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Hurricane Able was the only hurricane to make landfall in the United States in the 1952 season.〔 Forming on August 18 off the west coast of Africa, Able moved generally west- to west-northwestward for much of its duration. It was first observed by the Hurricane Hunters on August 25 to the north of the Lesser Antilles. Two days later, Able attained hurricane status, and on August 30 it turned sharply to the north-northwest in response to a cold front. The hurricane reached peak winds of just prior to moving ashore near Beaufort, South Carolina on August 31. Although it quickly weakened below hurricane force, Able maintained tropical storm force for almost two days over land, eventually dissipating over Maine on September 2. The threat of the storm prompted hurricane warnings in the southeastern United States, resulting in the evacuation of tourists on Labor Day Weekend. Able produced heavy rainfall from Florida through New England, which caused widespread flooding. The city struck by the hurricane was heavily damaged and briefly isolated due to downed power and telephone lines. Overall damage in the United States totaled $2.75 million (1952 USD, $ USD), mostly from crop damage in South Carolina. Further north, Able produced flooding and gusty winds, which washed out a portion of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad. ==Meteorological history== A tropical depression developed between the Cape Verde islands and the west coast of Africa on August 18, although it was not classified as a tropical cyclone for another week. The depression tracked west-southwestward for three days, followed by a turn to the west and later west-northwest. Late on August 24 it intensified into a tropical storm about 700 mi (1100 km) east-northeast of Guadeloupe in the Lesser Antilles. The next day, the Miami Weather Bureau Office initiated advisories on Tropical Storm Able after the Hurricane Hunters confirmed the presence of a poorly defined center. Continuing to the west-northwest, the storm passed north of Puerto Rico and attained hurricane status on August 27.〔 After reaching hurricane status, Able tracked west-northwest and gradually intensified.〔 The lowest pressure in relation to the storm, 998 mbar, was reported shortly after it attained hurricane status. After reaching a position about east of Jacksonville, Florida on August 30, Able slowed and turned to the north-northwest due to an approaching cold front. By that time, the Hurricane Hunters reported a well-defined eye, and the next day estimated winds of as they reported concentric eyewalls.〔 Officially, the strongest winds in Able were , attained early on August 31. At 0300 UTC that day, the hurricane made landfall in a sparsely populated area near Beaufort, South Carolina where the pressure was unofficially reported as 985 mbar.〔 As the hurricane turned north and northeastward over land, the winds quickly weakened to tropical storm force, although Able maintained winds of at least through North Carolina, Virginia, and Maryland. Able was able to retain its intensity over land for so long because it remained over the flat terrain east of the Appalachian Mountains in addition to retaining a plume of tropical moisture from its south. After the storm weakened to a tropical depression, it still produced gusts as it crossed Pennsylvania through New England. Late on September 2, the circulation of Able dissipated near Portland, Maine.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア(Wikipedia)』 ■ウィキペディアで「Hurricane Able (1952)」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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