Taken by Storm, 1938: A Social and Meteorological History of the Great New England Hurricane - Hardcover

Avilés, Lourdes B.

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1878220373 ISBN 13: 9781878220370

Publisher: American Meteorological Society, 2013

Synopsis

On September 21, 1938 one of the most powerful storms of the twentieth century came unannounced into the lives of New Yorkers and New Englanders, leaving utter devastation in its wake. The Great Hurricane, as it came to be known, changed everything, from the landscape and its inhabitants’ lives, to Weather Bureau practices, to the measure and kind of relief New Englanders would receive during the Great Depression and the resulting pace of regional economic recovery.

 The storm formed near the Cape Verde Islands on September 10 but was not spotted until several days later, and was predicted by the understaffed Weather Bureau to head toward Florida. Junior forecaster Charlie Pierce correctly projected the northerly storm track, but senior meteorologists ignored his forecast, a mistake that cost many lives—including those of immigrants who had arrived to the Northeast in waves in the preceding decades. To be published on the storm’s 75th anniversary, this compelling history successfully weaves science, historical accounts, and social analyses to create a comprehensive picture of the most powerful and devastating hurricane to hit New England to date.

About this title

About the Author:

Lourdes B. Avilés is an associate professor at Plymouth State University’s Meteorology Program in Plymouth, New Hampshire. She is a member of the AMS History Committee on the History of Atmospheric Science and the AMS Board on Higher Education and a liaison to the AMS Board on Women and Minorities.

Review:

"The great New England hurricane of 1938 devastated much of Long Island and southern New England. . . . The result was a massive loss of life and property in inland New England as well as along the coast. Avilés describes the life cycle and aftermath of the storm and in the process provides a thorough history of meteorology and hurricane prediction in the early 20th century." (Choice)

About this edition

• Publisher: American Meteorological Society
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1878220373
• ISBN 13: 9781878220370
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 275