Hurricane Barbara (1953)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Barbara was the second named tropical cyclone
of the 1953 Atlantic hurricane season
. Forming from a tropical wave
on August 11 in the southern Bahamas, Barbara moved northward and attained hurricane status the next day. Ultimately peaking with winds corresponding to Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
, Barbara moved ashore in eastern North Carolina
and curved back out to sea. The storm passed to the southeast of the New England
region and dissipated on August 16. Damage from the hurricane was fairly minor, totaling around $1.3 million (1953 USD
, $ USD). Most of it occurred in North Carolina and Virginia from crop damage. The hurricane left several injuries, some traffic accidents, as well as seven fatalities in the eastern United States; at least two were due to electrocution from downed power lines. Offshore Atlantic Canada
, a small boat sunk, killing its crew of two.
moved westward across the Atlantic Ocean
. The wave was initially weak as it tracked toward Cuba
, but on August 10, there were indications of a closed circulation center over the eastern portion of the island. The low deepened a bit as it moved northward to a position near Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas on August 11, at which time the disturbance organized into a tropical storm. The storm intensified throughout the day, and on the morning of August 12, reconnaissance
aircraft found winds of about 75 mph (120 km/h) in the northeastern section of the circulation, although the southwestern portion was still weak and disorganized. It is estimated that Barbara became a hurricane at around 1200 UTC
.
Moving north-northwestward, the hurricane continued to mature, and it attained an intensity corresponding to Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale early on August 13 as it approached eastern North Carolina
. Shortly thereafter, Barbara reached its peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) while located south of Cape Hatteras
. The cyclone moved over the Outer Banks
of North Carolina overnight, crossing the shore between Morehead City and Ocracoke
. It weakened as it progressed northward, and curved eastward out to sea due to a building ridge. It passed just southeast of the Mid-Atlantic states
and New England
, brushing Cape Cod
, Massachusetts
as it began to accelerate northeastward.
As Barbara moved toward the Canadian Maritimes, it began to undergo an extratropical transition
, completing the transition by late on August 15 just south of Nova Scotia
. However, the Canadian Hurricane Centre
assessed Barbara as remaining tropical until after it turned northward and struck eastern Nova Scotia on August 16. At this time, a trough
developed to the southeast of the storm, and Barbara later tracked just west of Newfoundland. A new low formed in association with the trough, and as Barbara rapidly headed northward, the developing center moved more slowly. However, the new low quickly gained strength and became the more intense of the two storm systems. Barbara then stalled near Goose Bay
and lost its tropical identity, dissipating late on August 16.
from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The agency also advised small boats in the region to remain at port during the storm. Evacuations were ordered for a few islands in the Outer Banks
, and several thousand tourists voluntarily left the coastline for safer areas. Overall, about 50,000 people evacuated due to the hurricane. Further north, the Coast Guard
advised people to avoid swimming along the coast of Long Island
.
The lowest pressure on land related to the storm was 988 hPa (29.19 inHg) at Coinjock, North Carolina
. Wind gusts of up to 90 mph (144.8 km/h) were recorded at Hatteras and Nags Head. Torrential rainfall, unofficially exceeding 9 in (0.2286 m) at Nags Head, fell across the state and extending northward into Virginia
. The maximum rainfall associated with Barbara was 11.1 in (281.9 mm) near Onley
along the Eastern Shore of Virginia
. Offshore, a freighter rode out the storm after losing power. As the storm passed southeast of New England, winds reached up to 60 mph (96.6 km/h).
Along the coastline, Barbara flooded roads and houses. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, leaving some cities isolated from communication. Some of the downed trees were large and had survived the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944. The combination of winds and rainfall left some damage to crops and structures. The storm's impact along the coast was light to moderate, with monetary damage estimated around $1.3 million (1953 USD
, $ USD), mostly from the crop damage. Four marines in the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
were injured, as was a Coast Guard worker. One person died at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
, after winds blew him off of a pier. A report on the cyclone by the U.S. Weather Bureau indicates that this is the only causality associated with Barbara. However, newspaper articles subsequent to the storm report several more fatalities, with one paper reporting a total of seven deaths; two of them were from electrocutions. The rainfall from Barbara was blamed for traffic accidents further north in New Jersey
and New York City
, causing four deaths. There was also an indirect death in New York when a man had a heart attack while securing his boat. In Atlantic City, New Jersey
, there was damage to storefronts. Along Nantucket, the hurricane washed several boats ashore, although there was little damage in the region.
In the Grand Banks
offshore Atlantic Canada
, Barbara sunk a dory
, killing two people. Along the Canadian mainland, ships were advised to stay at port during the storm. Barbara produced tropical storm force winds across the region, peaking at 63 mph (102 km/h) when it moved ashore.
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...
of the 1953 Atlantic hurricane season
1953 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1953 Atlantic hurricane season was the first time an organized list of female names was used to name Atlantic storms. It officially began on June 15, and lasted until November 15, although activity occurred both before and after the season's limits...
. Forming from a tropical 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 11 in the southern Bahamas, Barbara moved northward and attained hurricane status the next day. Ultimately peaking with winds corresponding to Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
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...
, Barbara moved ashore in eastern 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...
and curved back out to sea. The storm passed to the southeast of the 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...
region and dissipated on August 16. Damage from the hurricane was fairly minor, totaling around $1.3 million (1953 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD). Most of it occurred in North Carolina and Virginia from crop damage. The hurricane left several injuries, some traffic accidents, as well as seven fatalities in the eastern United States; at least two were due to electrocution from downed power lines. Offshore Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, a small boat sunk, killing its crew of two.
Meteorological history
In the days preceding the storm's formation, a tropical waveTropical 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...
moved westward across 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...
. The wave was initially weak as it tracked toward Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
, but on August 10, there were indications of a closed circulation center over the eastern portion of the island. The low deepened a bit as it moved northward to a position near Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas on August 11, at which time the disturbance organized into a tropical storm. The storm intensified throughout the day, and on the morning of August 12, reconnaissance
Reconnaissance
Reconnaissance is the military term for exploring beyond the area occupied by friendly forces to gain information about enemy forces or features of the environment....
aircraft found winds of about 75 mph (120 km/h) in the northeastern section of the circulation, although the southwestern portion was still weak and disorganized. It is estimated that Barbara became a hurricane at around 1200 UTC
Coordinated Universal Time
Coordinated Universal Time is the primary time standard by which the world regulates clocks and time. It is one of several closely related successors to Greenwich Mean Time. Computer servers, online services and other entities that rely on having a universally accepted time use UTC for that purpose...
.
Moving north-northwestward, the hurricane continued to mature, and it attained an intensity corresponding to Category 2 status on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale early on August 13 as it approached eastern 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...
. Shortly thereafter, Barbara reached its peak winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) while located south of 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...
. The cyclone moved over 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....
of North Carolina overnight, crossing the shore between Morehead City and Ocracoke
Ocracoke
Ocracoke may refer to:* Ocracoke, North Carolina* Ocracoke Island Light, a lighthouse on Ocracoke island* Ocracoke Inlet, the inlet at the southern end of Ocracoke Island...
. It weakened as it progressed northward, and curved eastward out to sea due to a building ridge. It passed just southeast of the Mid-Atlantic states
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
and 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...
, brushing 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...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
as it began to accelerate northeastward.
As Barbara moved toward the Canadian Maritimes, it began to undergo an extratropical transition
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...
, completing the transition by late on August 15 just south of 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...
. However, the Canadian Hurricane Centre
Canadian Hurricane Centre
The Canadian Hurricane Centre is a division of the Meteorological Service of Canada, an agency of Canada's Department of the Environment, which exists to advise Canadians on the threat of tropical cyclones such as hurricanes and tropical storms...
assessed Barbara as remaining tropical until after it turned northward and struck eastern Nova Scotia on August 16. At this time, a trough
Trough (meteorology)
A trough is an elongated region of relatively low atmospheric pressure, often associated with fronts.Unlike fronts, there is not a universal symbol for a trough on a weather chart. The weather charts in some countries or regions mark troughs by a line. In the United States, a trough may be marked...
developed to the southeast of the storm, and Barbara later tracked just west of Newfoundland. A new low formed in association with the trough, and as Barbara rapidly headed northward, the developing center moved more slowly. However, the new low quickly gained strength and became the more intense of the two storm systems. Barbara then stalled near Goose Bay
Goose Bay
Goose Bay may refer to:* Happy Valley – Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada* Goose Bay , Canada...
and lost its tropical identity, dissipating late on August 16.
Preparations and impact
Before the hurricane began affecting land, the U.S. Weather Bureau issued northeast storm warningsTropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
from Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Myrtle Beach is a coastal city on the east coast of the United States in Horry County, South Carolina. It is situated on the center of a large and continuous stretch of beach known as the Grand Strand in northeastern South Carolina. It is considered to be a major tourist destination in the...
to Cape Hatteras, North Carolina. The agency also advised small boats in the region to remain at port during the storm. Evacuations were ordered for a few islands in 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 several thousand tourists voluntarily left the coastline for safer areas. Overall, about 50,000 people evacuated due to the hurricane. Further north, the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
advised people to avoid swimming along the coast of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
.
The lowest pressure on land related to the storm was 988 hPa (29.19 inHg) at Coinjock, North Carolina
Coinjock, North Carolina
Coinjock is an unincorporated community in Currituck County, North Carolina. It is located on U.S. Route 158 between Barco and Grandy, about south of the Virginia state line, and is at mile marker 50 on the Intracoastal Waterway. The island to the east of Coinjock in the Currituck Sound has a...
. Wind gusts of up to 90 mph (144.8 km/h) were recorded at Hatteras and Nags Head. Torrential rainfall, unofficially exceeding 9 in (0.2286 m) at Nags Head, fell across the state and extending northward into Virginia
Virginia
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...
. The maximum rainfall associated with Barbara was 11.1 in (281.9 mm) near Onley
Onley, Virginia
Onley is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States. The population was 496 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Onley is located at ....
along 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...
. Offshore, a freighter rode out the storm after losing power. As the storm passed southeast of New England, winds reached up to 60 mph (96.6 km/h).
Along the coastline, Barbara flooded roads and houses. Strong winds downed trees and power lines, leaving some cities isolated from communication. Some of the downed trees were large and had survived the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944. The combination of winds and rainfall left some damage to crops and structures. The storm's impact along the coast was light to moderate, with monetary damage estimated around $1.3 million (1953 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $ USD), mostly from the crop damage. Four marines in the Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point
Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point or MCAS Cherry Point is a United States Marine Corps airfield located in Havelock, North Carolina, USA, in the eastern part of the state...
were injured, as was a Coast Guard worker. One person died at Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina
Wrightsville Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. Wrightsville Beach is just east of Wilmington and is part of the Wilmington Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 2,593 at the 2000 census...
, after winds blew him off of a pier. A report on the cyclone by the U.S. Weather Bureau indicates that this is the only causality associated with Barbara. However, newspaper articles subsequent to the storm report several more fatalities, with one paper reporting a total of seven deaths; two of them were from electrocutions. The rainfall from Barbara was blamed for traffic accidents further north in New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
and 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...
, causing four deaths. There was also an indirect death in New York when a man had a heart attack while securing his boat. In Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, there was damage to storefronts. Along Nantucket, the hurricane washed several boats ashore, although there was little damage in the region.
In 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...
offshore Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
, Barbara sunk a dory
Dory
The dory is a small, shallow-draft boat, about long. It is a lightweight and versatile boat with high sides, a flat bottom and sharp bows. They are easy to build because of their simple lines. For centuries, dories have been used as traditional fishing boats, both in coastal waters and in the...
, killing two people. Along the Canadian mainland, ships were advised to stay at port during the storm. Barbara produced tropical storm force winds across the region, peaking at 63 mph (102 km/h) when it moved ashore.
See also
- List of North Carolina hurricanes
- List of New England hurricanes
- Other storms of the same name