Hurricane Ginny

Infobox Hurricane
Image location=63tirosvii 19.jpg


Name=Hurricane Ginny
Type=hurricane
Year=1963
Basin=Atl
Formed=October 16, 1963
Dissipated=October 29, 1963
1-min winds=95
Pressure=948
Da

Fatalities=7
Inflated=0
Areas=North Carolina,New England, Canada
Hurricane season=1963 Atlantic hurricane season [National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1963/ginny/prenhc/draft4.gifHurricane Ginny Storm Report, page 4.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.]

Hurricane Ginny was the eight tropical storm and seventh hurricane of the 1963 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm hovered offshore the Southeast United States for several days during late October, threatening the coasts of the Carolinas with a landfall and bringing moderate to heavy rainfall. The cyclone eventually moved northeast, peaking at Category 2 strength on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale, and brought snows to New England as it struck the coast of Nova Scotia. The hurricane caused a total of seven deaths and $300,000 in damage (1963 dollars).

Meteorological history

A cold-core trough of low pressure existed over the Bahamas. An easterly wave moved under this cold low, spurring development.Lewis J. Allison and Harold P. Thompson. [http://ntrs.nasa.gov/archive/nasa/casi.ntrs.nasa.gov/19660019779_1966019779.pdf TIROS VII Infrared Radiation Coverage of the 1963 Atlantic Hurricane Season With Supporting Television and Conventional Meteorological Data.] Retrieved on 2007-02-17.] A depression formed on October 16 which then moved northward, reaching tropical storm force winds on October 19. Reconnaissance aircraft reported a cold-core system that day, but as Ginny became better organized with increased thunderstorm activity near its center, its core warmed, and the storm become a hurricane on October 20. The hurricane then looped offshore the coast of North Carolina. Accelerating southwestward due to a blocking high pressure ridge forming over New England, Ginny weakened to a tropical storm, but as it crossed over the Gulf Stream again, it restrengthened back into a hurricane. Ginny turned to the northeast on October 25 as an upper trough approached from its northwest, keeping the hurricane's center offshore but close enough to cause rain and wind. The hurricane's intensity fluctuated as it headed northeastward, reaching its peak of convert|110|mph|kn km/h on the October 29. Ginny became an extratropical cyclone due to the cooler waters and cool air entrainment on October 29, just after making landfall on southwest Nova Scotia. [National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1963/ginny/prenhc/draft1.gifHurricane Ginny Storm Report, page 1.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.]

Preparations

Hurricane warnings were raised between Charleston, South Carolina and Cape Fear, North Carolina, as well as Cape Hatteras at various times during its eight day meander within convert|250|mi|km of the Southeast United States.National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1963/ginny/prenhc/draft2.gifHurricane Ginny Storm Report, page 2.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.]

Impact

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thumb|right|180_px|Ginnyprecipitation across the United States]
Maximum sustained winds peaked at convert|70|mph|kn km/h|abbr=on with gusts to convert|100|mph|kn km/h|abbr=on at Oak Island on Cape Fear. Sustained winds peaked at convert|65|mph|kn km/h|abbr=on at Nantucket. Rainfall amounts approached convert|7|in|mm in North Carolina, and exceeded convert|3|in|mm|abbr=on in South Carolina. [David M. Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/ginny1963filledrainblk.gifHurricane Ginny (1963) Black Background and Color Filled Rainfall Graphic.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.] Ginny was one of the latest hurricanes on record to make landfall near New England. Minor flooding and damage to small craft were reported from Canada. [National Hurricane Center. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/archive/storm_wallets/atlantic/atl1963/ginny/prenhc/draft3.gifHurricane Ginny Storm Report, page 3.] Retrieved on 2007-02-17.] The hurricane caused a total of seven deaths and $300,000 in damage (1963 dollars).

nowfall

Ginny was unusual due to its production of 6 to 13 in (nowrap|150–330 mm) of snow over Maine. Ginny was one of a handful of hurricanes to produce snowfall. Other storms include a hurricane in 1804 that dropped over convert|24|in|mm|abbr=on of snow to New England, [David M. Roth and Hugh D. Cobb III. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/vaerly19hur.htm Virginia Hurricane History.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.] a hurricane in October 1841 that produced convert|18|in|mm|abbr=on of snow in Connecticut, and Hurricane Noel which brought up to convert|6|in|mm of snow to Maine. [David M. Roth. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/noel2007.html Hurricane Noel (2007) Rainfall Page.] Retrieved on 2008-02-17.]

References