Hurricane Carol
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Carol was among the worst
In New York, strong winds on Long Island damaged about 1,000 houses, left 275,000 people without electricity, downed many trees, and resulted in heavy crop losses. Storm surge flooded LaGuardia Airport and inundated the Montauk Highway, which left the eastern portion of Long Island isolated. Carol also brought strong winds and rough seas to coastal Connecticut, Rhode Island, and southeastern Massachusetts. Throughout the region, about 150,000 people were left without electricity and telephone service. 1,545 houses were destroyed and another 9,720 were damaged. Approximately 3,500 cars and 3,000 boats were destroyed. There were 65 deaths and 1,000 injuries in New England. The storm caused an additional $1 million in damage in Canada as well as two deaths. Overall, Carol caused 72 fatalities and damage totaled $462 million (1954 USD),[nb 2] making it the costliest hurricane in the history of the United States, at the time. Following the storm, the name "Carol" was used once more for a 1965 hurricane that remained far out in the Atlantic, then was permanently retired.
Meteorological history
A
An eastward moving deep-wave
Impact
Mid-Atlantic
Before affecting North Carolina, the threat of Carol prompted a
In New Jersey, high winds downed power lines,[11] which killed two people.[12] Along the coast, high waves damaged boardwalks and caused flooding. In neighboring Pennsylvania, Carol caused a tractor to crash into a train, resulting in two deaths.[12] Damage in the state was estimated at $250,000.[9]
On eastern Long Island near where Carol made landfall, a pressure of 960 mbar (28 inHg) was recorded.[13] Winds on the island gusted to 125 mph (200 km/h),[14] leaving thousands of homes without power.[15] The winds downed many trees,[15] and left heavy crop damage to various fruits.[9] High winds damaged widespread homes, boats, and cars.[12] About 1,000 houses were damaged on the island,[15] and 275,000 people lost power.[9] The hurricane's storm surge covered the Montauk Highway in Montauk, effectively isolating eastern Long Island for a period of time.[16] Flooding also affected LaGuardia Airport.[12] Due to the compact nature of the storm, areas west of Fire Island were largely unaffected by the hurricane.[17] There were power outages in New York City, but little damage.[18] Damage was estimated at $5 million in the state,[9] and one death was reported, after thousands of people evacuated.[12]
New England and Canada
Hurricane Carol produced hurricane and gale-force winds across New England.[9] Strong winds from Hurricane Carol destroyed nearly 40% of the apple, corn, peach, and tomato crops from eastern Connecticut to Cape Cod.[13] Overall crop damage was estimated at $22.25 million.[9] The hurricane destroyed several thousand homes in New England, many of which were destroyed from the waters or the powerful winds.[13] Overall, 11,785 families were directly impacted by the hurricane, including 9,720 houses that were damaged and 1,545 that were destroyed.[15] High winds left over 150,000 people without power in New England,[18] potentially as many as one-third of all of New England,[19] and many residents also lost phone service.[9] The hurricane also destroyed 3,500 cars and 3,000 boats in the region.[13] Heavy rainfall from the storm caused traffic accidents, but only minor flooding.[9]
Throughout the United States, Hurricane Carol caused $461 million in damage,
Hurricane Carol struck
The hurricane produced a record-high wind gust of 135 mph (217 km/h) at Block Island, while on mainland Rhode Island, sustained winds peaked at 90 mph (140 km/h) in Warwick with gusts to 105 mph (169 km/h). Upon making landfall around high tide, Carol produced a storm surge of up to 14.4 feet (4.4 m) in Narragansett Bay, surpassing that of the New England Hurricane of 1938. The resulting storm surge flooded downtown Providence with 12 feet (3.7 m) of water.[13] News reports indicated that the floods covered the area with 4 feet (1.2 m) in about an hour.[19] The winds downed two broadcasting towers in the city. Westerly was also flooded,[12] where 200 homes were washed away.[18] There was also heavy damage in Newport,[12] where the Newport Casino was damaged.[18] Some entire coastal communities were nearly destroyed,[13] and 620 houses and 83 other buildings were destroyed in the state.[15] The winds destroyed the roofs of hundreds of buildings, forcing many to evacuate to shelters during the passage of the storm. The powerful winds also downed thousands of trees and power lines, blacking out the entire state and interrupting 95 percent of phone service.[24] Damage in the state totaled about $200 million,[9] and there were at least 17 deaths in Rhode Island.[12]
Before Carol affected the area, 20,000 people evacuated from Cape Cod.[12] In Massachusetts, the hurricane produced winds between 80 and 110 mph (130 and 180 km/h) across much of the eastern part of the state.[13] Gusts reached 80 mph (130 km/h) at Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory,[11] and the highest gusts in the state were around 125 mph (201 km/h).[12] The winds downed about 50 million board feet of trees in the state, many of which fell onto power lines;[9] much of eastern Massachusetts lost power during the storm.[13] Carol left about $15 million in crop damage in the state. The winds destroyed much of the corn crop, about half of the peach crop, and about 1.5 million bushels of apples.[18]
Heavy damage was reported throughout Boston,
In Dedham, Massachusetts, the hurricane knocked down the 80-foot bell tower on the East Dedham firehouse, today the oldest wooden firehouse in the country.[25] The tower flew across the station and landed on 219 Bussey St, the house next door, where Louise Guerrio was feeding her one-year-old son, Joseph.[25] It also crushed three cars parked on Bussey St.[25]
Carol maintained its intensity as it moved inland,[26] and its winds were strong enough to knock down trees and power lines in New Hampshire. One tree fell onto a car, killing a person, and there were three deaths overall in the state,[12] along with $3 million in damage.[9] There was also a death in neighboring Vermont.[12] Carol produced winds of up to 80 mph (130 km/h) in Augusta, Maine. Throughout the state, the winds downed hundreds of trees, some of which damaged houses, wrecked cars, destroyed one building, or fell onto power lines.[26] Fallen trees blocked highways,[12] and one person was injured by a falling tree limb. Downed power lines left several counties without power or telephone services. The winds flattened hundreds of acres of corn in North Livermore,[26] and throughout the state, there was heavy damage to the apple crop.[18] Damage to the apple crop amounted to $1.7 million. While moving west of Maine, the hurricane dropped heavy rainfall, including a report of 2.15 inches (55 mm) in 12 hours.[26] Along the coast, high waves damaged boats.[12] In Maine, the hurricane killed three people, injured at least eight, and caused $10 million in damage, the costliest natural disaster in the state's history.[26] Carol lost this distinction 10 days later when Hurricane Edna caused $15 million in damage in the state.[27]
Rainfall in Canada peaked at 4.27 inches (108 mm) in Quebec. In Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, wind gusts peaked at 47 mph (76 km/h).[28] In Quebec, the extratropical remnants of Carol downed trees and power lines in Montreal from wind gusts as high as 55 mph (89 km/h).[2] Widespread power outages were reported in New Brunswick and Quebec, and downed trees struck three cars in Saint John, New Brunswick. The storm caused flights to be canceled, trees and power lines came down in Montreal due to 60 m.p.h. wind gusts, and road underpasses were flooded.[29] Damage there totaled about $1 million (1954 CAD, US$980,000)[nb 3].[28] Two people were killed, one of whom due to drowning on a sunken barge in Quebec City.[12]
Aftermath
The heavy damage caused by this and other hurricanes in 1954 prompted the United States government to devote research to set up the National Hurricane Research Project. Hurricane Hunters and the Weather Bureau collected data on subsequent hurricanes to determine their structure, as well as attempted to weaken storms with silver iodide via Project Stormfury.[38]
Due to the heavy damage, the name Carol was removed from the tropical storm naming list for 10 years.[39][40] The name was reused in the 1965 season, but was permanently retired in the spring of 1969, as the 1954 hurricane was still an active subject of research.[39][41] The selected replacement name, Camille, was used soon thereafter during the 1969 season.[39][42]
See also
- List of North Carolina hurricanes
- Hurricane Bob (1991) – similar track and intensity
- Hurricane Irene (2011) – made landfall in New England
- Hurricane Sandy (2012) – broke many of Carol's records, including the costliest hurricane in New England
Notes
- Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.[1]
- ^ All damage totals are in 1954 United States dollars unless otherwise noted.
- ^ $1 million in 1954 Canadian dollars (CAD) would be $8.66 million in 2013 CAD, adjusted for inflation figures from the Bank of Canada.[30] When converted to USD, the total would be $8.5 million as provided by the Oanda Corporation,[31] which would be about $980,000 when adjusted for inflation to 1954.[32]
References
- ^ National Hurricane Center (July 11, 2010). "Glossary of NHC Terms". Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on June 28, 2011. Retrieved July 23, 2011.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on January 2, 2014. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ a b c d Chris Landsea; Mike Dickinson; Donna Strahan (2006). Reanalysis of Ten U.S. Landfalling Hurricanes (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: Hurricane Research Division. pp. 71–72. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 4, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
- ^ (PDF) from the original on March 3, 2017. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- .
- ^ "Hurricane Carol Whirls In Toward No. Carolina Coast". The Day. Wilmington, North Carolina. Associated Press. August 30, 1954. p. 1. Archived from the original on March 5, 2019. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- ^ a b c James E. Hudgins (2000). Tropical cyclones affecting North Carolina since 1586: An Historical Perspective (PDF) (Report). Blacksburg, Virginia National Weather Service Office. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 27, 2011. Retrieved November 3, 2006.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r James K. McGuire (1954). The Storm of August 31, 1954. Vol. 41. Chattanooga, Tennessee: United States Weather Bureau. pp. 289–292.
- ^ David Roth; Hugh Cobb (2000). Virginia Hurricane History (Report). College Park, Maryland: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Archived from the original on November 10, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ a b c "New England Area Struck by Hurricane". Prescott Evening Courier. Boston, Massachusetts. Associated Press. August 31, 1954. p. 1. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Damage is High with Big Death Toll in Storm". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Spokane, Washington. Associated Press. September 1, 1954. p. 37. Archived from the original on May 3, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n David R. Vallee; Michael R. Dion (1997). "Hurricane Carol". Taunton, Massachusetts National Weather Service. Archived from the original on January 30, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- ^ C. E. Rhodes, ed. (1954). "North Atlantic Hurricanes and Tropical Disturbances—1954". Climatological Data National Summary. 5 (3). Asheville, North Carolina: United States Department of Commerce: 72–87.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "11,785 Families Hit by Hurricane". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Washington, D.C. Associated Press. September 9, 1954. p. 22. Archived from the original on May 14, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ISBN 1-932916-05-9.
- ^ Maggie Astor (August 24, 2011). "Hurricane Irene Threatens New York: The Six Worst Hurricanes to Hit the Region". International Business Times. Archived from the original on September 20, 2014. Retrieved March 21, 2013.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k "Storm Death Toll 49, Damage in Millinos". Fremont Guide and Tribune. No. 96. Fremont, Nebraska. Associated Press. September 1, 1954. p. 1. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d e "Hurricane Leaves 49 Dead in East". Miami Daily News. No. 110. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. September 1, 1953. pp. 1A, 6A. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Eric Blake; et al. (August 2005). The Deadliest, Costliest, and Most Intense United States Tropical Cyclones from 1851 to 2004 (and Other Frequently Asked Hurricane Facts) (PDF) (Report). National Hurricane Center. p. 8. Archived from the original on December 2, 2012. Retrieved January 6, 2014.
- ^ Mac L. Hutchens (November 15, 1954). "Rash of Hurricanes May Bring Insurance rate Hike". St. Petersburg Times. St. Petersburg, Florida. St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Archived from the original on May 5, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ISBN 978-0-316-01642-1.
- ISBN 978-1-870255-70-7.
- ISBN 978-1-57356-378-9.
- ^ a b c East Dedham Firehouse, Dedham Historical Society Archives, May 13, 2017
- ^ a b c d e f Wayne Cotterly (October 17, 2002). Hurricane Carol (1954) (Report). Archived from the original on December 10, 2013. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ Wayne Cotterly (October 21, 2002). Hurricane Edna (1954) (Report). Archived from the original on December 20, 2006. Retrieved February 8, 2013.
- ^ Environment Canada. September 14, 2010. Archivedfrom the original on December 11, 2013. Retrieved December 26, 2012.
- ^ The Montreal Star, Sept. 1, 1954, page 25
- ^ "Inflation Calculator". Bank of Canada. 2013. Archived from the original on September 21, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ "Historical Exchange Rates". Oanda Corporation. 2013. Archived from the original on October 4, 2013. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ Bureau of Labor Statistics (2013). "CPI Inflation Calculator". United States Department of Labor. Archived from the original on March 15, 2011. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ "Further Perils Feared". Ottawa Citizen. Boston, Massachusetts. Associated Press. September 2, 1954. p. 23. Archived from the original on April 28, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^ "Third Steeple Going Up on Boston Church". The News-Sentinel. Boston, Massachusetts. International News Service. May 26, 1955. Archived from the original on April 25, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^ "New Storms Slow Hurricane Repairs". Miami Daily News. No. 113. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. September 4, 1953. pp. 1A, 4A. Retrieved July 3, 2019 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Aid Ordered for Storm Area". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Fraser, Colorado. Associated Press. September 1, 1954. p. 37. Archived from the original on April 30, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2013.
- ^ "East Disaster Help Widened". Spokane Daily Chronicle. Columbus, Ohio. United Press. September 16, 1954. p. 48. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- Toledo Blade. Toledo, Ohio. p. 5. Archivedfrom the original on May 2, 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2013.
- ^ . August 14, 2014. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "Tropical Cyclone Naming History and Retired Names". Miami, Florida: National Hurricane Center. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Report of the 1969 Interdepartmental Hurricane Warning Conference (Combined - Atlantic and Pacific) (PDF) (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. March 1969. p. 17. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ National Hurricane Operations Plan (PDF) (Report). Washington, D.C.: Interdepartmental Committee for Meteorological Services. May 1969. p. 64. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- McCarthy Earls, Eamon. "Twisted Sisters: How Four Superstorms Forever Changed the Northeast in 1954 & 1955." Franklin: Via Appia Press (www.viaappiapress.com), 2014. ISBN 978-0982548578