Christmas 1994 Nor'easter

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Christmas 1994 Nor'easter
Visible image of the pair of cyclones interacting near the Eastern Seaboard from 1 p.m. EST on December 23, 1994
Visible image of the pair of cyclones interacting near the Eastern Seaboard from 1 p.m. EST on December 23, 1994
Storm type: Nor'easter
Formed: December 22, 1994
Dissipated: December 26, 1994
Maximum
amount1:		 No snow or ice reported
Lowest
pressure:		 1005 mbar (hPa)
Damages: $17 million (1994 USD)
Fatalities: None reported
Areas affected: East Coast of the United States

1Maximum snowfall or ice accretion
Weather map of a pair of interacting cyclones offshore East Coast on the morning of December 24, 1994
Weather map of a pair of interacting cyclones offshore East Coast on the morning of December 24, 1994

A frontal wave moved through Florida on December 22 bringing high winds and heavy rain. The system continued to rapidly deepen while swiftly moving up the Gulf Stream, at one point developing an eye. A second cyclone on its heels continued the impact of the cyclone for an additional day. High winds, heavy rains, and high seas greatly impacted New England during this storm. The environment around this system was too warm to support snowfall, despite its winter timing.

Contents

[edit] Synoptic history

An upper-level low moved southeast from the central Great Plains into the Deep South of the United States. Cyclogenesis occurred in the southeast Gulf of Mexico, and the resultant frontal wave moved through Florida on December 22 bringing high winds and heavy rain. The system continued to rapidly deepen while swiftly moving up the Gulf Stream, developed central convection which is an unusual trait for an extratropical cyclone, at one point developing an eye. There is evidence that the first occluded low may have briefly become a subtropical cyclone. The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis will address this question once it reaches the year 1994. Weather effects were prolonged for New England by a second cyclone which formed offshore the East Coast, absorbing the first cyclone, before the pair of lows moved out to sea in tandem by the morning of December 26.[1] The main impact occurred on December 23 and December 24 before its effects faded in the Northeast on December 25.

[edit] Effects

The New England coast saw 10-20 foot waves pummel the coast, which eroded the shore across New Hampshire and southern Maine. Flooding rains fell across New York, New Jersey, and New England, with amounts as high as 5 inches/125 mm.[2] The warm system caused minor flooding due to melting snow, along with a few ice jams in area rivers. The pattern which spawned this complex cyclone helped contribute to the eighth warmest November of the century.[3] Thousands were without power during the height of the storm. Total damages exceeded US$17 million (1994 dollars).

[edit] Connecticut

Gale-force winds blew across the state from the east and northeast. Up to 130,000 homes were without power during the height of the storm and it took over 72 hours for power to be restored, even with the help of power companies from Maine to Pennsylvania. The highest wind gust reported was 56 knots at Bridgeport. Overall, damages totaled US$11-US$13 million to the state (1994 dollars), mostly to utility companies.[4]

[edit] Florida

A squall line organized and moved through southern sections of the state, particularly Lee, Dade, and Broward counties between 10 p.m. EST on December 22 and 1:30 a.m. EST on December 23. Tiles were blown off roofs and trees were downed. A pair of funnel clouds were spotted near Kendall.[5] Damage totaled US$500,000 (1994 dollars).[6]

[edit] Maryland

Damage was minor, confined to the leveling of sand dunes, damaging of a few wooden structures, and above normal tides.[7]

[edit] Massachusetts

Winds gusts reached 86 knots in southern Bristol County, Massachusetts and 73 knots at Nantucket, Massachusetts. Trees and power lines were downed, with 30,000 customers without power during the storm, mainly in eastern portions of the state. In Boston, a 7300-pound Christmas tree in Prudential Tower was felled. Rainfall of 2 to 3.5 inches fell across eastern Massachusetts. A 400-foot section of Route 107 was washed out in Deerfield to a depth of 4 feet. Damage totaled US$5 million (1994 dollars).[8]

[edit] North Carolina

Winds gusted to 57 knots just offshore the coast. The high surf cut through dunes on the north end of Carolina Beach. An eight-foot ledge was etched into Wrightsville Beach. High waters forced the closing of Highway 12 between Atlantic and Cedar islands.[9]

[edit] New Hampshire

A line of thunderstorms led to excessive rains across southern New Hampshire. Flash flooding struck tributaries of the Piscataquog River north of Goffstown. [10]

[edit] New Jersey

Long duration north winds pushed New Jersey tides 2.5 feet above normal, leading to significant erosion and coastal flooding.

[edit] New York

Winds gusted between 50 and 70 knots during the cyclone's passage. Hundreds of trees and numerous power lines were felled, knocking out power to 112,000 customers.[11] Coastal flooding took its toll, with a house falling into the sea at Southhold.[12] Damage totaled US$500,000 (1994 dollars).[13]

[edit] Rhode Island

High winds, up to 64 knots at Ashaway led to power knocked out to 40,000 customers statewide, the worse such outage since Hurricane Bob of 1991. It took up to 48 hours to restore power. Numerous trees were downed, and shingles blown off roofs. Pleasure boats were damaged at Warwick as they rocked into neighboring boats. Damage totaled US$5 million (1994 dollars).[14]

[edit] Virginia

Minor coastal flooding was reported in the Tidewater region on December 23, with tides 1-3 feet above normal. A beachfront home collapsed into the Atlantic at Virginia Beach. Several area roads were inundated and trees were downed in winds reaching 39 knots. Damage totaled US$50,000 (1994 dollars).[15]

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

  1. ^ U.S. Department of Commerce. Daily Weather Maps: December 19-25, 1994. Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
  2. ^ Joe D'Aleo. "THE PERFECT STORM." Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
  3. ^ Northeast Regional Climate Center. Cornell University. Mild Weather Continues. Retrieved on 2006-11-19.
  4. ^ National Climatic Data Center. [Event Record Details: December 23-24, 1994 Connecticut.] Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  5. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 22-23, 1994 Dade county, Florida.
  6. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 22-23, 1994 Lee county, Florida.
  7. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 1100 EST Maryland. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  8. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Mazall county, Massachusetts. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  9. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 23, 1994 North Carolina. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  10. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 New Hampshire. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  11. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 Suffolk county, New York. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  12. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 Eastern Suffolk county, New York. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  13. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 Eastern New York. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  14. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 24, 1994 Rizall county, Rhode Island. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
  15. ^ National Climatic Data Center. Event Record Details: December 23, 1994 Isle of Wight county, Virginia. Retrieved on 2006-11-21.
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