 Wind damage in North Carolina from the hurricane | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 8, 1933 |
| Extratropical | September 18 |
| Dissipated | September 22, 1933 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 140 mph (220 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 947 mbar (hPa); 27.96 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | Over 24 reported, 2 missing |
| Damage | $4.75 million (1933 USD) |
| Areas affected | Outer Banks of North Carolina, Tidewater Virginia, New England, Atlantic Canada, Greenland |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The 1933 Outer Banks hurricane lashed portions of the North Carolina and Virginia coasts less than a month after another hurricane hit the general area. The twelfth tropical storm and sixth hurricane of the 1933 Atlantic hurricane season, it formed by September 8 to the east of the Lesser Antilles. It moved generally to the north-northwest and strengthened quickly to peak winds of 140 mph (230 km/h) on September 12. This made it a major hurricane and a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.[nb 1] The hurricane remained at or near that intensity for several days while tracking to the northwest. It weakened approaching the southeastern United States, and on September 16 passed just east of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina with winds of about 100 mph (160 km/h). Turning to the northeast, the hurricane became extratropical on September 18 before moving across Atlantic Canada, eventually dissipating four days later.
The threat of the hurricane prompted widespread tropical cyclone warnings and watches along the eastern United States and prompted some people to evacuate. Damage was heaviest in southeastern North Carolina near New Bern, where the combination of high tides and swollen rivers flooded much of the town. Across North Carolina, the hurricane caused power outages, washed out roads, and damaged crops. Several houses were damaged, leaving about 1,000 people homeless. Damage was estimated at $4.5 million,[nb 2] and there were 21 deaths in the state, mostly from drowning. Hurricane-force winds extended into southeastern Virginia, where there were two deaths. High tides isolated a lighthouse near Norfolk and covered several roads. Farther north, two people on a small boat were left missing in Maine, and another person was presumed killed when his boat sank in Nova Scotia.
- ^ Jack Williams (2005-05-17). "Hurricane scale invented to communicate storm danger". USA Today. Retrieved 2013-08-04.
- ^ Chronological List of All Continental United States Hurricanes: 1851-2012 (Report). Hurricane Research Division. June 2013. Retrieved 2013-08-03.
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