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Hurricane Esther was the first large tropical cyclone to be discovered by satellite imagery. The fifth tropical cyclone, named storm, and hurricane of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, Esther developed from an area of disturbed weather hundreds of miles west-southwest of the southernmost Cape Verde Islands on September 10. Moving northwestward, the depression strengthened into Tropical Storm Esther on September 11, before reaching hurricane intensity on the following day. Early on September 13, Esther curved westward and deepened into a major hurricane. The storm remained a Category 3 hurricane for about four days and gradually moved in west-northwestward direction. Late on September 17, Esther strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane and peaked with sustained winds of on September 18. The storm curved north-northeastward on September 19, while offshore North Carolina. Esther began to weaken while approaching New England and fell to Category 3 intensity on September 21. The storm turned eastward early on the following day, and rapidly weakened to a tropical storm. Esther then executed a large cyclonic loop, until curving northward on September 25. Early on the following day, Esther struck Cape Cod, hours before emerging into the Gulf of Maine. Later on September 26, the storm made landfall in southeastern Maine, before weakening to a tropical depression and becoming extratropical over southeastern Quebec. The remnants persisted for about 12 hours, before dissipating early on September 27. Between North Carolina and New Jersey, effects were primarily limited to strong winds and minor beach erosion and coastal flooding due to storm surge. In New York, strong winds led to severe crop losses and over 300,000 power outages. High tides caused coastal flooding and damage to a number of pleasure boats. Similar impact was reported in Massachusetts. Additionally, some areas observed more than of rainfall, flooding basements, low-lying roads, and underpasses. Overall, damage was minor, totaling about $6 million (1961 USD). There were also seven deaths reported when a United States Navy P5M aircraft crashed about north of Bermuda. ==Meteorological history== On September 10, the Television Infrared Observation Satellite observed an area of convection, or thunderstorms, to the southwest of the Cape Verde islands, suggesting the possibility of tropical cyclogenesis. At 18:00 UTC that day, a tropical depression formed and subsequently moved on a northwest trajectory. By the time the Hurricane Hunters reached the system on September 12, winds of hurricane force were recorded, and as such, the San Juan, Puerto Rico Weather Bureau began issuing warnings on Hurricane Esther.〔 It was later estimated that the system attained tropical storm status on September 11,〔 although the National Hurricane Center later noted that it could have attained hurricane status by this date, thus potentially being one of four simultaneous hurricanes, along with hurricanes Betsy, Carla, and Debbie. The only other such occasions were in 1893 and 1998. This also made Esther the first hurricane to be discovered by satellite imagery, although not the first to be imaged by one.〔(【引用サイトリンク】accessdate=2014-08-29 )〕 After becoming a hurricane, Esther turned more to the west-northwest, influenced by the strengthening Bermuda High that built behind Hurricane Debbie well to the north.〔 By September 13, the storm attained major hurricane status, which is a Category 3 on the current-day Saffir-Simpson scale with sustained winds of .〔 By that time, the gale force winds extended about from the center, with hurricane force winds spreading to the north.〔 After maintaining winds of for about two days, Esther weakened slightly on September 16 while passing well north of the Lesser Antilles.〔 On the next day, the hurricane passed about north of Puerto Rico. Late on September 17, the barometric pressure fell to in the center of Esther, and operationally the Hurricane Hunters estimated winds of .〔 This was later lowered slightly to , which would be its peak intensity attained on September 18, making it a Category 4 hurricane.〔 Around the time of attaining peak winds, Esther began moving more to the northwest toward the east coast of the United States, influenced by a dissipating cold front that exited the coast on September 15. On September 20, the hurricane passed about east of Cape Hatteras while turning to the north-northeast.〔 It continued up the coastline, later passing about east of the Delmarva Peninsula.〔 Another trough from the west steered Esther to the northeast and was expected to cause the storm to accelerate,〔 potentially bringing it over Cape Cod. While turning, the hurricane passed about south of the eastern tip of Long Island, southeast of Block Island,〔 and just south of Nantucket Island. After the trough bypassed the hurricane, Esther slowed and turned to the east away from land and over much cooler waters.〔 It quickly weakened to tropical storm status on September 22,〔 and on that day the Weather Bureau discontinued advisories, remarking that Esther no longer had tropical characteristics.〔 As a weakened tropical storm, Esther turned to the southeast and gradually executed a large loop. On September 24, it turned back to the west and subsequently turned back to the north,〔 influenced by another approaching trough. Warmer waters allowed the storm to re-intensify slightly.〔 As a result, the Boston Weather Bureau reissued advisories on the storm on September 25 while Esther was south of Nantucket.〔 The storm crossed over eastern Cape Cod while gradually weakening,〔 making a final landfall near Rockland, Maine, on September 26.〔 After crossing into Canada, Esther became extratropical early on September 27 while continuing to the east-northeast. It was last noted at 06:00 UTC that day while over eastern Quebec.〔 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 Esther」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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