| Story Views | |
| Now: | |
| Last Hour: | |
| Last 24 Hours: | |
| Total: | |
Sept. 27 1985 Remembering Hurricane Gloria
We got hammered pretty hard here on Long Island with Gloria.I remember is well.
I lost power for a full week.Trees were down all over the place! As it made landfall on the Island it even spawned some small tornados.
Long Island and New York
Though Gloria hit Long Island with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h), wind gusts reached 115 mph (185 km/h) in eastern Long Island.[12] Islip, New York recorded a wind gust of 84 mph (135 km/h). However, few other wind reports were available from the island, as other weather instruments were damaged. Weather forecasters believe that damage across parts of Long Island indicated winds in the Category Three range, as evidence of the damage received at MacArthur Airport. Because the hurricane arrived at low tide, storm surges were generally low, peaking at 6.9 feet (2.1 m) at Battery Park. Because it moved quickly, Gloria failed to produce significant rainfall amounts, and caused only 3.4 inches (86 mm) of rain in Central Park.[2]
Gloria’s high winds caused significant damage across Long Island and southeastern New York. The area hit the worst was eastern Long Island, where high wind gusts blew thousands of trees into buildings and across roads. The broadcast tower of WBLI-FM toppled on Bald Hill in Farmingville. In addition, the winds ripped roofs off of many buildings, including hangars at the MacArthur Airport and the roof of the Islip Police Station.[12] Prolonged exposure to high winds and waves led to moderate beach erosion, washing away several piers and docks.[12] The storm surge, though relatively weak, destroyed 48 houses on the ocean side of the island. Gloria’s high winds left 683,000 people in New York without power, with some lacking electricity for over eleven days. Even though damage amounted to $300 million ($532 million in 2005 USD),[14] due to well-executed evacuations there was only one casualty, resulting from a falling tree.[12]
By Vickie Frantz, AccuWeather.com Staff Writer
September 27, 2012; 12:37 PM
This satelite image of Hurricane Gloria is courtesy of NOAA.Hurricane Gloria slammed into Cape Hatteras, N.C., during the early hours of Sept. 27 as Category 2 storm.
Winds associated with Gloria were reported to be sustained at a maximum of 105 mph at the time of landfall.
After rapid acceleration, Gloria made a second landfall on the afternoon of the 27th on western Long Island, N.Y., as a Category 1 hurricane. A Category 3 wind gust was reported on the island.
Localized flooding, fallen trees and multiple power outages were reported throughout the East Coast states from North Carolina north into New England. After all was said and done, eight people had died and damages from Gloria were reported to be $900 million.
Gloria became the strongest recorded hurricane to strike the U.S.’s East Coast so far north.
Witnesses of the wrath of Gloria share their memories and photographs below.
Hurricane Gloria 1985
September 26-28, 1985, Hurricane Gloria carved a path along the East Coast causing eight fatalities and $900 million in damages.
-
Our house after hurricane “Gloria” went through,September 1985 -
“Had no power for a week…and No School!,” wrote AccuWeather Facebook fan Tim S. of De Pere, Wis.
-
“Our House Boat”!!! September 1985 our house on the day after hurricane “Gloria” hit the coast -
AccuWeather Facebook fan frank B. of Port Orange, Fla. wrote, “In an eerie way Hurricane Gloria brings back some good memories. When it finally hit LI it was basically a dud. A few friends and I had some hurricane parties.”
-
Ocean City boardwalk,after hurricane “Gloria”,September 1985 -
As my mother said, you have not lived through a hurricane, unless you lived through the hurricane of 38. This was after I was talking to her about Hurricane Gloria in 1985.
