Hurricane Diane
| Category 3 hurricane (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| August 17, 1955 weather map, featuring Diane | |
| Formed | August 7, 1955 |
| Dissipated | August 20, 1955 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 120 mph (195 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | ≤ 969 mbar (hPa); 28.61 inHg |
| Fatalities | 191 total[1][2] |
| Damage | $831 million (1955 USD) |
| Areas affected | North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New England |
| Part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Diane was one of three hurricanes to hit North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season, striking an area that had been hit by Hurricane Connie five days earlier. Diane's winds rapidly decreased so much that it was no longer classified even as a tropical storm, but Diane added six to sixteen inches of rain on areas already sodden from Connie, leading to extensive flooding in northern Virginia, Maryland, eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey, southern New York, and southern New England. The storm caused about 200 deaths.[2] Diane was the costliest hurricane in United States history until it was surpassed by Hurricane Betsy in 1965, and was the sixth costliest U.S. hurricane of the 20th century.[3] Total damages from the storm amounted to $831 million.
Contents |
[edit] Meteorological history
A tropical wave developed into a tropical depression on August 7 in the tropical Atlantic. It moved west-northwestward, and became a tropical storm on the 9th. A cold low above and warm waters below provided instability, and as Diane turned northeastward on the August 11 and August 12, it rapidly strengthened to its peak as a 120 mph (195 km/h) major hurricane. When the cold low left the storm, Diane turned to the west again, with a ridge of high pressure to its north.
Diane retained its peak intensity for three days, but cooler air behind Connie became entrained in Diane's circulation. The hurricane steadily weakened as it moved west-northwestward, and Diane made landfall as a minimal Category 1 hurricane near Carolina Beach, North Carolina on August 17, about 150 miles southwest of Connie's landfall only 5 days before.
After reaching Virginia, Diane recurved to the northeast in response to the weakening of the Bermuda-Azores high. It paralleled the south coast of New England as a tropical storm on August 19 and August 20, and became extratropical later that day while south of Nova Scotia.
[edit] Impact
When Diane brought heavy rain through New England, flooding was immediate and devastating. Compounding the problem was the fact that Diane was, and still remains, the wettest tropical cyclone on record for the Northeast.[4] Many small rivers rose above their banks from mountain run-off and flooded towns throughout New England. Flood records were numerous throughout the northeast, and damage was high. Many areas in Connecticut were flooded once more, including Putnam, Winsted and Waterbury, as well as East Granby, where a former housing subdivision sitting where Grandbrook Park is today was completely swept away by the floodwaters.
At a creek near Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, fifty people drowned when they were unable to escape the rising water.[5]
An estimated 184–200 people died because of the direct effects of Diane (on top of the 25 killed by Connie).[2]
$831 million (1955 USD) in damages is attributed to Diane (although separating damage from Hurricane Connie and Hurricane Ione is difficult).[6] Accounting for inflation, Diane is the 12th costliest hurricane in U.S. history (as of 2005), with total damages of $7 billion (2004 USD).[3]
[edit] Aftermath
The flooding in the Delaware River water basin initiated federal involvement to dam the Delaware River with the Tocks Island Dam Project. The project fell through after opposition from local residents, lack of funding, and geological problems.
In Connecticut, flooding from Diane prompted the United States Army Corps of Engineers to build $70 million worth of dams and flood walls along several Connecticut Rivers. In 1960, they built the Thomaston Dam. In 1965, the Northfield Brook Dam, in 1968, the Hop Brook Dam and in 1969, the Colebrook Dam.[7]
Hurricane Diane also severely damaged or destroyed parts of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad, causing the railway to suspend operations for a time. The resulting debts and operational constraints placed upon the DL&W contributed to its ultimate merger with the Erie Railroad in 1960. The Delaware Bridge was swept away by the storm, never to be rebuilt.
[edit] Retirement
The name Diane was later retired due to this storm, and will never be used for an Atlantic hurricane again.
[edit] See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Massachusetts
- List of North Carolina hurricanes
[edit] References
- General
- Shafer, Mary A. (2010). Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955 Second Edition. Word Forge Books. ISBN 9780977132904.
- Specific
- ^ Longshore, p. 132
- ^ a b c Jack Beven, Edward Rappaport, & Jose Fernandez-Partagas (1997-04-22). "Appendix 1: Cyclones with 25+ deaths". NOAA/NHC deadliest hurricanes. National Hurricane Center. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadly.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ a b Eric S. Blake, Max Mayfield, Jerry D. Jarrell, & Ed Rappaport. "Costliest U.S. Hurricanes 1900-2004 (adjusted)". National Hurricane Center. http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastcost2.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ David M. Roth (2008-01-06). "Tropical Cyclone Point Maxima". Hydrometeorological Prediction Center. http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/tcmaxima.html. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ Addison Whipple (1982). Storm. Time Life Books. p. 103. ISBN 0-8094-4312-0.
- ^ Eric S. Blake, Max Mayfield, Jerry D. Jarrell, & Ed Rappaport. "Costliest U.S. Hurricanes 1900-2004 (unadjusted)". http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastcost.shtml. Retrieved 2008-01-08.
- ^ Fillo, Maryellen. "Now, Dams and Reservoirs, Doppler and Satellites." Hartford Courant. Aug. 15, 2005. Retrieved July 3, 2011.
[edit] External links
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||
