| Tropical Storm (SSHS) | |
|---|---|
| Tropical Storm Bret on June 30 | |
| Formed | June 29, 1981 |
| Dissipated | July 1, 1981 |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 70 mph (110 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 996 mbar (hPa; 29.41 inHg) |
| Fatalities | 1 indirect |
| Damage | Minimal |
| Areas affected | Mid-Atlantic, Ohio River Valley |
| Part of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Tropical Storm Bret was a rare landfall by a tropical cyclone on the Delmarva Peninsula in the latter portions of June 1981. The storm, the third tracked cyclone of the 1981 Atlantic hurricane season, formed from a frontal cloud development near Bermuda on June 27. The storm progressed westward, strengthening and gaining convection. On the morning of June 29, the storm was declared a subtropical system and by the afternoon of June 30, the storm was designated as Tropical Storm Bret with 60 mph (90 km/h). The storm peaked at 70 mph (110 km/h) on June 29 with a minimal barometric pressure of 996 millibars (29.41 inches of mercury). The system headed eastward, and made landfall on the Peninsula on the morning of July 1, 1981, dissipating soon after. Bret spread one to three inches of rainfall through the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and the Ohio River Valley, with the peak at 4.48 inches (0.114 m) in the community of Big Meadows, Virginia. No severe damage was reported from Bret, but a woman was killed from rip currents at Nags Head, North Carolina.
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A large band of frontal clouds had begun to settle on the portion of the Western North Atlantic on June 27, 1981. However, by the next day, a low-pressure system formed in the frontal clouds near Bermuda. The circumstantial location of origin for the system prompted the designation as a subtropical system. Over the next day, the system continued to develop, closing in on Cape Hatteras and on June 29, substantial convection was becoming visible in the system. At 1200 GMT, the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida, declared the system Subtropical Storm One. The system continued to gain convection, which spread from the center of the fast-moving system. The system became a large cloud banding storm,[1] and at 4 PM Eastern Daylight Time, the National Hurricane Center declared the storm tropical and gave it the name Bret. The storm was a 60 mph (90 km/h) system, although reconnaissance aircraft found 75 mph (120 km/h) winds, but the minimum barometric pressure did not match the report.[2] An hour later, the National Hurricane Center reported that Bret, which was heading westward towards Virginia at 20 mph (25 km/h) had entered colder waters and further strengthening was deemed impossible.[3] Due to the differences in wind speed, Bret's peak occurred on the morning of June 30, when it was at 70 mph (110 km/h) in winds with a barometric pressure of only 996 millibars (mbar).[1] On the early morning of July 1, Tropical Storm Bret made landfall in the Delmarva Peninsula, a rare occurrence, with wind speeds of 60 mph (90 km/h). The storm quickly weakened before and after landfall,[4] with the National Hurricane Center declaring the storm a tropical depression and ceasing advisories on the morning of July 1.[5]
As Tropical Storm Bret approached landfall in the Delmarva Peninsula, the National Hurricane Center issued gale advisories along the Atlantic shoreline from Cape Hatteras, North Carolina to Ocean City, Maryland on June 30. A small craft advisory was also posted for the Carolina and Virginia coastlines.[6] The gale warnings were canceled upon landfall the next morning.[6] Officials in North Carolina closed of beaches at Nags Head, Kitty Hawk, and Kill Devil Hills from swimmers due to high rip currents and tides.[7]
While tracking north of Bermuda, Bret dropped light rainfall on the island, with precipitation peaking at 3.34 inches (85 mm).[8]
After landfall, Bret spread rain throughout Ohio River Valley, peaking at 4.48 inches (114 mm) in the community of Big Meadows, Virginia. In West Virginia, 3 inches (0.076 m) of rain fell, with isolated reports of 3.73 inches (95 mm) in Snowshoe. Parts of Illinois and Kentucky also received 3 inches (76 mm) of precipitation. Less significant rains fell across Maryland, Indiana and North Carolina, and Delaware.[9][10] After the center of Bret had been declared unidentifiable, the small craft warning remained in effect, told to remain in port until the weather calms.[11] At the time of Bret's landfall, portions of the Mid-Atlantic were experiencing a strong drought, and farmers in Virginia reported that rains from the storm would not be enough to save their crops.[12]
One female from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania was killed at Nags Head, North Carolina when getting stuck in offshore riptides. Two boats lost contact with the Coast Guard during the approach to land, one of which washed up at Cape May, New Jersey and the other on the Virginia coast.[13] Also at Nags Head, the Coast Guard began cleanup of an oil spill caused by Bret off the coast. 8 miles (13 km) of the shoreline was filled with oil, little of which polluted the water. Most of the oil was thin and easily an item to clean up by a private contractor.[14] However, no considerable damage was reported from the storm,[1] and less than strong gale speeds were reported.[5]
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