Hurricane Lee could join list of notorious storms to hit New England: From Sandy to Carol

Kinsey Crowley, USA TODAY
Updated ·4 min read

Hurricane Lee has been marching through the Atlantic for days, a massive, powerful storm that has run parallel to the East Coast and now is headed towards Maine.

The storm has weakened to Category 1 and is expected to downgrade further to an extratropical storm by time it makes landfall. That said, it is picking up speed and will still be a powerful storm hitting the Northeast.

A tropical storm warning is in effect from Westport, Massachusetts up the coast to Canada's border with Maine. A hurricane watch is in effect for parts of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, according to the Friday afternoon advisory from the National Hurricane Center.

The NHC is watching another tropical depression that could become a hurricane and follow in Hurricane Lee's path.

With the unusual storms headed up the coast, here is a look back at some of New England's biggest hurricanes:

EAST ORLEANS 09/15/23 Heavy surf pounds the coastline at Nauset Beach in East Orleans on the incoming tide as Hurricane Lee, still south of Cape Cod, advanced northward. Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times
EAST ORLEANS 09/15/23 Heavy surf pounds the coastline at Nauset Beach in East Orleans on the incoming tide as Hurricane Lee, still south of Cape Cod, advanced northward. Steve Heaslip/Cape Cod Times

Hurricane Sandy

  • Hurricane Sandy had downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone when it made landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey on Oct. 29, 2012, often earning it the name "Superstorm Sandy." It brought devastating storm surge to the New Jersey and New York coastlines, according to a report by NOAA.

  • NOAA data shows that it cost $85.9 billion in damages.

  • There were 159 deaths from Hurricane Sandy.

  • According to FEMA, more than 8.5 million customers lost power as a result of the storm.

Related: Will Hurricane Idalia join the "Terrible I's?" 14 major storms that had 'I' names retired

Hurricane Irene

  • Hurricane Irene made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane near Cape Lookout, North Carolina on Aug. 27, 2011 before marching up to Atlantic City, New Jersey on August 28, according to a report by the NOAA.

  • 45 people died from Hurricane Irene.

  • Total damages are estimated at $18.2 billion.

  • According to the National Weather Service, the main impact of Irene was the rainfall. Indeed, severe floods cut off several communities in Vermont, as reported by the Burlington Free Press, part of the USA TODAY Network.

Hurricane Bob

  • Hurricane Bob formed in the Bahamas before turning up the East Coast, according to the Annual Summary of the Atlantic Hurricane Season of 1991. It brushed by Long Island, New York before making landfall as a Category 2 Hurricane in Rhode Island on Aug. 19, 1991.

  • The total damage estimate for Hurricane Bob is $3.4 billion.

  • There were 18 reported deaths in relation to Hurricane Bob.

  • Six confirmed tornados were reported in association with Hurricane Bob: four in North Carolina and two in Long Island, New York.

Hurricane Gloria

  • Hurricane Gloria was a Category 4 hurricane that weakened by time it first made landfall in Outer Banks, North Carolina on Sept. 26, 1985. It followed the East Coast for the next two days, making landfall in Long Island, New York and Connecticut, according to the National Weather Service.

  • Hurricane Gloria caused $900 million in damages in the currency at the time.

  • Eight people died as a result of the storm.

  • Media at the time called it the "Storm of the Century" as 380,000 people evacuated along the East Coast.

Hurricane Donna

  • This hurricane didn't just hit New England, as detailed in a presentation by the National Weather Service. Hurricane Donna made landfall in the Florida Keys on Sept. 10, 1960. It then marched onward to South Carolina on September 11 and by the evening of September 12 it had reached Bangor, Maine.

  • Hurricane Donna was estimated to cost more than $6 billion in today's currency.

  • There were more than 360 direct deaths from the hurricane.

  • Donna was responsible for downing a French plane on its way to Senegal while the storm was still a tropical disturbance.

Hurricane Carol

  • Hurricane Carol made landfall in New England on Aug. 31, 1954, according to archival records from NOAA. After 130 mph gust winds were recorded at Block Island, Rhode Island the storm lost steam as it swept into Canada.

  • Hurricane Carol cost more than $460 million in damage.

  • 60 people died in the storm.

  • Hurricane Carol is considered a twin to Hurricane Edna, another Category 3 hurricane that followed a similar path as Carol, but slightly further east. It slammed areas left vulnerable by Carol.

The Great New England Hurricane of 1938

  • With 121 mph sustained winds recorded at the Blue Hill Observatory in Massachusetts, this hurricane made landfall in Long Island, New York on Sept. 21, 1938, according to the National Weather Service.

  • It cost $620 million in damage in the currency value at the time.

  • The storm caused 700 deaths.

  • One of the most powerful hurricanes in recorded history, it was still moving forward at 47 mph when it hit Long Island, marching forward rapidly to Connecticut and the rest of Southern New England.

Hurricane Lee path tracker

Hurricane Lee spaghetti models

Contributing: Doyle Rice and Alia E. Dastagir, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How many hurricanes have hit New England? Lee could join list