September 10th marks the climatological peak of the Atlantic hurricane season. Even though from this date forward the number of storms decreases on average, significant storms can still occur. This year marks the 77th anniversary of one such storm, the Great New England Hurricane of 1938 (also commonly referred to as the Long Island Express Hurricane) which struck on September 21st, 1938. It stands as one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes to impact Long Island and southern New England of all time.
Forming near the Cape Verde Islands off Africa, the storm tracked west northwest across the Atlantic Ocean strengthening to a category 5 hurricane as it approached the Bahamas. With a deep trough over the eastern United States, the hurricane turned northward, sparing the Bahamas and Florida. High pressure building north of Bermuda created a block and prevented the typical turn to the northeast and out to sea. Poor forecasting of the strength, position and track as recent as the morning of landfall (Sept 21st) was indeed dire. With only a mostly cloudy forecast, residents of Long Island and southern New England had no warning for what was about to happen. The hurricane, now racing north at more than 50 mph, made landfall near Bellport, in Suffolk County, Long Island shortly after 2 PM on September 21st as a category 3 hurricane.
At a lowest estimated pressure of 27.94 in (941 mb), maximum sustained winds of 120 mph and an estimated storm tide of 15 ft. ravaged eastern Long Island. The hurricane made a second landfall on the Connecticut coast between Bridgeport and New Haven around 4 pm, still a category 3 storm.
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The eye of the storm continued a path of destruction as it moved northward up the Connecticut River Valley into Massachusetts and then Vermont, around 6 pm as a category 1 storm. Reports of calm conditions and partial clearing from the storm’s eye even came as far north as Vermont, which rarely experiences hurricanes. Once in northern Vermont the storm finally began to lose tropical characteristics before crossing into Quebec and weakening further. Turning west, it finally dissipated in Ontario a few days later.
While the 1938 hurricane was not the strongest to hit the United States, the combination of poor forecasting, its rapid movement and it making landfall in a densely populated area created unparalleled damage at the time. The hurricane did more damage than the great San Francisco earthquake of 1906 and according to several publications, property damage was the greatest of any natural disaster in the western Hemisphere at that time.
One unexpected positive outcome from the storm was the massive need for clean-up and rebuilding. Until the storm there was still the lingering unemployment crisis from the Great Depression. Thousands were able to find work to repair and rebuild in the wake of the storm. For some quick stats on the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, see below.
Wind - Blue Hill Observatory in Milton, MA (just south of Boston) recorded sustained winds 121 mph and peak gust of 186 mph. These were the strongest winds ever recorded in the region and the 3rd highest ever recorded on earth!
Pressure – The lowest pressure at the time of landfall, 27.94 inch of mercury was recorded on the south shore of Long Island at the Coast Guard Station in Bellport, NY. Based on pressure reports, the eye of the hurricane was about 30 to 40 miles wide.
Storm Tide - 14 -18 feet along the Connecticut coast and up to 18 – 25 foot east of New London, CT to Cape Cod. Narragansett Bay in Rhode Island took the worst hit with downtown Providence, RI submerged under a storm tide of nearly 20 feet. Along the open ocean facing areas of Long Island and Rhode Island entire beach communities were swept away.
Peak Wave Heights – 50 ft. at Gloucester, MA.
Rain - The combined rainfall from several days before and the hurricane produced amounts of 10 to 17 inches across most of the Connecticut River Valley. The Connecticut River swelled to 35.4 feet at Hartford which is 19.4 feet above flood stage!
Fatalities - The hurricane was responsible for more than 600 fatalities, 564 deaths across southern New England and 60 on Long Island.
Damage – 8,900 homes and building were destroyed, more than 15,000 damaged, 2,600 boats destroyed, 3,300 damaged. 20,000 miles of electrical power and telephone lines downed. Downed power lines in Connecticut caused catastrophic fires in parts of New London, CT and Mystic, CT.
Cost - $620 million (US Dollars)
