Unforgettable September storms

 

Hurricane Florence, September 2018 (Source: NOAA)

The Mid-Atlantic Region is no stranger to the devastation of tropical storms. September hurricanes or their remnants have brought extraordinary weather to the DMV in recent decades.

2018: A Cape Verde hurricane that lasted more than two weeks, Hurricane Florence was a Category 4 storm at peak intensity over the Atlantic Ocean with sustained winds of 150 mph.  Fortunately, it weakened to Category 1 intensity (90 mph winds) before its September 14 landfall in North Carolina.  Since the atmospheric steering currents were weak, it meandered across the Carolinas and Mid-Atlantic Region for several days. Its remnants caused devastating flooding and severe weather, including a rainfall record of 2.22” at BWI Airport on September 18.  

2004: Hurricane Ivan made landfall as a Category 3 (120 mph winds) on the U.S. Gulf Coast on September 16. It had far-reaching impacts and its remnants sparked a tornado outbreak on September 17, 2004 in the Mid-Atlantic Region. 

Ivan was the top tornado producing hurricane, on record, with a total of 127 tornadoes in the United States, according to NOAA. Also, Dulles Airport had a September 17 rainfall record of 1.71” from Ivan’s remnants.  

2003: Hurricane Isabel reached peak intensity as a Category 5 over the open Atlantic with sustained winds of 165 mph.  Fortunately, Isabel weakened to a Category 2 storm before its September 18 landfall in North Carolina.  Isabel tracked west of Washington, D.C. and brought heavy rain and gusty winds. There were over one million power outages around the nation’s capital, with significant coastal flooding in Alexandria, Virginia and Annapolis, Maryland.    

The highest tide in Annapolis reached 7.58 feet above normal, breaking the 1933 hurricane record.  Flooding in Georgetown occurred with flood stage reaching 11.3 feet above normal, which broke the 1933 hurricane surge record. Also, daily rainfall records occurred at DC’s three area airports on September 18.

1999: As a borderline Category 4/5 hurricane with peak sustained winds of 155 mph, Hurricane Floyd was the most intense hurricane of the 1999 season. Floyd weakened to a Category 2 hurricane with sustained winds of 105 mph before its September 16 landfall near Cape Fear, North Carolina.  

As Floyd continued its trek northward, it brought flooding rainfall, damaging winds and coastal flooding.  Widespread flooding occurred in the D.C. Metro Region. Floyd’s September 16 rainfall records include 2.05” at Dulles Airport and 5.02” at BWI Airport.