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| Hurricanes and Pennsylvania |
The following are some of Pennsylvania's significant tropical cyclones:
1869 The Saxby Gale. On October 4, a coastal hurricane brought widespread heavy rain to the
Northeastern U.S., from northern Virginia to Maine. Eastern Pennsylvania collected more than 5 inches. Severe
flooding throughout the area. Reading especially hard-hit.
1877 On Oct. 4-5, a remnant tropical system tracked near Pennsylvania, dumping more than 10 inches of
rain in southeastern sections. Flash flooding and several railroad wrecks.
1878 The Great October Gale on the 23rd. Philadelphia's most destructive windstorm. Hurricane-force
winds seriously damaged or destroyed about 700 buildings. Considerable structural damage throughout
southeastern Pennsylvania.
1893 October 13. A tropical cyclone raced through the state bringing strong gales and tropical-storm force
winds to eastern sections. Gales throughout Pennsylvania. A large wind-related fire occurred in Allentown.
1896 A hurricane that made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast devastated central Pennsylvania on Sept. 29.
One of Pennsylvania's most damaging hurricane-related windstorms. Hurricane-force gusts along a 50-mile
east-west corridor, from Maryland to New York borders. Many homes unroofed. Countless trees uprooted. The
covered bridge at Columbia, more than a mile long, succumbed to two hours of tremendous gusts.
1933 The Chesapeake and Potomac Hurricane tracked through the state on Aug. 23. Extensive flooding in
eastern Pennsylvania. Reading and York inundated. A total of 13.82 inches of rain at York (Aug. 21-24).
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Winds gusted from 75-100 mph in eastern Pennsylvania as the storm
tracked through. Philadelphia International Airport clocked 94 mph, Reading, 86 mph, Allentown, 82 mph and
Harrisburg, 80 mph. More than 5 inches of rain caused extensive flooding in western Pennsylvania.
1955 Hurricanes Connie and Diane on Aug. 12-13 and Aug. 18-19, respectively, dealt the state a flood
disaster. More than a foot of rain from the combined storms fell on eastern Pennsylvania. Nearly 100 people
died. Many thousands homeless. Diane dumped more than 10 inches of rain in the Poconos.
1972 Hurricane Agnes struck from June 21-23 and dealt the state its most destructive natural disaster.
Flooding throughout Pennsylvania. Record flooding on the Susquehanna and other rivers in eastern
Pennsylvania. Tens of thousands of residents were rendered homeless. Agnes was dubbed "Hurricane
Agony" by the governor.
1975 The remnants of Hurricane Eloise dumped flooding rains on the state from Sept. 23-26. Not as
severe as the flooding from Hurricane Agnes but a major natural disaster nevertheless.
1979 Hurricane David brought tornadoes and heavy rain to eastern Pennsylvania on Sept. 5-6.
1996 Hurricane Fran tracked through western Pennsylvania on Sept. 5-6. Widespread gales and heavy
rain in the western two-thirds of the state. From Sept. 4-7, 9.80 inches of rain fell at Newville, among the
highest rainfall totals in Pennsylvania. Most sections collected 3-6 inches of rain during this period.
1999 Hurricane Floyd deluged southeastern Pennsylvania on Sept. 16. Doylestown tallied 10.07 inches of
rain and Valley Forge, outside Philadelphia, had 10.04 inches.
2001 Tropical Storm Allison, the nation's costliest tropical storm, deluged suburban Philadelphia with up
to 10 inches of rain on June 17.
2003 Hurricane Isabel's strong gales on Sept. 18 uprooted innumerable trees and caused record power
outages. Southeastern Pennsylvania had its strongest hurricane-related winds since Hazel in 1954.
2004 Several remnant systems caused widespread, severe flooding in the state and spawned numerous
tornadoes. Rain associated with hurricanes Frances (Sept. 8-10), Ivan (Sept. 17-19) and Jeanne (Sept. 27-28)
contributed to one of the state's wettest months on record.
Much additional information on Pennsylvania hurricanes is contained in the book,
Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States.
1869 The Saxby Gale. On October 4, a coastal hurricane brought widespread heavy rain to the
Northeastern U.S., from northern Virginia to Maine. Eastern Pennsylvania collected more than 5 inches. Severe
flooding throughout the area. Reading especially hard-hit.
1877 On Oct. 4-5, a remnant tropical system tracked near Pennsylvania, dumping more than 10 inches of
rain in southeastern sections. Flash flooding and several railroad wrecks.
1878 The Great October Gale on the 23rd. Philadelphia's most destructive windstorm. Hurricane-force
winds seriously damaged or destroyed about 700 buildings. Considerable structural damage throughout
southeastern Pennsylvania.
1893 October 13. A tropical cyclone raced through the state bringing strong gales and tropical-storm force
winds to eastern sections. Gales throughout Pennsylvania. A large wind-related fire occurred in Allentown.
1896 A hurricane that made landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast devastated central Pennsylvania on Sept. 29.
One of Pennsylvania's most damaging hurricane-related windstorms. Hurricane-force gusts along a 50-mile
east-west corridor, from Maryland to New York borders. Many homes unroofed. Countless trees uprooted. The
covered bridge at Columbia, more than a mile long, succumbed to two hours of tremendous gusts.
1933 The Chesapeake and Potomac Hurricane tracked through the state on Aug. 23. Extensive flooding in
eastern Pennsylvania. Reading and York inundated. A total of 13.82 inches of rain at York (Aug. 21-24).
1954 Hurricane Hazel on Oct. 15. Winds gusted from 75-100 mph in eastern Pennsylvania as the storm
tracked through. Philadelphia International Airport clocked 94 mph, Reading, 86 mph, Allentown, 82 mph and
Harrisburg, 80 mph. More than 5 inches of rain caused extensive flooding in western Pennsylvania.
1955 Hurricanes Connie and Diane on Aug. 12-13 and Aug. 18-19, respectively, dealt the state a flood
disaster. More than a foot of rain from the combined storms fell on eastern Pennsylvania. Nearly 100 people
died. Many thousands homeless. Diane dumped more than 10 inches of rain in the Poconos.
1972 Hurricane Agnes struck from June 21-23 and dealt the state its most destructive natural disaster.
Flooding throughout Pennsylvania. Record flooding on the Susquehanna and other rivers in eastern
Pennsylvania. Tens of thousands of residents were rendered homeless. Agnes was dubbed "Hurricane
Agony" by the governor.
1975 The remnants of Hurricane Eloise dumped flooding rains on the state from Sept. 23-26. Not as
severe as the flooding from Hurricane Agnes but a major natural disaster nevertheless.
1979 Hurricane David brought tornadoes and heavy rain to eastern Pennsylvania on Sept. 5-6.
1996 Hurricane Fran tracked through western Pennsylvania on Sept. 5-6. Widespread gales and heavy
rain in the western two-thirds of the state. From Sept. 4-7, 9.80 inches of rain fell at Newville, among the
highest rainfall totals in Pennsylvania. Most sections collected 3-6 inches of rain during this period.
1999 Hurricane Floyd deluged southeastern Pennsylvania on Sept. 16. Doylestown tallied 10.07 inches of
rain and Valley Forge, outside Philadelphia, had 10.04 inches.
2001 Tropical Storm Allison, the nation's costliest tropical storm, deluged suburban Philadelphia with up
to 10 inches of rain on June 17.
2003 Hurricane Isabel's strong gales on Sept. 18 uprooted innumerable trees and caused record power
outages. Southeastern Pennsylvania had its strongest hurricane-related winds since Hazel in 1954.
2004 Several remnant systems caused widespread, severe flooding in the state and spawned numerous
tornadoes. Rain associated with hurricanes Frances (Sept. 8-10), Ivan (Sept. 17-19) and Jeanne (Sept. 27-28)
contributed to one of the state's wettest months on record.
Much additional information on Pennsylvania hurricanes is contained in the book,
Hurricanes and the Middle Atlantic States.
Agnes in 1972 had no respect for the living or
dead. Susquehanna flood waters washed
away about 2,000 graves at Forty Fort, Pa.
Gathered remains were reburied in a common
grave on high ground miles away.
dead. Susquehanna flood waters washed
away about 2,000 graves at Forty Fort, Pa.
Gathered remains were reburied in a common
grave on high ground miles away.
Pennsylvania Weather Links
Office of the Pennsylvania state climatologist. www.climate.psu.edu
"Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955" This book offers an
in-depth examination of Hurricane Diane in 1955 and its ravages along the Delaware River.
www.55flood.com
Office of the Pennsylvania state climatologist. www.climate.psu.edu
"Devastation on the Delaware: Stories and Images of the Deadly Flood of 1955" This book offers an
in-depth examination of Hurricane Diane in 1955 and its ravages along the Delaware River.
www.55flood.com
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| Summer 2008 |