24 hour period. The state of Maine received rainfall of 3.63 inches (92 mm). Damage in Maine was limited to flooding and two people in a small boat were reported missing. ["Unknown" [http://www.pivot.net/~cotterly/hurricane.PDF Maines' Hurricane History] URL Accessed; July 31, 2006]

In Nova Scotia, extratropical remnants of the hurricane brought 60-70 mph (97-113 km/h) sustained winds. In Newfoundland, winds of 45-50 mph (72-80 km/h) were reported. The remnants of the hurricane caused no known damage in Atlantic Canada. [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at193313.asp Weather Underground 1933 Archive] URL Accessed:July 31, 2006]

Records

The 1933 Hurricane set a record of being the earliest 13th Atlantic storm to form before October (the storm formed on September 8). ["Unisys" [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1933/index.html Unisys 1933 Archive] URL Accessed; July 31, 2006] That record was broken when Hurricane Maria formed on September 1, 2005. ["Unisys" [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2005/index.html Unisys 2005 Hurricane Archive] URL Accessed; July 31, 2006]

ee also

*tropical cyclone
*list of Atlantic hurricanes

External links

* [http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1933/13/track.dat 1933 September Hurricane Best Track Data]

References