Related To Story TRACKING HANNA TRACKING IKE FROM OUR PARTNERS |
Hanna Expected To Hit Rarely Targeted Coast
Hanna Could Hit Georgia, South Carolina
POSTED: 2:01 pm PDT September 3,
2008
UPDATED: 2:15 pm PDT September 3,
2008
Forecasters are projecting that Tropical Storm Hanna will become a hurricane and hit somewhere along the East Coast of the United States by this weekend.According to the National Hurricane Center, few major storms have hit along the East Coast near where Hanna could come ashore.The largest was 1989's Hurricane Hugo, which made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane just north of Charleston, S.C.According to the NHC, the storm surge from Hugo inundated the South Carolina coast from Charleston to Myrtle Beach, with maximum storm tides of 20 feet observed in the Cape Romain-Bulls Bay area.High winds associated with Hugo extended far inland, with Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., reporting 67 mph sustained winds with gusts to 110 mph and Charlotte, N.C., reporting 69 mph sustained winds and gusts to 99 mph.Hugo was responsible for 21 deaths in the mainland United States, five more in Puerto Rico and the U. S. Virgin Islands, and 24 more elsewhere in the Caribbean. Damage estimates are $7 billion in the mainland United States and $1 billion in Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.In 2004, South Carolina was the second stop in the U.S. for Hurricane Charley, after it cut across Florida from the Gulf of Mexico.By the time Charley came ashore near Cape Romain, S.C., it was a Category 1 Hurricane. The center then moved just offshore before making a final landfall at North Myrtle Beach. Charley soon weakened to a tropical storm over southeastern North Carolina.Rainfall was less than 8 inches and Charley also produced 16 tornadoes in Florida, North Carolina and Virginia. The total U.S. damage was estimated to be near $15 billion, making Charley the second costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time.Hurricane Hazel made landfall in 1954 near the North Carolina-South Carolina border as a Category 4 storm. Winds were estimated at 130 to 150 mph along the coast between Myrtle Beach and Cape Fear, N.C. High winds were reported across much of the eastern United States, and heavy rains of up to 11 inches occurred as far north as Toronto, Canada.Hazel was responsible for 95 deaths and $281 million in damage in the United States, 100 deaths and $100 million in damage in Canada.In 1955, the North Carolina coast was hit by two hurricanes within five days of each other.Hurricane Connie hit the North Carolina coast on Aug. 12, 1955 as a Category 3 hurricane. Hurricane Diane made landfall on the North Carolina coast on August 17 as a Category 1 hurricane.Hurricane conditions affected only a small part of the North Carolina coast, and the damage from winds and tides was relatively minor. However, the heavy rains from the two storms produced widespread severe flooding from North Carolina to Massachusetts. The floods were responsible for 184 deaths and $832 million in damage.
Distributed by Internet Broadcasting. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.









