Hurricanes in New England - List of Tropical Cyclones - 20th Century

20th Century

• 1904 August - Category 1/extratropical - Damage in southeast Massachusetts, especially Martha's Vineyard. Trees down in Providence, Rhode Island and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Center moved NE just within coastline from Carolinas with eastern sector intact over ocean. Crossed Long Island and east RI border. Much marine destruction with heavy losses in Buzzards Bay and Vineyard Sound and Massachusetts Bay.

• 1916 July - Category 1 - Center moved north from open Atlantic, crossing Buzzards Bay/Cape Cod area of Massachusetts. Hourly wind reports indicated sustained 50 mph (80 km/h) but actual winds were higher than hourly observations. Gusts of 85 mph (137 km/h) recorded in southeast Massachusetts and Cape Cod.

• 1924 August - Category 2/3 - large center moved over and just east of Cape Cod. Severe hurricane in New Bedford and Martha's Vineyard Massachusetts. New Bedford Newspaper (Mercury) published photo journal of severity. Often overlooked though much material present to include as destructive storm. On Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket considered worse than 1938. Widespread wind losses to structures. Very heavy tree damage in New Bedford north to Plymouth Massachusetts. Storm later destructive in Nova Scotia.

• 1927 November — A tropical storm spawned torrential rains as it rose over the Green Mountain in Vermont, Nov. 3–4. The record flooding caused $40 million in damage and killed 84 people in Vermont and 1 in Rhode Island. The storm ended as snow in the mountains. Note that this flood was unrelated to the 1927 Mississippi Flood.

• 1934 September — Tropical Storm — weakening hurricane crossed Long Island and lost strength from slow movement as it moved through Connecticut much in a similar manner as Hurricane Belle of August 1976. Trees downed in Providence Rhode Island and New Haven Conn.

• 1936 September - Category 1 - Eye moved east-northeast over Block Island and Nantucket Sounds after moving up East Coast of U. S. north of North Carolina and Virginia. Destructive in Providence, Rhode Island and eastern Massachusetts. Boston had 80 mph (129 km/h) winds at 8am on the 18th as the storm moved east along the south coast of Cape Cod and the Islands. There was much media coverage but this storm was later eclipsed by the extreme hurricane two years later. Heavy wind damage in all of eastern Massachusetts.

• 1938 September - New England Hurricane of 1938 - Strong Category 3. Wind gusts reached Category 5 strength in eastern Connecticut, Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts west of Buzzards Bay and Cape Cod. The anemometer at the Blue Hill Observatory registered a peak wind gust of 186 m.p.h. before the instrument broke. The hurricane lost strength as it tracked into interior areas of New England, but it is believed to have been at Category 2 intensity as it crossed into Vermont and at minimal Category 1 intensity as it tracked into Quebec. The storm killed over 600 people and is considered to be the worst hurricane to strike New England in modern times.

• 1944 September- 15 - Great Atlantic Hurricane - Category 3 in southern New England. Eye over Conn. /Rhode Island border. Severe wind damage in southeastern Massachusetts and across the Cape and Islands. On Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard considered worse than 1938. Severe wind damage in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Much structural damage and much of the forest that had somehow escaped being decimated in 1938 fell victim to this storm.

• 1950 September - Hurricane Dog - Major offshore hurricane — largest in size of all Atlantic storms — moved very close to Nantucket. Hurricane conditions over southeast Massachusetts. New Bedford Airport at 11pm observation reported sustained wind from the north at 75 mph (121 km/h) with gust to 100 mph (160 km/h). Very large, intense storm.

• 1953 September - Hurricane Carol (the First) - Category 1. Maine landfall with considerable wind losses in Eastport, Maine and New Brunswick, Canada. This hurricane was eclipsed by the extreme damage of another Carol (the second) the very next year.135 mph at Block Island, R.I. and 125 at Milton, Ma.

• 1954 August - Hurricane Carol - Category 3- wind gusts of category four strength in southeast Rhode Island and south coastal Massachusetts in the Buzzards Bay area west of Cape Cod. 60 killed. Extreme damage in coastal south Rhode Island and south coastal Massachusetts. Buzzards Bay damage rivaled 1938 storm.

• 1954 September - Hurricane Edna - second Category 3 hurricane in two weeks in New England made two landfalls, eye over Martha's Vineyard and Cape Cod then again on coast of Maine where very severe losses occurred. Winds recorded at the hourly reading at 90 mph New Bedford Airport, New Bedford, Ma; 100 mph at Taunton, Ma. 112 mph at Milton Ma, and 125 mph at Chilmark, Martha's Vineyard Island.

• 1959 July — Hurricane Cindy scrapes New England.

• 1960 September 12–13 - Hurricane Donna - Category 2/3 with peak gust of 140 mph at Blue Hill, Massachusetts,135 Block Island Rhode Island. Peak wind gust at hourly read at anemometer at New Bedford Airport (Massachusetts) recorded 110 mph from south-southwest in a sheltered area. Airport is located in a landscape depression and sheltered from southerly and easterly winds,despite this very high 5 pm gust.Heavy tree,utility and structural damage in southeastern Massachusetts,coastal New Hampshire and Maine. Sixth hurricane hit in southern New England in thirty years, fifth major storm in 22 years. Hourly wind speed reading at City Hall in downtown New Bedford, Ma. recorded 80+ mph.

• 1961 September - Hurricane Esther - Category 1 hurricane moved within 35 miles of south coast of Rhode Island and Massachusetts before making a sharp right turn and then making a loop and returning as a tropical storm five days later. 7th hurricane in 30 years remained offshore but produced hurricane force winds in gusts from Block Island,RI eastward across Cape Cod, Ma. and islands. Less damage than in hurricane Donna a year previous. Gusts 75-90 mph onshore.

• 1962 October - Hurricane Daisy - offshore-produced hurricane conditions in coastal NE Maine and Mt. Desert Island.

• 1963 October - Hurricane Ginny - offshore-produced hurricane conditions on Nantucket Island, Massachusetts and again along coastal NE Maine.

• 1971 - Doria - August 28 - was in process of becoming Category one hurricane as it moved into Connecticut from Long Island. Hurricane force winds measured at sea level in Bridgeport Conn. Gusts to 80 mph (129 km/h) in southeast Massachusetts and Blue Hill.

• 1972 - Carrie - as transitioning to extratropical storm on crossing Cape Cod produced hurricane force gusts of 90 mph (145 km/h) in Plymouth and 100 mph (160 km/h) Hyannis, Massachusetts.

• 1976 August - Hurricane Belle - Hurricane's rather slow movement enabled weakening to set in as storm approached Long Island, NY and then moved into Connecticut, MA,and transversed the Vermont/NH border. Wind gusts to 90 mph in southern Connecticut, 60+mph Providence RI and 75 mph Newport, RI. Considered minor storm.

• 1985 September - Hurricane Gloria- Strong Category 1 - first hurricane of significant strength to move inland in southern New England since 1960. Widespread wind damage reported in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts, later into coastal New Hampshire and Maine. Tree damage in Conn. worst since 1938 and wind losses in RI and eastern Massachusetts considerable to trees, utilities and roofs. New Bedford, Massachusetts reported wind gusts over 90 mph, inland Rehoboth, Massachusetts state police barracks reported 120 mph and also later reported a tornado in vicinity. Winds at airport in Warwick, Rhode Island gusted to 85 mph at top of the hour reading. Winds on East Side of Providence near Brown University clocked at 100 mph. Winds in New London,Conn clocked at 110-112 mph. Widespread forest damage in Maine. Storm still had hurricane force wind gusts into New Brunswick, Canada.

• 1991 August - Hurricane Bob - Category 2. Winds gusted to Category 3 strength in southeastern Massachusetts. One of the smallest in area and yet most intense hurricanes to hit southern New England since 1938. Comparable to Hurricane Carol in Buzzards Bay area of Massachusetts and worst storm on Martha's Vineyard, MA since 1944. In top 25 storms of 20th century of US hurricanes in terms of dollar loss. (1938, 1944, 1954 Carol, 1960 Donna and Bob are all on list). Tidal surge of 10 feet above normal in upper reaches of Buzzards Bay. 135 mph at Block Island before anemometer blew away. 125 mph at Newport, RI,sustained 5 minute speed of 111 mph,gust 144 mph at Westport Harbour on coastal southern MA/RI border. 120 mph at MA Maritime Academy on Buzzards Bay, 120 Truro, MA. One minute sustained speed of 110 mph on Chappaquiddick Island, MA. Several private anemometers in Falmouth, MA on Cape Cod reported unofficial gusts of 150 mph. New Bedford fishing boat off Cuttyhunk Island, MA reported peak gust of 162 mph.

• 1991 October - Hurricane Grace/Henri - offshore — Wind gusts to 77 mph (124 km/h) over Cape Cod as far west as Jamestown, Rhode Island. Coastal damage very high in exposed eastern Massachusetts area from waves and tide. Minor wind damage coming just two months after Hurricane Bob which produced major damage over southeast Massachusetts.

• 1992-August 28 The remnants of Hurricane Andrew combined with a frontal boundary, and moved from the Mid-Atlantic states into New England. The system dropped light rain, and produced light wind.

• 1992-September 26 Remnants of Tropical Storm Danielle move just west of New England, but cause rainy conditions throughout the region.

• 1996- July — former Hurricane Bertha - storm moved into southern New England as a strong tropical storm with 70 mph sustained winds (just under hurricane force) and in some exposed areas gusted to minimal hurricane force in southern Rhode Island and south coastal Massachusetts west of Buzzards Bay. Minor damage but notable in coastal Rhode Island.

• 1996 September - Hurricane Edouard - Category 1 - offshore-hurricane force wind gusts from Buzzards Bay east across Cape and Islands. Worse storm than 1985 Gloria on Cape Cod but not as destructive as Bob which has become a benchmark hurricane on Cape Cod. Considerable losses on the Massachusetts islands. Oak Bluffs, Marthas Vineyard MA particularly hard-hit.

• October 8, 1996 – The remnants of Tropical Storm Josephine brush Cape Cod, dropping widespread light rain and wind gust of 45-60 mph at New Bedford, MA.

• July 26, 1997 – Tropical Storm Danny stalls just to the south of Nantucket, causing only minor damage, despite strong winds that are experienced in southeastern Massachusetts. The minor damage includes minimal flooding, power outages, and downed tree limbs.

• 1999 September 17–18 Hurricane Floyd – After paralleling much of the U.S. East Coast, Tropical Storm Floyd moves into Connecticut, and tracks northward through Maine. Floyd causes large power outages and flood damage across the region, with over five inches (130 mm) of rain falling over most of the area. Danbury, Connecticut received up to 15 inches (380 mm) of rain from the storm, resulting in extensive flooding in the city and surrounding areas. Mudslides were reported in the Berkshire Mountains of western Massachusetts. Several major highways and a countless number of local roads in Connecticut and Massachusetts were closed for several days due to flooding, and downed trees and power lines. Hurricane force wind gusts were observed in southern Rhode Island: North Kingston unofficially 90 mph.Wind gusts to 76 mph at New Bedford Hurricane Dike in New Bedford, Massachusetts and 73 mph in Hyannis, Massachusetts.