Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | August 20,1971 |
Dissipated | August 29,1971 |
Tropical storm | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 65 mph (100 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 989 mbar (hPa);29.21 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 7 direct |
Damage | $148 million (1971 USD) |
Areas affected | East Coast of the United States,Canada |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1971 Atlantic hurricane season |
Tropical Storm Doria was the costliest tropical cyclone in the 1971 Atlantic hurricane season. The fifth tropical storm of the season,Doria developed from a tropical wave on August 20 to the east of the Lesser Antilles,and after five days without development it attained tropical storm status to the east of Florida. Doria turned to the north,and reached peak winds of 65 mph (105 km/h) as it was making landfall near Morehead City,North Carolina. It turned to the northeast,and moved through the Mid-Atlantic and New England as a tropical storm before becoming an extratropical storm over Maine on August 29.
In North Carolina,Doria produced moderate rainfall,resulting in localized flooding and damage. The storm spawned a tornado near Norfolk,Virginia,damaging twelve houses and downing hundreds of trees. Tropical Storm Doria dropped heavy precipitation in New Jersey,peaking at 10.29 inches (261 mm) in Little Falls. The rainfall led to record-breaking river levels and flooding in several houses,resulting in damage to dozens of houses across the state. Moderate damage and rainfall continued along its path into New England and southeastern Canada. In all,Tropical Storm Doria caused seven deaths and $147.6 million (1971 USD,$1.07 billion2024 USD).
On August 15, a tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa, [1] and tracked westward while slowly organizing. On August 20, subsequent to the development of a low-level circulation, an area of convection along the wave developed into a tropical depression while located about 1,000 miles (1,600 km) east-northeast of Grenada. Initially failing to organize further, the depression moved to the west-northwest, and on August 23, it passed through the northern Lesser Antilles. The depression moved to the north of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and the Bahamas, and began to show further signs of organization on August 25. After briefly weakening on August 26, the depression re-strengthened while turning to the north, and attained tropical storm status on August 27 while located 230 miles (370 km) east of Daytona Beach, Florida. [2]
After reaching tropical storm status, Doria quickly intensified as its wind field expanded while moving northward. The minimum central pressure quickly dropped, as well, and late on August 27, Doria reached its peak intensity of 65 mph (105 km/h) while making landfall on North Carolina near Morehead City. The storm maintained its peak winds as it moved north-northeastward through North Carolina, and weakened slightly to a 60 mph (97 km/h) tropical storm after entering Virginia on August 28. Doria turned to the northeast, passing through the Chesapeake Bay and Delmarva Peninsula before entering southern New Jersey. It paralleled the state a short distance inland, and after moving through New York City Doria became extratropical over northwestern Maine on August 29. The extratropical remnant continued northeastward until losing its identity near the border of New Brunswick and Quebec in Canada. [2]
Doria passed near or through the northern Caribbean Islands and the Bahamas as a tropical depression, though effects, if any, are unknown. Tropical Storm Doria passed about 160 miles (260 km) east of Charleston, South Carolina, though its large wind field produced 22 mph (35 km/h) winds in the town. The storm also dropped light rainfall of up to 1.75 inches (44 mm), and resulted in a storm tide of 5.7 feet (1.7 m) above the mean low water level. [2]
Upon making landfall in North Carolina, Doria produced a storm tide of 2 feet (0.61 m) above normal at Cape Fear. Sustained winds in the state peaked at 41 mph (66 km/h) in Hatteras, [2] while gusts reached 69 mph (111 km/h) in Atlantic Beach. In most areas, wind damage was minimal. Tropical Storm Doria dropped moderate rainfall across the state, including a report of 4.17 inches (106 mm) in Cape Hatteras. [3] Over 5 inches (130 mm) of rain fell around the Albemarle Sound and near New Bern. [4] The rainfall led to flooding and mudslides, which blocked roads and highways. [3] In localized areas, the flooding caused severe damage to roads and houses. [5] Flooding from Doria also damaged water and sewage systems. [3] Rainfall in the state persisted for two weeks after the passage of Doria. [6]
In Virginia, the storm produced a storm tide of 3.6 feet (1.1 m) above normal in Norfolk. [2] Sustained winds peaked at 60 mph (97 km/h) in Langley Air Force Base, [7] while gusts reached 71 mph (114 km/h) in Norfolk. [2] The bands of the storm spawned an F1 tornado near Portsmouth and Chesapeake, damaging twelve homes and downing hundreds of trees. Damage from the tornado amounted to $250,000 (1971 USD$, 1.81 million2024 USD). [7] [8] Rainfall from Doria was moderate, peaking at 6.44 inches (164 mm) at a location 2 miles (3.2 km) south-southeast of Halifax. One person drowned in Alexandria when she fell into a draining ditch. The storm severely damaged a large warehouse in Norfolk, as well. [7] Damage in Virginia totaled $375,000 (1971 USD$, 2.71 million2024 USD). [9] Floodwaters from Doria clogged sewage systems near Norfolk, Virginia with sand and silt. This forced the sewage to be dumped into the Chesapeake Bay, resulting in the closure of several beaches for days. [7]
Tropical Storm Doria dropped 3.85 inches (98 mm) of rain in Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. In Maryland, the storm resulted in tides 2.7 feet (0.82 m) above normal in Fort McHenry. Rainfall in the state peaked at 4.39 inches (112 mm) in Baltimore, while wind gusts reached a maximum of 63 mph (101 km/h) at the United States Coast Guard station in Ocean City. The storm produced 5.09 inches (129 mm) of rain in Wilmington, Delaware and a storm tide of 3.2 feet (0.98 m) above normal in Lewes. In Pennsylvania, the passage of Tropical Storm Doria resulted in 6.57 inches (167 mm) of rain and peak wind gusts of 73 mph (117 km/h) in Philadelphia. [2] Moderate winds downed trees and power lines in Pennsylvania, [10] and one person died in the state. [2] Several rivers in the southeastern portion of the state experienced record-breaking flooding. [6]
In New Jersey, Doria produced wind gusts of up to 54 mph (87 km/h) and storm tides 5.3 feet (1.6 m) above normal in Atlantic City. [2] The outer bands of the storm spawned an F2 tornado near Cape May. It moved quickly northward through Cape May County, and caused about $250,000 in damage (1971 USD$, 1.81 million2024 USD) in damage along its 29-mile (47 km) path. [11] The storm dropped heavy rainfall, peaking at 10.29 inches (261 mm) in Little Falls. [12] Record 24-hour rainfall totals occurred in Newark with 7.84 inches (199 mm) and Trenton with 7.55 inches (192 mm). [13] The rainfall led to record flooding on several small streams in the state. [6] The Beden Brook crested at over 5 feet (1.5 m) above normal, which destroyed a bridge near Princeton. [10] The Raritan River at Manville crested at 9.8 feet (3.0 m), a record that stood until the passage of Hurricane Floyd in 1999. [14] The heavy rainfall overtopped the levee system in Zarephath, [15] causing severe damage to the Alma White College and preventing it from opening in the fall of 1971. [16] The rainfall also flooded two fire houses in Somerville with several feet of water, [17] and the water treatment plant in Bridgewater Township with 18 inches (460 mm) of floodwaters in what was catalogued as a 50-year flood event. [18] Following the flooding to the water treatment plant, officials raised the beams of the plant to withstand a 500-year flood event. [18] Eleven houses experienced flooding damage in Montgomery Township. [19] Doria killed three people [2] and caused $138 million in damage (1971 USD) in the state. [10]
Tropical Storm Doria produced moderate winds in New York City with gusts to 48 mph (77 km/h). The storm tide reached 3.8 feet (1.2 m) above normal at Battery Park, and rainfall peaked at 5.96 inches (151 mm). LaGuardia Airport recorded 2.29 inches (58 mm) of rain in a one-hour period. [2] The threat of the storm cancelled a baseball game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Mets. [20] Heavy rainfall flooded streets and subways in New York. [10] In Connecticut, Doria produced up to 3.12 inches (79 mm) of rain and wind gusts peaking at 48 mph (77 km/h) in Hartford. Doria dropped light rain in Rhode Island, including a report of 0.97 inches (25 mm) in Providence. The storm also produced wind gusts of up to 61 mph (98 km/h) and a storm tide of 5.9 feet (1.8 m) above mean water level. In Boston, rainfall totaled to 0.83 inches (21 mm), [2] while wind gusts peaked at 80 mph (130 km/h) at the Blue Hill Meteorological Observatory. [21] Two people drowned in Marblehead when they were swept away by surf from the storm. [22]
The storm dropped moderate rainfall in Vermont, including a total of 5.73 inches (146 mm) in Mays Mill. [23] The rainfall caused road washouts, landslides, and damage to bridges in the southeast portion of the state. [24] The center of Tropical Storm Doria passed over south-central New Hampshire, resulting in heavy rains and damaging winds. [25] Sustained winds in Maine were generally around 30 mph (48 km/h), while gusts peaked at 61 mph (98 km/h) in Lewiston. The strong winds resulted in downed trees and widespread outages to power and telephone service. The winds also damaged a mobile home in Sabattus and a steel shed in Lewiston. Doria produced moderate rainfall, including a total of 1.75 inches (44 mm) in Lewiston, though little flooding occurred. [22]
Moisture from Tropical Storm Doria entered southeastern Canada, peaking at over 3 inches (76 mm) in the Montérégie region of Quebec. [4] The rainfall led to severe flooding in Victoriaville, causing damage to roads, bridges, and crops. Damage totalled to about $250,000 (1971 CND, $245,000 1971 USD). [26]
Throughout its path, Tropical Storm Doria caused seven deaths and $147.6 million in damage (1971 USD).
In early September 1971, President Richard Nixon declared counties in New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania as disaster areas due to heavy rains and flooding. This allowed citizens in disaster areas to apply for federal assistance. [27] [28] [29]
The 1971 Atlantic hurricane season was fairly active with several notable storms. Hurricane Edith, the strongest of the season, was a Category 5 on the Saffir–Simpson scale. It struck Nicaragua at peak intensity, killing dozens, and later hit southern Louisiana. Until 2003, Hurricane Ginger held the record for the longest known duration of a North Atlantic tropical cyclone, lasting 27.25 days from early September to early October; it is currently the second longest-lasting Atlantic hurricane. Ginger moved ashore in North Carolina, producing heavy rains and damaging winds. An unnamed storm in August attained hurricane status further north than any other Atlantic hurricane. On 11 September, seven tropical cyclones were active at the same time, the record for the Atlantic basin.
Hurricane Charley was the second hurricane to threaten the East Coast of the United States within a year's timeframe, after Hurricane Gloria of 1985. The third tropical storm and second hurricane of the season, Charley formed as a subtropical low on August 13 along the Florida panhandle. After moving off the coast of South Carolina, the system transitioned into a tropical cyclone and intensified into a tropical storm on August 15. Charley later attained hurricane status before moving across eastern North Carolina. It gradually weakened over the north Atlantic Ocean before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on August 20. Charley's remnants remained identifiable for over a week, until after crossing Ireland and Great Britain they dissipated on August 30.
Hurricane Claudette was a moderately strong tropical cyclone that struck South Texas in July 2003. A fairly long-lived July Atlantic hurricane, Claudette was the fourth depression, third tropical storm and first hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Claudette began as a tropical wave in the eastern Caribbean. It moved quickly westward, brushing past the Yucatán Peninsula before moving northwestward through the Gulf of Mexico. Claudette remained a tropical storm until just before making landfall in Port O'Connor, Texas, when it quickly strengthened to a strong Category 1 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Forecasting of its path and intensity was uncertain throughout its lifetime, resulting in widespread and often unnecessary preparations along its path.
Tropical Storm Matthew was a weak tropical storm in the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season that made landfall on Louisiana. It was the thirteenth tropical storm of the season and the ninth to affect the United States. It formed over the western Gulf of Mexico on October 8 and struck south-central Louisiana two days later. The combination of the storm and an upper cyclone over the southern Plains brought heavy rains to much of the Gulf Coast, with the highest amounts reported over 15 inches (380 mm) in northern Louisiana. Damage was minimal, totaling $305,000 (2004 USD), and no casualties were reported.
Tropical Storm Bill was a tropical storm that affected the Gulf Coast of the United States in the summer of 2003. The second storm of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season, Bill developed from a tropical wave on June 29 to the north of the Yucatán Peninsula. It slowly organized as it moved northward, and reached a peak of 60 miles per hour (97 km/h) shortly before making landfall in south-central Louisiana. Bill quickly weakened over land, and as it accelerated to the northeast, moisture from the storm, combined with cold air from an approaching cold front, produced an outbreak of 34 tornadoes. Bill became extratropical on July 2, and was absorbed by the cold front later that day.
Tropical Storm Alberto was the first tropical storm of the 2006 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming on June 10 in the northwestern Caribbean, the storm moved generally to the north, reaching a maximum intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) before weakening and moving ashore in the Big Bend area of Florida on June 13. Alberto then moved through eastern Georgia, North Carolina, and Virginia as a tropical depression before becoming extratropical on June 14.
Tropical Storm Grace was a weak tropical storm that struck Texas in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. The eleventh tropical depression and the seventh tropical storm of the season, Grace was also the weakest storm of the season. On August 30 the storm developed from a long-track tropical wave in the western Gulf of Mexico. Grace remained disorganized throughout its lifetime due to an upper-level low to its west. The weak storm moved northwestward and made landfall on southeastern Texas. Grace quickly weakened over land, and dissipated on September 2 as it merged into a cold front.
Tropical Storm Chris caused minor flooding in the Greater Antilles and the Eastern United States in August 1988. The seventh tropical cyclone and third named storm of the annual hurricane season, Chris developed from a tropical wave while roughly midway between Africa and the Lesser Antilles on August 21. Forming as a tropical depression, it remained weak for several days, crossing the Lesser Antilles, Hispaniola, and The Bahamas during this time. While offshore the coast of Florida on August 28, the depression intensified into Tropical Storm Chris. Thereafter, the system tracked rapidly north-northwestward and came ashore near Savannah, Georgia later that day. Once inland, Chris quickly weakened, and by early on the following day, it weakened to a tropical depression over South Carolina. Six hours later, Chris was absorbed by a cold front while over North Carolina, though the remnants of the system tracked across the Eastern United States and Atlantic Canada before dissipating on August 30.
Tropical Storm Dean was a strong tropical storm that affected at least twelve islands along its path from the tropical Atlantic Ocean to east of Atlantic Canada in August 2001. Dean developed from a tropical wave on August 22 over the Lesser Antilles, and was initially predicted to intensify further to reach hurricane status. However, strong wind shear quickly weakened Dean to cause it to dissipate on August 23. The remnants turned northward, and redeveloped on August 26 to the north of Bermuda. Located over warm waters and in an area of favorable conditions, Dean steadily strengthened while moving to the northeast, and peaked just below hurricane status on August 27 about 465 miles (748 km) southwest of Newfoundland. The storm subsequently weakened over cooler waters, and became extratropical on August 28.
Tropical Storm Marco was the only tropical cyclone to make landfall on the United States during the 1990 Atlantic hurricane season. The 13th named storm of the season, Marco formed from a cold-core low pressure area along the northern coast of Cuba on October 9, and tracked northwestward through the eastern Gulf of Mexico. With most of its circulation over the western portion of Florida, Tropical Storm Marco produced 65 mph (105 km/h) winds over land. However, it weakened to a tropical depression before moving ashore near Cedar Key. The cyclone combined with a cold front and the remnants of Hurricane Klaus to produce heavy rainfall in Georgia and the Carolinas. After interacting with the nearby Hurricane Lili, Marco continued northward until being absorbed by a cold front on October 13.
Tropical Storm Beryl was an unusual Atlantic tropical cyclone that formed over southeastern Louisiana in August 1988. The second tropical storm of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Beryl developed from a slow-moving trough of low pressure on August 8. It tracked southeastward into the coastal waters of eastern Louisiana, and Beryl reached peak winds of 50 mph (80 km/h) while located about 75 miles (121 km) southeast of New Orleans. The storm turned to the northwest over Louisiana and Texas, and slowly dissipated. The remnants of Beryl continued northward into the central United States, dropping some rainfall and providing relief to a severe heat wave.