|
Hurricane Hazel was the deadliest and costliest hurricane of the 1954 Atlantic hurricane season. The storm killed at least 400 people in Haiti before striking the United States near the border between North and South Carolina, as a Category 4 hurricane. After causing 95 fatalities in the US, Hazel struck Canada as an extratropical storm, raising the death toll by 81 people, mostly in Toronto. As a result of the high death toll and the damage caused by Hazel, its name was retired from use for North Atlantic hurricanes. In Haiti, Hazel destroyed 40% of the coffee trees and 50% of the cacao crop, affecting the economy for several years to come. The hurricane made landfall in the Carolinas, and destroyed most waterfront dwellings near its point of impact. From North Carolina, it traveled north along the Atlantic coast. Hazel affected Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and New York; it brought gusts near and caused $281 million (1954 USD) in damage. When it was over Pennsylvania, Hazel consolidated with a cold front, and turned northwest towards Canada. When it hit Ontario as an extratropical storm, rivers and streams in and around Toronto, Ontario overflowed their banks, which caused severe flooding. As a result, many residential areas located in the local floodplains, such as the Raymore Drive area, were subsequently converted to parkland. In Canada alone, over C$135 million (2009: $1.1 billion) of damage was incurred. The effects of Hazel were particularly unprecedented in Toronto, as a result of a combination of a lack of experience in dealing with tropical storms and the storm's unexpected retention of power. Hazel had traveled over land, but while approaching Canada, it had merged with an existing powerful cold front. The storm stalled over the Greater Toronto Area, and although it was now extratropical, it remained as powerful as a category 1 hurricane. To help with the cleanup, 800 members of the military were summoned, and a Hurricane Relief Fund was established that distributed $5.1 million (2009: $41.7 million) in aid. ==Meteorological history== On October 5, a tropical wave with tropical-storm force winds was approaching the Lesser Antilles. Due to the potential for tropical storm formation, a Hurricane Hunters plane flew from San Juan, Puerto Rico to investigate the system. When the plane reached the system, they observed a tropical cyclone about 30 mi (50 km) east of the island of Grenada with winds estimated at 100 mph (160 km/h). The United States Weather Bureau promptly classified the system as Hurricane Hazel. The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis later assessed that Hazel developed at 06:00 UTC on October 5 about 220 mi (350 km) east of Grenada. Although the Hurricane Hunters observed hurricane-force winds, the storm had a small eye 5 mi (8 km) in diameter and a central barometric pressure of . The 100 mph (160 km/h) winds were therefore revised downward to 65 mph (100 km/h) late on October 5, though it was estimated that the storm attained hurricane status at 00:00 UTC on October 6. At the same time, Hazel made landfall on Grenada with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). After entering the Caribbean Sea, Hazel continued to present a small eye and wind diameter. The winds gradually increased as the storm moved westward, parallel to the northern Venezuela coast. On October 8, the tiny eye increased to a diameter of 29 mi (46 km), while the winds reached 85 mph (135 km/h),〔 although winds were estimated as high as . That day, the Hurricane Hunters encountered severe turbulence, which hospitalized one crew member and injured another.〔 For the next five days, there were no further flights into the core of the hurricane, although the planes continued to monitor the storm, with radar imagery indicating that the eye became open and ragged. Late on October 9, it is estimated Hazel intensified into a major hurricane with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). Originally, it was estimated that Hazel attained these winds the day prior. The intensification was confirmed on October 10, when aircraft noted a well-defined eye on radar imagery.〔 On October 10, Hazel slowed in the central Caribbean and turned sharply to the north-northeast toward Hispaniola,〔 steered by an upper-level low.〔(【引用サイトリンク】title=Hurricane Hazel, October 1954 )〕 At 09:00 UTC on October 12, the hurricane made landfall near Chardonnières along the Tiburon Peninsula of Haiti. There were no strong wind readings at landfall, with wind estimates of around 125 mph (200 km/h); the sustained winds were officially estimated at 120 mph (195 km/h). After moving through the Gulf of Gonâve, Hazel struck northwestern Haiti near Baie-de-Henne at 00:00 UTC on October 13, with lesser winds of 100 mph (160 km/h).〔 Around that time, the hurricane curved more to the north and northwest due to an approaching trough,〔 and the Hurricane Hunters resumed entering the center of Hazel, reporting an eye and hurricane force winds. At 14:00 UTC on October 13, Hazel struck Inagua in the Bahamas with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h).〔 After affecting the Bahamas, Hazel accelerated toward the southeastern United States,〔 steered between a trough and a ridge, although hurricanes are generally expected to lose power after going north of Florida due to lower water temperatures. The Hurricane Hunters were unable to observe the core of the storm until it it neared land, reporting an eye 18 mi (33 km) in diameter on October 15. Later that day, a ship just offshore South Carolina reported a central pressure of , which was the lowest in association with the hurricane. At 15:30 UTC on October 15, Hazel made landfall just west of the North Carolina/South Carolina border with a eye, slightly northeast of Myrtle Beach in the latter state. Based on the pressure, a larger than average size, and the fast forward movement, the landfall intensity was estimated at 130 mph (215 km/h), or a Category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson scale.〔 The eye of Hazel was tracked across several towns in North Carolina as the system continued northward. At 18:00 UTC on October 15, the hurricane became extratropical near Raleigh, and within six hours had passed near Washington, D.C. The extratropical remnants of Hazel accelerated to the north through Pennsylvania and New York along an extended cold front. Despite widespread observations across the eastern United States, there was uncertainty in the track of Hazel as an extratropical storm. Although it was possible the original circulation dissipated over western Pennsylvania and a new one formed over western New York, the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis assessed the circulation as becoming elongated but continuous. On October 16, the storm crossed into Ontario and over the Toronto region.〔 Shortly thereafter, the former Hurricane Hazel dropped to gale-force winds after moving almost almost over land.〔〔 The storm slowed and turned northward, passing over James Bay early on October 17. After turning to the northeast, the remnants of Hazel were absorbed by a larger extratropical storm over Canada on October 18.〔 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 Hazel」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
|