Hazel
On this date in 1954 hurricane Hazel roared onto the East coast. The hurricane made landfall just north of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina as a category 4. It has sustained winds between 131 and 155 mph with gusts to 160 mph. The highest recorded winds were 98 mph in Wilmington, North Carolina and 106 mph in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Fayetteville and Raleigh-Durham measured gusts of 110 mph and 90 mph respectively. The hurricane caused widespread from North Carolina to the Canadian border. Hazel was responsible for our highest wind gust ever of 98 mph. Even towns in the state of New York recorded winds of up to 90 mph. Hazel caused extensive damage in South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. The storm was responsible for 95 deaths. The total price tag was 281 million in damage. Another 78 were killed in Ontario from flooding with an additional 100 million in damage.
Nineteen percent of all hurricanes form in the month of October. That is down from the number one month of September in which thirty six percent of all hurricanes develop. We may see hurricane Omar develop this week and threaten Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. The tropics remain quiet as we near the end of hurricane season. Hurricane season runs through November but once we get through October we are in good shape. Only three percent of hurricanes develop in the month of November.
