Coastal Storms of the Eastern United States

Abstract

Storms resulting in damage to the East Coast of the United States over the past 42 years have been classified into eight different synoptic situations: hurricanes; wave developments well east of the southeast coast or in the vicinity of Cuba; wave developments over Florida or the nearby Atlantic coastal waters; wave developments in the Gulf of Mexico west of 85W longitude; inland depressions that deepen upon reaching the coast; secondary cyclonic disturbances in the Hatteras area; intense cyclones moving north-eastward, west of the coast; and strong cold fronts with associated squall lines. The seasonal and geographical distributions of these storm types are investigated. Coastal storms of moderate to severe intensity might be expected at any place along the East Coast of the United States on an average of once every 1.4 years in New York and New Jersey, the area of most frequent occurrence, to once every 4.2 years in Georgia, the area of least frequent occurrence.