Hurricane Able (1950)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Able was the first named
tropical cyclone
in the Atlantic Ocean
, and was also the first of a record eight major hurricanes in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season
. Its development was confirmed on August 12 by the Hurricane Hunters
, which is a group that intentionally flies into a hurricane for observations. Hurricane Able reached peak winds of 140 mph (225 km/h), and initially threatened to strike the Bahamas. Instead, it turned to the northwest and later to the northeast. After brushing the Outer Banks
and Cape Cod
, Able moved ashore on Nova Scotia
as a rapidly weakening tropical storm. It later crossed Newfoundland
and dissipated on August 22.
The hurricane prompted standard precautions in the Bahamas and Florida, although it did not affect the region. In North Carolina, winds and waves brushed the coast, while around New York City
, heavy rainfall caused some flooding. Along Cape Cod and Nantucket, Able produced winds up to 55 mph (90 km/h) and high waves, and across New England there were nine traffic fatalities. The hurricane killed 2 people in Canada and caused over $1 million in damage.
was considered "remarkably quiet" by the U.S. Weather Bureau, with no noteworthy activity until early August. A Hurricane Hunters
flight into an easterly wave
on August 12 indicated a developing tropical storm east of the Lesser Antilles
; it was later given the name "Able", which is the first name in the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
. It moved steadily northwestward and reached hurricane status on August 13, as it passed to the north of the Leeward Islands
. On August 16, Hurricane Able turned to the west and west-southwest, due to a high pressure system to its north. The next day it attained major hurricane status, and by early on August 18 Able reached peak winds of 140 mph (225 km/h). While at peak intensity, the storm was 350 miles (565 km) in diameter, and it had a pressure of 953 millibars (28.1 inHg), as reported by reconnaissance aircraft.
While near peak intensity, Able was expected to continue to the west toward the Bahamas and Florida
. It was the strongest hurricane to threaten the Bahamanian capital, Nassau
, since a hurricane in 1929
. The hurricane turned to the northwest, however, sparing the Bahamas from the strongest winds. On August 19, Able turned to the north, and the next day it accelerated to the northeast, after passing just offshore Cape Hatteras
, North Carolina
. Having maintained peak winds for 54 hours, Hurricane Able began to weaken on August 20, and early the next day it moved quickly by Cape Cod
. It produced winds of hurricane force in Nova Scotia
before it moved ashore as a weakening tropical storm near Halifax. Subsequently it deteriorated into a tropical depression, and Able crossed Newfoundland before dissipating late on August 22 in the far northern Atlantic Ocean.
issued northeast storm warnings from Morehead City, North Carolina
to the Eastern Shore of Virginia
. There, the hurricane ended up bringing light winds and rough waves. Moderate precipitation occurred along the North Carolina coast. In southern New England
, Able dropped 3 – 5 inches (75 – 125 mm) of rainfall, with a peak of 6.89 inches (175 mm) in Beechwood, Massachusetts
. Flooding was reported in portions of New York City
. The resulting slick roads from the rains caused nine traffic fatalities across New England. The storm produced 55 mph (90 km/h) gusts in Nantucket and Cape Cod
, along with high tides and waves. Offshore, the waves damaged a freighter headed for Florida.
In Nova Scotia
, Able produced hurricane force winds, the only land along its path to receive such winds; a gust of 99 mph (160 km/h) was reported in Halifax
. The hurricane also dropped heavy rainfall, including over 4.92 inches (125 mm) in Annapolis Valley
. Initially there were three fishing boats missing throughout the region, although two later returned to harbor. By August 22, the third was still missing over the Grand Banks
, which prompted a rescue team to search for the boat. Many other boats crashed against the coast, and two children died when their raft capsized. Two bridges and several roadways were washed out or flooded, and in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, floodwaters left roadways impassable. On land, Able produced heavy damage estimated at over $1 million (CAD
), half of which in Annapolis Valley, and split between crops, communications, and fishing industries.
From 1950 through 1952, names from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
were first used for storms in the North Atlantic. Able is the first name in the alphabet, and as such, Hurricane Able in 1950 was the first name officially to be used for an Atlantic hurricane. It was also the first of eight major hurricanes in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season
, which as of 2010 is still the record for the most major hurricanes in a season.
Tropical cyclone naming
Tropical cyclones have officially been named since 1945 and are named for a variety of reasons, which include to facilitate communications between forecasters and the public when forecasts, watches, and warnings are issued. Names also reduce confusion about what storm is being described, as more...
tropical cyclone
Tropical cyclone
A 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...
in the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, and was also the first of a record eight major hurricanes in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season
1950 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which tropical cyclones were given official names in the Atlantic basin. Names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was an active season...
. Its development was confirmed on August 12 by the Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
, which is a group that intentionally flies into a hurricane for observations. Hurricane Able reached peak winds of 140 mph (225 km/h), and initially threatened to strike the Bahamas. Instead, it turned to the northwest and later to the northeast. After brushing the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
and Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, Able moved ashore on Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
as a rapidly weakening tropical storm. It later crossed Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
and dissipated on August 22.
The hurricane prompted standard precautions in the Bahamas and Florida, although it did not affect the region. In North Carolina, winds and waves brushed the coast, while around New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, heavy rainfall caused some flooding. Along Cape Cod and Nantucket, Able produced winds up to 55 mph (90 km/h) and high waves, and across New England there were nine traffic fatalities. The hurricane killed 2 people in Canada and caused over $1 million in damage.
Meteorological history
The beginning of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season1950 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which tropical cyclones were given official names in the Atlantic basin. Names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was an active season...
was considered "remarkably quiet" by the U.S. Weather Bureau, with no noteworthy activity until early August. A Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
flight into an easterly wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
on August 12 indicated a developing tropical storm east of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
; it was later given the name "Able", which is the first name in the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was a radio alphabet developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the ICAO spelling alphabet in 1956, which replaced it...
. It moved steadily northwestward and reached hurricane status on August 13, as it passed to the 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...
. On August 16, Hurricane Able turned to the west and west-southwest, due to a high pressure system to its north. The next day it attained major hurricane status, and by early on August 18 Able reached peak winds of 140 mph (225 km/h). While at peak intensity, the storm was 350 miles (565 km) in diameter, and it had a pressure of 953 millibars (28.1 inHg), as reported by reconnaissance aircraft.
While near peak intensity, Able was expected to continue to the west toward the Bahamas and Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. It was the strongest hurricane to threaten the Bahamanian capital, Nassau
Nassau, Bahamas
Nassau is the capital, largest city, and commercial centre of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas. The city has a population of 248,948 , 70 percent of the entire population of The Bahamas...
, since a hurricane in 1929
1929 Florida Hurricane
The 1929 Bahamas Hurricane was the second hurricane and the only major hurricane during the very inactive 1929 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane was the only hurricane to cause any significant damage, resulting in $676,000 in damage...
. The hurricane turned to the northwest, however, sparing the Bahamas from the strongest winds. On August 19, Able turned to the north, and the next day it accelerated to the northeast, after passing just offshore Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras
Cape Hatteras is a cape on the coast of North Carolina. It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America...
, 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...
. Having maintained peak winds for 54 hours, Hurricane Able began to weaken on August 20, and early the next day it moved quickly by Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. It produced winds of hurricane force in Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
before it moved ashore as a weakening tropical storm near Halifax. Subsequently it deteriorated into a tropical depression, and Able crossed Newfoundland before dissipating late on August 22 in the far northern Atlantic Ocean.
Impact and records
When Hurricane Able was expected to move through the Bahamas, people executed standard preparations such as securing windows and bringing ships to harbor. One cruise liner diverted its route from the Bahamas toward New York. In Florida, the U.S. Air Force made preliminary plans to move planes. Ultimately, the hurricane spared the region. Further north, the United States Weather BureauNational Weather Service
The National Weather Service , once known as the Weather Bureau, is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States government...
issued northeast storm warnings from Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City, North Carolina
Morehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
to the Eastern Shore of Virginia
Eastern Shore of Virginia
The Eastern Shore of Virginia consists of two counties on the Atlantic coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The region is part of the Delmarva Peninsula and is separated from the rest of Virginia by the Chesapeake Bay. Its population was 45,553 as of 2010...
. There, the hurricane ended up bringing light winds and rough waves. Moderate precipitation occurred along the North Carolina coast. In southern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, Able dropped 3 – 5 inches (75 – 125 mm) of rainfall, with a peak of 6.89 inches (175 mm) in Beechwood, Massachusetts
Beechwood (Southbridge, Massachusetts)
Beechwood is a historic building at 495 Main Street in Southbridge, Massachusetts. It was built in 1868 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989....
. Flooding was reported in portions of New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. The resulting slick roads from the rains caused nine traffic fatalities across New England. The storm produced 55 mph (90 km/h) gusts in Nantucket and Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, along with high tides and waves. Offshore, the waves damaged a freighter headed for Florida.
In Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, Able produced hurricane force winds, the only land along its path to receive such winds; a gust of 99 mph (160 km/h) was reported in Halifax
City of Halifax
Halifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
. The hurricane also dropped heavy rainfall, including over 4.92 inches (125 mm) in Annapolis Valley
Annapolis Valley
The Annapolis Valley is a valley and region in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It is located in the western part of the Nova Scotia peninsula, formed by a trough between two parallel mountain ranges along the shore of the Bay of Fundy.-Geography:...
. Initially there were three fishing boats missing throughout the region, although two later returned to harbor. By August 22, the third was still missing over the Grand Banks
Grand Banks
The Grand Banks of Newfoundland are a group of underwater plateaus southeast of Newfoundland on the North American continental shelf. These areas are relatively shallow, ranging from in depth. The cold Labrador Current mixes with the warm waters of the Gulf Stream here.The mixing of these waters...
, which prompted a rescue team to search for the boat. Many other boats crashed against the coast, and two children died when their raft capsized. Two bridges and several roadways were washed out or flooded, and in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, floodwaters left roadways impassable. On land, Able produced heavy damage estimated at over $1 million (CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
), half of which in Annapolis Valley, and split between crops, communications, and fishing industries.
From 1950 through 1952, names from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was a radio alphabet developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the ICAO spelling alphabet in 1956, which replaced it...
were first used for storms in the North Atlantic. Able is the first name in the alphabet, and as such, Hurricane Able in 1950 was the first name officially to be used for an Atlantic hurricane. It was also the first of eight major hurricanes in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season
1950 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which tropical cyclones were given official names in the Atlantic basin. Names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was an active season...
, which as of 2010 is still the record for the most major hurricanes in a season.