Hurricane Grace (1991)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Grace was a short-lived Category 2
hurricane that contributed to the formation of the powerful 1991 Perfect Storm. Forming on October 26, Grace initially had subtropical origins
, meaning it was partially tropical
and partially extratropical
in nature. It became a tropical cyclone on October 27, and ultimately peaked with winds of 85 kn (103.5 mph; 166.6 km/h). The storm had minor effects on the island of Bermuda
as it passed to the south. A developing extratropical storm to the north turned Grace eastward; the hurricane was eventually absorbed into the large circulation of the larger low pressure system. Fed by the contrast between cold air to the northwest and warm air from the remnants of Hurricane Grace, this storm became a large and powerful nor'easter
that caused extremely high waves and resulted in severe coastal damage along the U.S. East Coast.
that formed on October 23 to the south of Bermuda
. Reports from a nearby ship indicated that the low had become a surface feature
by October 25. The storm system initially contained subtropical characteristics
, and the center of circulation lacked deep convection for several days. The system was designated a subtropical storm on October 26. An area of clouds near Bermuda became increasingly convective, and gradually became entrained into the expanding and developing circulation of the subtropical storm. Thunderstorm activity persisted near the center, and on October 27, the storm attained tropical storm status
and was named Grace.
Grace continued to organize and intensify; based on satellite intensity estimates and reconnaissance
reports, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest level on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale. Grace reached its peak intensity with winds of 85 kn (103.5 mph; 166.6 km/h) and a minimum central barometric pressure of 980 mbar (hPa; 28.94 inHg), ranking as a Category 2. Operationally, however, the peak intensity was thought to have been 65 kn (79.2 mph; 127.4 km/h), which would have made it a mere Category 1 at its peak strength. The hurricane tracked generally northwestward until October 28, when an extratropical cyclone
formed along an approaching cold front
off the New England
coast. This storm rapidly intensified and influenced Grace's steering currents, turning the hurricane sharply east. At around the same time, an eye feature
associated with Hurricane Grace became apparent on satellite imagery, despite a lack of strong convective activity around the storm's center. Grace accelerated as it continued eastward, and reached its peak intensity of Category 2 status on October 29. However, the storm's rapid forward movement led to an asymmetrical circulation. The center passed approximately 50 mi (80.5 km) south of Bermuda without significantly affecting the island.
Hurricane Grace turned northeast later that day, as the rapidly approaching cold front undermined the storm's lower-level center. The system became overtaken by the front and subsequently lost its status as a tropical system. It moved north along the front and merged with the large cyclone to the north. The remnants of Grace became completely indistinguishable by the next day as it was completely absorbed by the passing extratropical storm on October 30. The nor'easter significantly strengthened as a result of the temperature contrast between the cold air to the northwest and the warmth and humidity associated with the remnants of Hurricane Grace. The low-pressure system continued deepening as it drifted southeastward and then southwestward towards the United States. The cyclone attained its peak intensity 390 miles (630 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with winds of up to 60 kn (73.1 mph; 117.6 km/h). The storm became known as the 1991 Perfect Storm, or more commonly, the "Perfect Storm".
shortly thereafter. The island experienced bands
of squally weather in association with the storm. Precipitation peaked at 3.21 in (81.5 mm). However, no significant damage was reported. A yacht traveling from Bermuda to New York encountered strong winds and 25 ft (7.6 m) seas well off the Virginia
coast; its nine occupants were rescued by Coast Guard
helicopters.
Because of its large size, Grace generated large swells along the East Coast of the United States; combined with abnormally high tides, these waves reached at least 15 ft (4.6 m). Despite minor beach erosion, no substantial property damage occurred, although Carolina Beach, North Carolina
, lost about 1 ft (0.3048 m) of sand.
Despite the light impacts from Hurricane Grace, the resultant nor'easter caused extensive coastal damage, high seas, and powerful winds. Hurricane-force wind gusts were reported in New England. The storm churned the ocean for several days; a wave 101 ft (30.8 m) in height was reported by an offshore buoy. Extensive coastal flooding occurred along the coast of the Mid-Atlantic
and Northeastern U.S., with effects as far north as Newfoundland and as far south as Jamaica
. The nor'easter eventually transitioned into another hurricane that made landfall in Nova Scotia
. A ship known as the Andrea Gail
was lost, along with her six crew members, during the storm. The story of the Andrea Gail inspired Sebastian Junger
's 1997 book, The Perfect Storm, and a 2000 motion picture film
.
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 contributed to the formation of the powerful 1991 Perfect Storm. Forming on October 26, Grace initially had subtropical origins
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
, meaning it was partially tropical
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...
and partially extratropical
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...
in nature. It became a tropical cyclone on October 27, and ultimately peaked with winds of 85 kn (103.5 mph; 166.6 km/h). The storm had minor effects on the island of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
as it passed to the south. A developing extratropical storm to the north turned Grace eastward; the hurricane was eventually absorbed into the large circulation of the larger low pressure system. Fed by the contrast between cold air to the northwest and warm air from the remnants of Hurricane Grace, this storm became a large and powerful nor'easter
Nor'easter
A nor'easter is a type of macro-scale storm along the East Coast of the United States and Atlantic Canada, so named because the storm travels to the northeast from the south and the winds come from the northeast, especially in the coastal areas of the Northeastern United States and Atlantic Canada...
that caused extremely high waves and resulted in severe coastal damage along the U.S. East Coast.
Meteorological history
The origins of Grace go back to a mid-level area of low pressureCold-core low
A cold-core low, also known as a cold low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere. It is a low pressure system which strengthens with height in accordance with the thermal wind relationship. These...
that formed on October 23 to the south of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. Reports from a nearby ship indicated that the low had become a surface feature
Surface weather analysis
Surface weather analysis is a special type of weather map that provides a view of weather elements over a geographical area at a specified time based on information from ground-based weather stations...
by October 25. The storm system initially contained subtropical characteristics
Subtropical cyclone
A subtropical cyclone is a weather system that has some characteristics of a tropical and an extratropical cyclone. As early as the 1950s, meteorologists were unclear whether they should be characterized as tropical or extratropical cyclones. They were officially recognized by the National...
, and the center of circulation lacked deep convection for several days. The system was designated a subtropical storm on October 26. An area of clouds near Bermuda became increasingly convective, and gradually became entrained into the expanding and developing circulation of the subtropical storm. Thunderstorm activity persisted near the center, and on October 27, the storm attained tropical storm status
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...
and was named Grace.
Grace continued to organize and intensify; based on satellite intensity estimates and 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....
reports, the storm was upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane, the lowest level on the Saffir Simpson Hurricane Scale. Grace reached its peak intensity with winds of 85 kn (103.5 mph; 166.6 km/h) and a minimum central barometric pressure of 980 mbar (hPa; 28.94 inHg), ranking as a Category 2. Operationally, however, the peak intensity was thought to have been 65 kn (79.2 mph; 127.4 km/h), which would have made it a mere Category 1 at its peak strength. The hurricane tracked generally northwestward until October 28, when 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...
formed along an approaching cold front
Weather front
A weather front is a boundary separating two masses of air of different densities, and is the principal cause of meteorological phenomena. In surface weather analyses, fronts are depicted using various colored lines and symbols, depending on the type of front...
off 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...
coast. This storm rapidly intensified and influenced Grace's steering currents, turning the hurricane sharply east. At around the same time, an eye feature
Eye (cyclone)
The eye is a region of mostly calm weather found at the center of strong tropical cyclones. The eye of a storm is a roughly circular area and typically 30–65 km in diameter. It is surrounded by the eyewall, a ring of towering thunderstorms where the second most severe weather of a cyclone...
associated with Hurricane Grace became apparent on satellite imagery, despite a lack of strong convective activity around the storm's center. Grace accelerated as it continued eastward, and reached its peak intensity of Category 2 status on October 29. However, the storm's rapid forward movement led to an asymmetrical circulation. The center passed approximately 50 mi (80.5 km) south of Bermuda without significantly affecting the island.
Hurricane Grace turned northeast later that day, as the rapidly approaching cold front undermined the storm's lower-level center. The system became overtaken by the front and subsequently lost its status as a tropical system. It moved north along the front and merged with the large cyclone to the north. The remnants of Grace became completely indistinguishable by the next day as it was completely absorbed by the passing extratropical storm on October 30. The nor'easter significantly strengthened as a result of the temperature contrast between the cold air to the northwest and the warmth and humidity associated with the remnants of Hurricane Grace. The low-pressure system continued deepening as it drifted southeastward and then southwestward towards the United States. The cyclone attained its peak intensity 390 miles (630 km) south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, with winds of up to 60 kn (73.1 mph; 117.6 km/h). The storm became known as the 1991 Perfect Storm, or more commonly, the "Perfect Storm".
Preparations and impact
In advance of Hurricane Grace, a tropical storm warning was issued for Bermuda on October 27. The following day, about 10 hours before the storm's closest approach to the island, the tropical storm warning was upgraded to a hurricane warning. On October 29, the hurricane warning was lowered to a tropical storm warning, which was amended to a gale warningGale warning
A gale warning is a warning issued by weather services in maritime locations about the existence of winds of gale force or above or the imminent occurrence of gales at sea...
shortly thereafter. The island experienced bands
Rainband
A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar imagery, this precipitation elongation is referred to as...
of squally weather in association with the storm. Precipitation peaked at 3.21 in (81.5 mm). However, no significant damage was reported. A yacht traveling from Bermuda to New York encountered strong winds and 25 ft (7.6 m) seas well off the 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...
coast; its nine occupants were rescued by Coast Guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
helicopters.
Because of its large size, Grace generated large swells along the East Coast of the United States; combined with abnormally high tides, these waves reached at least 15 ft (4.6 m). Despite minor beach erosion, no substantial property damage occurred, although Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach, North Carolina
Carolina Beach is a town in New Hanover County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 4,701 at the 2000 census. It is located on part of the Wilmington metropolitan area...
, lost about 1 ft (0.3048 m) of sand.
Despite the light impacts from Hurricane Grace, the resultant nor'easter caused extensive coastal damage, high seas, and powerful winds. Hurricane-force wind gusts were reported in New England. The storm churned the ocean for several days; a wave 101 ft (30.8 m) in height was reported by an offshore buoy. Extensive coastal flooding occurred along the coast of the Mid-Atlantic
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 Northeastern U.S., with effects as far north as Newfoundland and as far south as Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
. The nor'easter eventually transitioned into another hurricane that made landfall 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...
. A ship known as the Andrea Gail
Andrea Gail
The F/V Andrea Gail was a commercial fishing vessel that was lost at sea with all hands during the "Perfect Storm" of 1991. The vessel and her six-man crew had been fishing the North Atlantic Ocean out of Gloucester, Massachusetts. Her last reported position was northeast of Sable Island on...
was lost, along with her six crew members, during the storm. The story of the Andrea Gail inspired Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger
Sebastian Junger is an American author, journalist and documentarian, most famous for the best-selling book The Perfect Storm: A True Story of Men Against the Sea, his award-winning chronicle of the war in Afghanistan in the 2010 movie Restrepo, and his 2010 book War.-Background:Junger was born...
's 1997 book, The Perfect Storm, and a 2000 motion picture film
The Perfect Storm (film)
The Perfect Storm is a 2000 dramatic disaster film directed by Wolfgang Petersen. It is an adaptation of the 1997 non-fiction book of the same title by Sebastian Junger about the crew of the Andrea Gail that got caught in the Perfect Storm of 1991. The film stars George Clooney, Mark Wahlberg,...
.
See also
- List of United States hurricanes
- North Atlantic tropical cyclone
- 1991 Perfect Storm