Hurricane Connie
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- This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 1955. For Pacific storms of the same name, see Hurricane Connie (disambiguation).
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Hurricane Connie approaching North Carolina |
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| Formed | August 3, 1955 | |
| Dissipated | August 15, 1955 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 936 mbar (hPa; 27.65 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 20 direct | |
| Damage | $50 million (1955 USD) $402 million (2008 USD) |
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| Areas affected |
North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, New England | |
| Part of the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season |
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Hurricane Connie was the first in a series of hurricanes to strike North Carolina during the 1955 Atlantic hurricane season. Connie struck as a Category 2, causing major flooding and inflicting extensive damage to the Outer Banks and inland to Raleigh.
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[edit] Storm history
The precursor to Hurricane Connie was a tropical wave that moved across the Tropical Atlantic. A surface circulation was reported by ships on August 3, and a tropical depression was born. It became a tropical storm later that day, but much of the convection was located to the north of the circulation due to the rapid west-northwest movement of the storm. As it slowed down, another circulation reformed to the northeast, and Connie rapidly strengthened on the 5th to a 135 mph Category 4 hurricane.
The hurricane passed to the north of the Lesser Antilles on August 6 as it reached its peak intensity of 145 mph winds, causing rain and heavy surf. Connie retained this intensity for the next 4 days, but with high pressure to its north, it moved slowly towards the North Carolina coast. Upwelling, cool air above it, and dry air to the north weakened Connie greatly, causing a minimal hurricane landfall on the 12th near Morehead City, North Carolina.
Connie remained a tropical storm well inland until Pennsylvania, where it quickly declined until dissipation on August 15 over the Great Lakes.
[edit] Impact
Although Connie moved northeast of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands, moderate to heavy rains fell across those island groups. Once it struck the United States, Connie caused extensive flooding in the Mid-Atlantic states and New England. When Hurricane Diane struck five days later, the rainfall from Connie contributed to Diane's flood-related destruction and loss of life. Rivers and streams throughout Connecticut rapidly overflowed their banks on 19 August 1955. Downtown Winsted, Connecticut was half destroyed when the Mad River flooded. In Waterbury, Connecticut, the Naugatuck River carried away entire tenements. Eighty-seven people died in Connecticut, twenty nine of them in Waterbury. Damage is uncertain, but is estimated at $3.3 billion (2005 USD). Damage between Connie and Diane combined is between $700 million and $800 million (1955 USD).
[edit] Retirement
- See also: List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
The name Connie was retired and is unlikely be used for an Atlantic hurricane again.
[edit] Media
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[edit] See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of retired Atlantic hurricane names
- List of wettest tropical cyclones in Massachusetts
[edit] External links
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