Category:Natural Disasters and Really Bad Storms

Floods

Hurricanes

Hurricane Katerina

Hurricane Dog

Hurricane Dog was the most intense Atlantic hurricane of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. The fourth named storm of the season, Dog developed on August 30 to the east of Antigua; after passing through the northern Lesser Antilles, it turned to the north and intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. Dog reached its peak intensity with winds of 185mph over the open Atlantic and after weakening, it passed within 200 miles of Cape Cod.

Hurricane Dog caused extensive damage to the Leeward Islands, and was considered the most severe hurricane on record in Antigua. Many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged on the island, with thousands left homeless just weeks after 1950 season. Hurricane Baker had caused serious damage there. In the United States, the hurricane caused moderate coastal damage, including damage to several boats, and resulted in 11 offshore drownings. Strong winds caused widespread power outages across southeastern New England.

On September 6 Hurricane Hunters estimated peak winds of 185mph 450 miles south-southwest of Bermuda. At the time, reconnaissance practices were in their infancy, so it is possible the hurricane was over-estimated. Although the wind speed measurements may not be accurate, Dog was a formidable hurricane while over the western Atlantic, producing wave heights of over 100 feet.

Impact

Passing through the Lesser Antilles, Hurricane Dog produced a storm surge of Template:Convert in Antigua.<ref name="antiguahurric">Template:Cite web</ref> Winds on Antigua and Barbuda were estimated at Template:Convert,<ref name="mwr"/> with a gust of Template:Convert recorded at St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda.<ref name="ins92">Template:Cite news</ref> On Antigua, where hurricane force winds were reported for 6 hours, residents considered it the most severe hurricane in history.<ref name="mwr"/> Hurricane Dog left thousands homeless on Antigua, just weeks after Hurricane Baker caused severe damage on the island.<ref name="cp92">Template:Cite news</ref> Damage throughout the Lesser Antilles totaled $1 million (1950 USD, $Template:Formatprice 2009 USD), primarily on Antigua and Barbuda and included many damaged or destroyed homes, ruined crops, blocked roads from washouts or fallen trees, and power outages across the islands. The passage of the hurricane resulted in several shipwrecks; two people drowned when their small boat capsized.<ref name="mwr"/> The hurricane sank a boat on the island of Saint-Barthélemy, where damage amounted to $70,000 (1950 USD, $Template:Formatprice 2009 USD).<ref name="stbar">Template:Cite web</ref>

In the Mid-Atlantic States, heavy levels of precipitation were reported, leading to flash floods in some locations. In Bel Aire, Maryland, a car drove into the swollen Gunpowder River; three people in the car drowned and a fourth was injured. A further two people drowned in Lexington, Virginia. Though newspaper sources attributed the heavy rainfall to Hurricane Dog,<ref name="ls912"/> this was not confirmed.<ref name="mwr"/>

The hurricane produced high tides and rough surf along the East Coast of the United States, with coastal flooding reported along some beaches in Rhode Island.<ref name="ap911"/> The hurricane capsized or damaged several boats along the coastline, including two large vessels in Nantucket. In Marblehead, Massachusetts, the surf grounded at least 15 vessels from the harbor onto a coastal causeway. Near Cape Cod, damage to fishermen's assets totaled $150,000 (1950 USD, $Template:Formatprice 2009 USD). Tides along Nantucket were reported at the highest levels since the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane.<ref name="ls912"/> Hurricane Dog produced powerful wind gusts along coastal areas of New England, which caused widespread power outages, including a loss of power to 15 towns on Cape Cod, to hundreds of residences on Nantucket, and to several other locations in the area. Additionally, winds from the hurricane destroyed two small barns and uprooted a few trees, some of which blocked roads.<ref name="ls912"/> The hurricane deposited light to moderate rainfall across southeastern Massachusetts, ranging from around Template:Convert to about 4 to 5 inches (100 to 125 mm) near Nantucket.<ref name="etdog">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="dog50">Template:Cite web</ref> In Provincetown, a car hit a woman—neither the driver nor the victim were able to see due to the rains. A man in Falmouth was paralyzed from the waist downwards after coming into contact with a wet tree limb next to a downed power line.<ref name="ls912"/> Overall damage was fairly light, totaling about $2 million (1950 USD, $Template:Formatprice 2009 USD)—a much lower total than would have been expected if the hurricane had made landfall. In all, 12 people died in New England as a result of the hurricane.<ref name="mwr"/>

Naming, records and aftermath

During the 1950, 1951, and 1952 seasons, Atlantic hurricanes were named using the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet.<ref name="atwc">Template:Cite web</ref> However, Hurricane Dog was referred to as "the great hurricane in the central Atlantic" in newspaper reports, and its name was seldom used.<ref name="cp92"/> Operationally, hurricanes were not referred to by name until 1952.<ref name="ap83152">Template:Cite news</ref>

Hurricane Dog retains the record for longest continuous duration for a Category 5 hurricane. On September 4, Hurricane Dog was one of three simultaneous Atlantic hurricanes, along with Charlie and Easy. This is a rare occurrence in the Atlantic Ocean, and has only happened six times since 1950—in 1961, 1967, 1980, 1995, 1998, and 2005. This also occurred on August 31 with Baker, Charlie and Dog.<ref name="hurdat"/>

Additionally, Dog remains one of only three Category 5 hurricanes to avoid land—the others were Easy and Cleo, both of which also occurred in the 1950s.<ref name="hurdat"/>