Hurricane Connie
Mid-Atlantic states, New England, Canada | |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season |
Hurricane Connie was a
Ahead of the storm, the
Meteorological history
A
After passing the Lesser Antilles, Connie turned more to the northwest as it rounded a large
Hurricane Connie weakened as it moved through eastern North Carolina. The storm approached the Atlantic coast near the North Carolina/Virginia border. After passing through the Hampton Roads area, Connie turned back to the north-northwest, steered by a strengthening upper-level trough and low, located over Illinois. On August 13, Connie fell below hurricane intensity as it moved through the Chesapeake Bay region. The track shifted to the northwest, and Connie moved across western Pennsylvania, into Lake Erie. While still a tropical storm, Connie moved across portions of Southwestern Ontario, Lake Huron, and Michigan. On August 15, an approaching cold front absorbed the dissipating storm.[2]
Preparations
On August 5, Hurricane Connie began to become an apparent threat to the northeastern Caribbean Islands, with maximum winds in the storm reaching 125 mph (201 km/h). The
While Connie was meandering in the western Atlantic Ocean, its potential track posed problems for forecasters, due to its slow movement near the southeast United States coastline.[1] On August 7, a hurricane warning was issued from North Carolina to Norfolk, Virginia, with a hurricane alert issued farther north to New York City.[6] The Weather Bureau later extended the hurricane warnings to Delaware Breakwater, with storm warnings farther northeast to Provincetown, Massachusetts. The alert for North Carolina was up for about three days until Connie moved inland.[7]
Ahead of the storm, the United States military flew its planes away from the coast to safer shelters further inland.
Impact
Caribbean
As the hurricane passed north of the Lesser Antilles, the outer rainbands of Connie produced wind gusts as high as 104 mph (167 km/h) on
United States and Canada
Hurricane Connie produced hurricane-force winds in North Carolina and Virginia.[2] Across the Northeastern United States, many areas were in drought conditions before the storm struck. Unusually moist air caused above normal air and water temperatures, resulting in heavy rainfall across the eastern United States. Storm-related rainfall spread from the South Carolina, northeast to Maine, and as far west as Michigan. Record rainfall occurred in Philadelphia and New York City, and the highest precipitation related to Connie was 13.24 in (336 mm) at Fort Schuyler in New York.Connie's rains preceded additional rainfall from Hurricane Diane just four days later, which together caused widespread flooding.[17][18][16] Along Connie's western periphery, the rainbands spawned at least six tornadoes, of which five in South Carolina and one in North Carolina.[1] Damage from Connie in the United States was estimated at $86,065,000, mostly in North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland.[19]
When Connie struck North Carolina, it produced sustained winds of 72 mph (116 km/h) in Morehead City, with gusts to 83 mph (134 km/h). Wind gusts near where the hurricane moved ashore reached 100 mph (160 km/h), although it was uncertain whether the gust was estimated or measured.[1] Frying Pan Shoals, located offshore, reported a gust of 92 mph (148 km/h).[20] The hurricane produced tides up to 8 ft (2.4 m) above normal while moving slowly ashore, which resulted in significant beach erosion.[1] Tides were higher at Swansboro, North Carolina than during Hurricane Hazel the previous October,[20] and many piers that were rebuilt after Hazel were damaged or again destroyed by Connie.[7] The storm surge flooded low-lying portions of Wilmington.[21] High waves in advance of the storm flooded coastal roads along the Outer Banks.[9] Rainfall amounts of over 10 in (250 mm) in the area west of where Connie made landfall.[16] Stream flooding occurred as far inland as Raleigh, but was most significant near the coast.[22] Along the Pamlico River in Washington, National Guardsmen were ordered to help about 1,000 people evacuate during the storm.[7] Outer rainbands knocked out power lines in coastal North Carolina.[20] Flooding-induced rainfall closed U.S. Route 17 near New Bern.[7] Throughout North Carolina, the hurricane caused about $40 million in damage, of which about 75% was from crop damage.[1] There were 27 deaths in the state related to Connie, including traffic deaths, drownings, people in damaged buildings, and electrocutions.[21]
In South Carolina to the south of the center, the hurricane destroyed 40 buildings in
The combination of strong winds and high waves wrecked a 125 ft (38 m) schooner in the Chesapeake Bay named the Levin J. Marvel.[21] The 64-year old boat was described as "unseaworthy" when it left from Annapolis, Maryland, and capsized near Fairhaven. Of the 23 passengers and four crew members, 14 people drowned, making it "one of the worst maritime calamities in the history of Tidewater Maryland", as described by The Baltimore Sun. The other passengers were later rescued after holding onto wreckage.[27]
Farther from the storm's immediate landfall, Connie's precipitation was beneficial Delaware due to prior drought conditions.
Heavy rainfall, totaling over 10 in (250 mm) affected southeastern New York, causing heavy damage, and killing 11 people in the New York metropolitan area, and three people upstate.[16][29][38][39] Hurricane Connie brought the heaviest rain seen in New York City in over 50 years, totaling 5.32 in (135 mm) within a 20-hour span.[26] Large areas of the city were flooded, inundating subways and thousands of houses. About 100,000 people lost power in the city.[40] High winds and tides from the storm cancelled ferry service,[40] and forced LaGuardia Airport to temporarily shut down after flooding reached 1 ft (0.30 m) deep.[21][18] Flooding washed out a portion of the Delaware and Hudson Railway in the Helderberg Mountains, causing two trains to derail; there were no injuries.[39] In Monroe and Wayne counties, the storm damaged the peach and apple crops.[41] The Chenango County Fair closed early due to the storms' rains.[42] In coastal Connecticut, the rainfall from Connie increased levels along streams, but there was little damage.[22]
When the remnants of Connie entered Ontario on August 14, it continued to produce winds of up to 46 mph (74 km/h), and the storm dropped 2.56 in (65 mm) of rainfall near the Great Lakes. In Burlington, 27 boats were destroyed, and one fisherman drowned in Lake Erie after his boat sank during the storm. Two other people drowned in the province. Connie destroyed six houses and damaged several others due to high waves. The storm also caused power outages and damage to the tobacco crop.[43] Late in the storm's path through the United States, Connie produced wind gusts of 65 mph (105 km/h) along Lake Huron in Michigan, causing high waves that damaged or sank many small boats. Damage in Michigan was estimated at $150,000.[44]
Aftermath
Flooding caused by Connie generally did not attract much media attention; however, the floods were important in setting the conditions for later significant flooding across the Northeastern United States.[22] Just five days after Connie struck North Carolina,[1] Hurricane Diane affected the same area, but instead of continuing to the northwest it turned to the northeast. Diane produced further rainfall in already wet areas from Connie.[45] Damage from Diane totaled at least $700 million,[1] and six states were declared federal disaster areas from the combined hurricanes' impact; this allowed federal assistance for the affected areas.[45] Immediately after the storm, the U.S. Small Business Administration authorized low-interest loans for homes and businesses affected by Connie.[46]
The loss of the Levin J. Marvel during the hurricane prompted the United States Congress to pass a law in 1956, which allowed the Coast Guard to inspect all vessels with more than six passengers; the previous law only allowed inspections for boats of more than 700 tons, much higher than the 183 tons that the Marvel displaced. The inexperienced captain was charged with negligence and manslaughter and stood trial before the United States District Court for the District of Maryland in Baltimore. Those charges carried a prison term of 11 years. Judge Robert Dorsey Watkins, however, acquitted him of the manslaughter charge, instead sentencing him to one-year probation for negligence.[27]
Due to its destructive impact, the name Connie was retired from the Atlantic hurricane naming list.[47]
See also
- List of North Carolina hurricanes (1950–1979)
- 1933 Chesapeake–Potomac hurricane – one of the most damaging hurricanes in the Mid-Atlantic
- Hurricane Isabel – a hurricane in 2003 that also struck North Carolina and also moved over the Great Lakes
Notes
- ^ All damage totals are in 1955 United States dollars unless otherwise noted.
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Gordon E. Dunn; Walter R. Davis; Paul L. Moore (December 1955). "Hurricanes of 1955" (PDF). Monthly Weather Review. 83 (12): 315. (PDF) from the original on 2017-05-07. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT (Report). Hurricane Research Division. May 2015. Archived from the original on 2011-06-04. Retrieved February 28, 2019.
- ^ "Hurricane Connie Nears Leeward Isles". Free Lance-Star. Associated Press. August 5, 1955. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ a b c d Climatological Data: Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands. Vol. 1. Asheville, North Carolina: United States Weather Bureau. 1957. p. 54. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Puerto Rico Escapes Lash of Hurricane". Daytona Beach Morning-Herald. Associated Press. August 6, 1955. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Hurricane Connie on Her Way". The Nevada Daily Mail. Associated Press. August 7, 1955. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e "Coastal, NC Hurricane Connie Strikes Coast, Aug 1955". The Robesonian. August 12, 1955. GenDisasters.com. Archived from the original on 2018-04-17. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Connie May Chase Planes and Curb Talbott Farewell". The Milwaukee Journal. Associated Press. August 10, 1955. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ a b "Hurricane Idles 225 Miles SE Wilmington Pointing at N.C." The Robesonian. August 10, 1955. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ "Hurricane Loses Some Punch Raking Northward Along N. Carolina Coast". Ellensburg Daily Record. Associated Press. August 12, 1955. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Ships of Dozen Nations Huddled in Hampton Roads, Await Storm". The Boston Globe. Associated Press. August 12, 1955. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Connie Speeds Closing of Boy Scout Camp". The Reading Eagle. Associated Press. August 11, 1955. Archived from the original on 2017-05-11. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ "Eisenhower Abandons Plane Trip Because of Hurricane". The Reading Eagle. Associated Press. August 11, 1955. Archived from the original on May 11, 2017. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- ^ a b "Gale Winds and Rain Whipped By Connie Sweep New Jersey". The Progress-Index. Petersburg, Virginia. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ Charles Grutzner (August 12, 1955). "City Alert Ended as Connie Whirls Toward Carolina". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 8, 2019. Retrieved March 7, 2019. – via The New York Times (subscription required)
- ^ a b c d e David M. Roth (March 6, 2013). "Hurricane Connie – August 6–14, 1955". Weather Prediction Center. Archived from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
- .
- ^ a b c "Hurricane Connie Now Medium-Sized". Lewiston Morning-Tribune. Associated Press. August 14, 1955. Retrieved January 24, 2013.
- ^ E.V.W. Jones (February 5, 1956). "1955 Broke All Records for Hurricane Damage". Meriden Record. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Hurricane Connie Is Losing Punch; Carolina Area Pounded". The Reading Eagle. Associated Press. August 11, 1955. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781438118796. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c d e Floods of August–October 1955: New England to North Carolina. Washington, D.C.: United States Geological Survey. 1960. pp. 15, 27. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "'Connie' Damage In S.C. Not To Be Estimated Yet". The Greenville News. Associated Press. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "Connie's Heavy Rains Do Moderate Damage". The Free Lance-Star. August 13, 1955. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ a b "North Carolina Hardest Hit by Hurricane Connie's Fury". Star-Gazette. Elmyra, New York. Associated Press. August 14, 1955. p. 43. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ a b "Vacationers Caught As Gales Spread Out". The Victoria Advocate. United Press. August 13, 1955. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ a b Frederick N. Rasmussen (April 24, 2004). "Ship was a tragedy waiting to happen". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on 2015-10-15. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ a b c "Connie's Visit to Valley Evaluated as Beneficial; Cleanup Near Complete". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. August 14, 1955. Retrieved April 5, 2019.
- ^ a b c National Weather Summary – Hydrologic Events and Floods and Droughts. United States Geological Survey. 1991. pp. 225, 419. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "One Cottage is Smashed; Power Cut". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Swirls into Penna.; Passes Wilmington 75 Miles to West". The News Journal. Wilmington, Delaware. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Bergen Still Mopping Up In Hurricane Aftermath". Bergen Evening Record. Hackensack, New Jersey. August 15, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Somerset Battered, Soaked By Connie, Still Drying Out". The Central New Jersey Home News. August 15, 1955. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ a b "Connie Blows Out in Central Penna.; Floods Block Phila. Area Traffic". The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 14, 1955. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ISBN 9780813530567. Retrieved January 23, 2013.
- ^ "Storm Threat Closes Camp for 63 Scouts". The Morning Call. Allentown, Pennsylvania. August 14, 1955. Archived from the original on April 3, 2019. Retrieved April 3, 2019.
- ^ "Heaviest Rain in 57 Yrs. Hits City". The Philadelphia Inquirer. August 14, 1955. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ "Heavy Rains, Winds Hit State". The Star-Gazette. Elmyra, New York. Associated Press. August 14, 1955. Archived from the original on April 8, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ a b "Connie Claims Lives of 14 in State". The Ithaca Journal. Associated Press. August 14, 1955. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ a b "New York Wallows in Heavy Rains". The Times Daily. Associated Press. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on 2017-05-11. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "Steady Rain, Winds Hurt Fruit Crop, Fell Trees, Wires". Democrat and Chronicle. Rochester, New York. August 14, 1955. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ "Connie-Incited Rains Wash Out Closing Events of Chenango Fair". The Sunday Press. Binghamton, New York. August 14, 1955.
- ^ 1955-Connie (Report). Environment Canada. November 9, 2009. Archived from the original on November 18, 2018. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ Lucius W. Dye (August 1955). Climatological Data: Michigan. Vol. 70. p. 116. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ ISBN 9781438118789. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
- ^ "U.S. to Grant Loans for Connie Damage". The Morning News. Wilmington, Delaware. August 13, 1955. Archived from the original on April 7, 2019. Retrieved April 6, 2019.
- ^ Gary Padgett; Jack Beven; James Lewis Free; Sandy Delgado (May 23, 2012). Subject: B3) What storm names have been retired? (Report). Hurricane Research Division. Archived from the original on December 6, 2006. Retrieved March 9, 2019.
External links