Georgia-South Carolina Hurricane of 1940
Encyclopedia
The Georgia – South Carolina Hurricane was a strong Category 1
hurricane that struck the Georgia
and South Carolina
coast between August 11 and August 12, 1940. After forming north of the Leeward Islands
, the storm moved west-northwest, moving east of the Bahamas before resuming a west-northwest track towards the Southeastern United States
. Hurricane warnings were in effect for the United States
coastline near and north of where the center made landfall. A 13-foot storm tide
was measured along the South Carolina
coast, while over 15 inches (381 mm) of rain fell across northern North Carolina
. Significant flooding and landslides struck Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia during the system's slow trek as a weakening tropical storm, and then as an extratropical cyclone
, through the Southeast. The landslides which struck North Carolina were considered a once in a century event. Damages relating to the storm totaled $13 million (1940 USD) and 50 people perished.
origin, the storm was detected between St. Martin and St. Thomas
on August 5. The storm moved moving west-northwest near the Mona Passage, bringing squalls of 44 miles per hour (70.8 km/h) to San Juan, Puerto Rico
. On August 6, the developing storm was near the southeastern Bahamas, bringing moderate to rough seas. The cyclone
turned northward after its close approach to the southeastern Bahamas. By August 10 a ship reported that winds were hurricane force. In the afternoon of August 11, the hurricane made landfall near Beaufort, South Carolina
where it moved inland and turned just northeast of Savannah, Georgia
between 5 and 6 p.m. on the same day. Savannah's wind peaked at 73 miles per hour (117.5 km/h) and the pressure fell to 28.78 inches of mercury (974.6 hPa). It was the area's worst storm in 29 years. Hurricane-force winds were witnessed between Savannah and Charleston. Weakening into a tropical storm that evening, for the next four or five days the storm meandered inland as a weak tropical storm before evolving into an extratropical cyclone
on the evening of August 14.
to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. By the morning of August 11, storm warnings were in effect from Wilmington, North Carolina
northward to Cape Hatteras and from Savannah, Georgia
to Fernandina Beach, Florida
. Hurricane warnings were in effect from Savannah northward to Wilmington. All coastal warnings were dropped by August 12.
, while Savannah, Georgia received $1 million in damage. Damage to the coastline totaled $3 million (1940 USD). Two people in Georgia died from heart failure. Near the point of landfall, a total of 10.84 inches (275.3 mm) of rainfall fell at Beaufort, South Carolina
within a 24-hour period. The highest reported rainfall amount in Georgia was recorded was 13.68 inches (347.5 mm) one mile east of Louisville
while the highest amount in South Carolina was reported from Charleston
, where 12.66 inches (321.6 mm) fell. On the coastal areas where the hurricane was hit there was a considerable loss of life. Early press reports said that 35 were dead. According to the Monthly Weather Review, the deaths were low because of hurricane warnings and evacuations. However, modern sources indicate that 50 people died during this storm.
, the Carolinas and northern Georgia. Rainfall amounts across western North Carolina exceeded 15 inches (381 mm), with the highest amount recorded at Idlewild, where 20.65 inches (524.5 mm) fell. Landslide
s were common in the mountains of western North Carolina, where it is considered a once in over 100 year landslide event. The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina railroad line was severed so badly it ceased operation. The peak discharge of the flood along Wilson Creek near Adako, North Carolina was estimated at 99000 ft3/sec. A total of 26 perished during the Deep Gap Debris Flow in Watauga County, North Carolina
alone. Major portions of the county were cut off for two weeks. Debris flows and flooding cut off U.S. Highway 421 in 21 places through a six mile stretch of roadway between Deep Gap and Maple Springs in Wilkes County, North Carolina
. Flooding destroyed 90% of the bridges in Caldwell County, North Carolina
. Press reports stated that 30 people died in the floods. Damage amounted to over $10 million (1940 USD, $154 million 2008 USD).
on August 13, as the system entered the state from the west. Deluges flooded locations across southern and western sections of the Old Dominion. Hampton Roads measured 4.76 inches (120.9 mm) of rainfall. The highest rainfall amount statewide was recorded at Copper Hill
, where 17.03 inches (432.6 mm) fell. Emporia
, on the Meherrin river
, recorded a flood of record on August 17 when the river stage crested at 31.5 feet (9.6 m), which was 8.5 feet (2.6 m) feet above flood stage
. Mountain rivers and streams overflowed, washing out bridges and causing landslides which blocked roads. Several highways between Norfolk
, southwest Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina
were closed. A collision on August 13 involving the oil screw F.B. Scarbrough 5 miles (8 km) above Coles Point may have been caused by this system.
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
hurricane that struck the Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
and South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
coast between August 11 and August 12, 1940. After forming north of the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, the storm moved west-northwest, moving east of the Bahamas before resuming a west-northwest track towards the Southeastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. Hurricane warnings were in effect for the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
coastline near and north of where the center made landfall. A 13-foot storm tide
Storm tide
A storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. Storm tides can be a severe danger to the coast and the people living along the coast. The water level can rise to more than 5 meters above the normal tide....
was measured along the South Carolina
South Carolina
South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...
coast, while over 15 inches (381 mm) of rain fell across northern North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
. Significant flooding and landslides struck Georgia, North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia during the system's slow trek as a weakening tropical storm, and then as an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
, through the Southeast. The landslides which struck North Carolina were considered a once in a century event. Damages relating to the storm totaled $13 million (1940 USD) and 50 people perished.
Meteorological history
Possibly of Cape VerdeCape Verde
The Republic of Cape Verde is an island country, spanning an archipelago of 10 islands located in the central Atlantic Ocean, 570 kilometres off the coast of Western Africa...
origin, the storm was detected between St. Martin and St. Thomas
Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands
Saint Thomas is an island in the Caribbean Sea and with the islands of Saint John, Saint Croix, and Water Island a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands , an unincorporated territory of the United States. Located on the island is the territorial capital and port of...
on August 5. The storm moved moving west-northwest near the Mona Passage, bringing squalls of 44 miles per hour (70.8 km/h) to San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan , officially Municipio de la Ciudad Capital San Juan Bautista , is the capital and most populous municipality in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the United States. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 395,326 making it the 46th-largest city under the jurisdiction of...
. On August 6, the developing storm was near the southeastern Bahamas, bringing moderate to rough seas. The cyclone
Cyclone
In meteorology, a cyclone is an area of closed, circular fluid motion rotating in the same direction as the Earth. This is usually characterized by inward spiraling winds that rotate anticlockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere of the Earth. Most large-scale...
turned northward after its close approach to the southeastern Bahamas. By August 10 a ship reported that winds were hurricane force. In the afternoon of August 11, the hurricane made landfall near Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
where it moved inland and turned just northeast of Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
between 5 and 6 p.m. on the same day. Savannah's wind peaked at 73 miles per hour (117.5 km/h) and the pressure fell to 28.78 inches of mercury (974.6 hPa). It was the area's worst storm in 29 years. Hurricane-force winds were witnessed between Savannah and Charleston. Weakening into a tropical storm that evening, for the next four or five days the storm meandered inland as a weak tropical storm before evolving into an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
on the evening of August 14.
Preparations
From August 7 and 9, small craft were advised to exercise caution over the eastern Bahamas and western subtropical Atlantic Ocean as the system approached the region. By 9:30 a.m. on August 10, small craft warnings were in effect for the extreme northern Bahamas, and along the United States coast from Miami, FloridaMiami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. By the morning of August 11, storm warnings were in effect from Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington, North Carolina
Wilmington is a port city in and is the county seat of New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population is 106,476 according to the 2010 Census, making it the eighth most populous city in the state of North Carolina...
northward to Cape Hatteras and from Savannah, Georgia
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
to Fernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach, Florida
Fernandina Beach is a city in Nassau County in the state of Florida in the United States of America and on Amelia Island. It is a part of Greater Jacksonville and is among Florida's northernmost cities. The area was first inhabited by the Timucuan Indian tribe...
. Hurricane warnings were in effect from Savannah northward to Wilmington. All coastal warnings were dropped by August 12.
Impact
The hurricane left $13 million (1940 USD) in damage and 50 dead.South Carolina and Georgia
A storm tide of 13 feet (4 m) was measured along the coast of South Carolina. The cyclone inflicted $1.5 million in damage in Charleston, South CarolinaCharleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, while Savannah, Georgia received $1 million in damage. Damage to the coastline totaled $3 million (1940 USD). Two people in Georgia died from heart failure. Near the point of landfall, a total of 10.84 inches (275.3 mm) of rainfall fell at Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort, South Carolina
Beaufort is a city in and the county seat of Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston. The city's population was 12,361 in the 2010 census. It is located in the Hilton Head Island-Beaufort Micropolitan...
within a 24-hour period. The highest reported rainfall amount in Georgia was recorded was 13.68 inches (347.5 mm) one mile east of Louisville
Louisville, Georgia
Louisville is a city in Jefferson County, Georgia, United States. It is the former capital of Georgia and is the county seat of Jefferson County. It is located southwest of Augusta on the Ogeechee River, and its population was 2,712 at the 2000 census. The local pronunciation is the Americanized...
while the highest amount in South Carolina was reported from Charleston
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. It was made the county seat of Charleston County in 1901 when Charleston County was founded. The city's original name was Charles Towne in 1670, and it moved to its present location from a location on the west bank of the...
, where 12.66 inches (321.6 mm) fell. On the coastal areas where the hurricane was hit there was a considerable loss of life. Early press reports said that 35 were dead. According to the Monthly Weather Review, the deaths were low because of hurricane warnings and evacuations. However, modern sources indicate that 50 people died during this storm.
Tennessee and North Carolina
After leaving the coast, the dissipating storm brought heavy rains that sparked disastrous flash floods. The floods inundated much of TennesseeTennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, the Carolinas and northern Georgia. Rainfall amounts across western North Carolina exceeded 15 inches (381 mm), with the highest amount recorded at Idlewild, where 20.65 inches (524.5 mm) fell. Landslide
Landslide
A landslide or landslip is a geological phenomenon which includes a wide range of ground movement, such as rockfalls, deep failure of slopes and shallow debris flows, which can occur in offshore, coastal and onshore environments...
s were common in the mountains of western North Carolina, where it is considered a once in over 100 year landslide event. The East Tennessee and Western North Carolina railroad line was severed so badly it ceased operation. The peak discharge of the flood along Wilson Creek near Adako, North Carolina was estimated at 99000 ft3/sec. A total of 26 perished during the Deep Gap Debris Flow in Watauga County, North Carolina
Watauga County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 42,695 people, 16,540 households, and 9,411 families residing in the county. The population density was 137 people per square mile . There were 23,155 housing units at an average density of 74 per square mile...
alone. Major portions of the county were cut off for two weeks. Debris flows and flooding cut off U.S. Highway 421 in 21 places through a six mile stretch of roadway between Deep Gap and Maple Springs in Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County, North Carolina
Wilkes County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The 2000 U.S. Census listed the county's population at 65,632; the 2010 U.S. Census listed the population at 69,340...
. Flooding destroyed 90% of the bridges in Caldwell County, North Carolina
Caldwell County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 77,415 people, 30,768 households, and 22,399 families residing in the county. The population density was 164 people per square mile . There were 33,430 housing units at an average density of 71 per square mile...
. Press reports stated that 30 people died in the floods. Damage amounted to over $10 million (1940 USD, $154 million 2008 USD).
Virginia
Rains began in VirginiaVirginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
on August 13, as the system entered the state from the west. Deluges flooded locations across southern and western sections of the Old Dominion. Hampton Roads measured 4.76 inches (120.9 mm) of rainfall. The highest rainfall amount statewide was recorded at Copper Hill
Copper Hill, Virginia
Copper Hill is an unincorporated community in Floyd County, Virginia, United States....
, where 17.03 inches (432.6 mm) fell. Emporia
Emporia, Virginia
Emporia is an independent city located within the confines of Greensville County, Virginia, United States. The population was estimated to be 5,927 in 2010. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Emporia with surrounding Greensville county for statistical purposes...
, on the Meherrin river
Meherrin River
The Meherrin River is a long river in the U.S. states of Virginia and North Carolina. It begins in central Virginia, about northwest of Emporia, and flows roughly east-southeast into North Carolina, where it joins the larger Chowan River....
, recorded a flood of record on August 17 when the river stage crested at 31.5 feet (9.6 m), which was 8.5 feet (2.6 m) feet above flood stage
Flood stage
Flood stage is the level at which the surface of a river, creek, or other body of water has risen to a sufficient level to cause damage or affects use of man-made structures...
. Mountain rivers and streams overflowed, washing out bridges and causing landslides which blocked roads. Several highways between Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
, southwest Virginia, and Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville, North Carolina
Asheville is a city in and the county seat of Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. It is the largest city in Western North Carolina, and the 11th largest city in North Carolina. The City is home to the United States National Climatic Data Center , which is the world's largest active...
were closed. A collision on August 13 involving the oil screw F.B. Scarbrough 5 miles (8 km) above Coles Point may have been caused by this system.
See also
- List of tropical cyclones
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in North Carolina
- Tropical cycloneTropical cycloneA tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
