1940 South Carolina hurricane

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1940 South Carolina hurricane
Meteorological history
FormedAugust 5, 1940
DissipatedAugust 15, 1940
Category 2 hurricane
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS)
Highest winds100 mph (155 km/h)
Lowest pressure972 mbar (hPa); 28.70 inHg
Overall effects
Fatalities50 direct, 2 indirect
Damage$13 million (1940 USD)
Areas affectedGeorgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia
IBTrACSEdit this at Wikidata
Part of the 1940 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1940 South Carolina hurricane was a

storm tide was measured along the South Carolina coast, while over 15 inches (380 mm) of rain fell across northern North Carolina. Significant flooding and landslides struck Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia during the system's slow trek as a weakening tropical storm, and then as an extratropical cyclone
, through the Southeast. The landslides which struck North Carolina were considered a once in a century event. Damages relating to the storm totaled $13 million (1940 USD) and 50 people perished.

Meteorological history

Map plotting the storm's track and intensity, according to the Saffir–Simpson scale
Map key
Saffir–Simpson scale
  Tropical depression (≤38 mph, ≤62 km/h)
  Tropical storm (39–73 mph, 63–118 km/h)
  Category 1 (74–95 mph, 119–153 km/h)
  Category 2 (96–110 mph, 154–177 km/h)
  Category 3 (111–129 mph, 178–208 km/h)
  Category 4 (130–156 mph, 209–251 km/h)
  Category 5 (≥157 mph, ≥252 km/h)
  Unknown
Storm type
triangle Extratropical cyclone, remnant low, tropical disturbance, or monsoon depression

Morning weather charts detected a "slight" disturbance between St. Martin and St. Thomas on August 5.[1] Around 18:00 UTC that day, a tropical depression developed about 30 mi (48 km) west-northwest of Anegada in the British Virgin Islands.[2]

The storm moved moving west-northwest near the Mona Passage, bringing squalls of 44 miles per hour (71 km/h) to

Bahamas. By August 10 a ship reported that winds were hurricane force. In the afternoon of August 11, the hurricane made landfall near Beaufort, South Carolina where it moved inland and turned just northeast of Savannah, Georgia between 5 and 6 p.m. on the same day. Savannah's wind peaked at 73 miles per hour (117 km/h) and the pressure fell to 28.78 inches of mercury (975 hPa). It was the area's worst storm in 29 years.[3] Hurricane-force winds were witnessed between Savannah and Charleston. Weakening into a tropical storm that evening, for the next four or five days the storm meandered inland as a weak tropical storm before evolving into an extratropical cyclone on the evening of August 14.[2]

Preparations and impact

Storm total rainfall for the hurricane

From August 7 and 9, small craft were advised to exercise caution over the eastern Bahamas and western subtropical Atlantic Ocean as the system approached the region.

Cape Hatteras, North Carolina.[7] By the morning of August 11, storm warnings were in effect from Wilmington, North Carolina northward to Cape Hatteras and from Savannah, Georgia to Fernandina Beach, Florida. Hurricane warnings were in effect from Savannah northward to Wilmington.[8] All coastal warnings were dropped by August 12.[9]

A storm tide of 13 feet (4.0 m) was measured along the coast of South Carolina.

hurricane warnings and evacuations. However, modern sources indicate that 50 people died during this storm.[13]

Flooding in Weldon, North Carolina

After leaving the coast, the dissipating storm brought heavy rains that sparked disastrous flash floods. The floods inundated much of

U.S. Highway 421 in 21 places through a six-mile stretch of roadway between Deep Gap and Maple Springs in Wilkes County, North Carolina. Flooding destroyed 90% of the bridges in Caldwell County, North Carolina.[18] Press reports stated that 30 people died in the floods. Damage amounted to over $10 million (1940 USD).[19]

Rains began in

oil screw F.B. Scarbrough 5 miles (8.0 km) above Coles Point may have been caused by this system.[21]

See also
  • List of wettest tropical cyclones in North Carolina

References

  1. ^ a b Jean H. Galenne (1940). Tropical Disturbances of August 1940 (PDF) (Report). American Meteorological Society. pp. 217–218. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 19, 2009. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  2. ^ a b "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 20, 2024. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  3. ^ Ivan Ray Tannehill (1943). Hurricanes. Princeton University Press. pp. 250–251.
  4. United States Weather Bureau (August 7, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 7, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  5. United States Weather Bureau (August 8, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 8, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  6. United States Weather Bureau (August 9, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 9, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  7. United States Weather Bureau (August 10, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 10, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on June 4, 2012. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  8. United States Weather Bureau (August 11, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 11, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  9. United States Weather Bureau (August 12, 1940). "Daily Weather Maps: August 12, 1940". United States Department of Commerce. Archived
    from the original on March 3, 2016. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  10. ISBN 978-0-309-04475-2. Archived
    from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  11. ^ South Carolina State Climatology Office (2009). "South Carolina Hurricane Climatology". South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Archived from the original on December 30, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  12. ^ a b Roth, David M (May 12, 2022). "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Southeastern United States". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall. United States Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved January 6, 2023. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  13. Christopher W. Landsea (April 15, 2007). "NOAA Technical Memorandum NWS TPC-5: The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones From 1851 to 2006 (and Other Frequently Requested Hurricane Facts)" (PDF). National Hurricane Center. p. 7. Archived
    (PDF) from the original on March 7, 2008. Retrieved December 23, 2009.
  14. ^ Richard Wooten (August 2004). "Geologic hazards: Dates, Level of Events, Damage and Indirect Costs". North Carolina Geological Survey. Archived from the original on August 2, 2008. Retrieved June 19, 2009.
  15. ISBN 978-0-8078-5625-3
    . Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  16. ^ United States Geological Survey (October 14, 2008). "Wilson Creek near Adako, North Carolina" (PDF). pp. 149–150. Archived (PDF) from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  17. ^ North Carolina Geological Survey (February 19, 2008). "Geologic hazards in North Carolina — Landslides". Archived from the original on January 28, 2013. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  18. ^ "Laurelmor and Landslides". Western North Carolina Landslide Advisory Website. March 5, 2008. Archived from the original on August 7, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2009.
  19. ^ Millsboro Daily News (August 16, 1940). "Floods Surge Toward Surge". Archived from the original on January 14, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2008.
  20. ^ Roth, David M (May 12, 2022). "Tropical Cyclone Rainfall in the Mid-Atlantic United States". Tropical Cyclone Rainfall. United States Weather Prediction Center. Retrieved January 6, 2023. Public Domain This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  21. ^ Roth, David M (1999). Virginia Hurricane History: Early Twentieth Century. Archived from the original on November 16, 2006. Retrieved June 19, 2009.

External links

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