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Hurricane Dog (1950)
Encyclopedia
Hurricane Dog was the most intense hurricane in the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season
. The fourth named storm of the season, Dog developed on August 30 to the east of Antigua
; after passing through the northern Lesser Antilles
, it turned to the north and intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. Dog reached its peak intensity with winds of 185 mph (297.7 km/h) over the open Atlantic and after weakening, it passed within 200 miles (321.9 km) of Cape Cod
. The storm became extratropical
on September 12.
Hurricane Dog caused extensive damage to the Leeward Islands
, and was considered the most severe hurricane on record in Antigua
. Many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged on the island, with thousands left homeless just weeks after Hurricane Baker caused serious damage there. In the United States, the hurricane caused moderate coastal damage, including damage to several boats, and resulted in 11 offshore drownings. Strong winds caused widespread power outages across southeastern New England
. There were twelve people missing and assumed dead offshore Nova Scotia. Damage across its path totaled about $3 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD).
about 320 miles (515 km) east-southeast of Antigua
. Its origin is unknown, though it is believed to have formed from a tropical wave
that left the coast of Africa on August 24. With high pressures
to its northeast, the storm tracked west-northwestward, and attained hurricane status early on August 31. Hurricane Dog turned to the northwest on September 1, and intensified into a major hurricane that night as it passed just north of the northern Lesser Antilles
. While the hurricane was passing near the islands, the island of Saint Martin
reported a pressure of 978.7 mbar
.
Under weak steering currents, Hurricane Dog drifted northwestward as it steadily intensified, and on September 5 attained Category 5 status about 335 miles (539.1 km) north of the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic
. The hurricane strengthened further after turning to the north-northeast, and on September 6 Hurricane Hunters
estimated peak winds of 185 mph (297.7 km/h) about 450 miles (724.2 km) south-southwest of Bermuda
. At the time, reconnaissance practices were in their infancy, so it is possible the hurricane was over-estimated. Although the wind speed measurements may not be accurate, Dog was a formidable hurricane while over the western Atlantic, producing wave heights of over 100 feet (30.5 m).
Hurricane Dog maintained its peak intensity for about 18 hours. On September 7, the cyclone attained a central pressure of 948 mbar (27.99 inHg), which was the lowest pressure in association with the hurricane. A building ridge
of high pressure to its north caused it to decelerate and weaken steadily for unknown reasons as it turned to the west; by September 9, the intensity had decreased to 90 mph (145 km/h). On September 10, as it turned northward, Hurricane Dog briefly re-intensified slightly to winds of about 100 mph (160.9 km/h) before weakening again. The hurricane passed within 200 miles (321.9 km) of Cape Cod
on September 12, and shortly afterwards it transitioned to an extratropical cyclone
. The extratropical remnant turned to the east and later to the northeast, and the system persisted, finally losing its identity near Ireland on September 16.
of North Carolina
to Maine
. At least 17 naval ships were moved in preparation for the hurricane. Rhode Island
state police officers warned homeowners near the coast to be ready to evacuate, if necessary. There, officials also closed several beaches and canceled ferry travel along the state's southern waterways.
On the day of the hurricane's closest approach to the United States, the National Weather Bureau issued storm warnings
from Cape May, New Jersey
to Eastport, Maine
.
, Hurricane Dog produced a storm surge
of 8 feet (2.4 m) in Antigua
. Winds on Antigua and Barbuda
were estimated at 130 mph (209.2 km/h), with a gust of 144 mph (231.7 km/h) recorded at St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
. On Antigua, where hurricane force winds were reported for 6 hours, residents considered it the most severe hurricane in history. Hurricane Dog left thousands homeless on Antigua, just weeks after Hurricane Baker
caused severe damage on the island. Damage throughout the Lesser Antilles totaled $1 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD), primarily on Antigua and Barbuda and included many damaged or destroyed homes, ruined crops, blocked roads from washouts or fallen trees, and power outages across the islands. The hurricane resulted in several shipwrecks; two people drowned when their small boat capsized. The hurricane sank a boat on the island of Saint-Barthélemy, where damage amounted to $70,000 (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD).
Heavy rain fell in the Mid-Atlantic States
, leading to flash flood
s in some locations. In Bel Air, Maryland
, a car drove into the swollen Gunpowder River
; three people in the car drowned and a fourth was injured. A further two people drowned in Lexington, Virginia
. Though newspaper sources attributed the heavy rainfall to Hurricane Dog, this was not confirmed.
The hurricane produced high tides and rough surf along the East Coast of the United States
, with coastal flooding reported along some beaches in Rhode Island
. The hurricane capsized or damaged several boats along the coastline, including two large vessels in Nantucket
. In Marblehead, Massachusetts
, the surf grounded at least 15 vessels from the harbor onto a coastal causeway
. Near Cape Cod
, damage to fishermen's assets totaled $150,000 (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD). Tides along Nantucket were reported at the highest levels since the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane
. Hurricane Dog produced powerful wind gusts along coastal areas of New England
, which caused widespread power outages, including a loss of power to 15 towns on Cape Cod, to hundreds of residences on Nantucket, and to several other locations in the area. Additionally, winds from the hurricane destroyed two small barns and uprooted a few trees, some of which blocked roads. The hurricane deposited light to moderate rainfall across southeastern Massachusetts
, ranging from around 1 inches (25 mm) to about 4 to 5 inches (100 to 125 mm) near Nantucket
. In Provincetown
, a car hit a woman—neither the driver nor the victim were able to see due to the rains. A man in Falmouth
was paralyzed from the waist downwards after coming into contact with a wet tree limb next to a downed power line. Overall damage was fairly light, totaling about $2 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD)—a much lower total than would have been expected if the hurricane had made landfall. In all, 12 people died in New England
as a result of the hurricane. Two ships went missing during the storm along the coast of Nova Scotia
, with a crew of six people each; their status is unknown, and they are considered storm fatalities.
, and 1952
seasons, Atlantic hurricanes were named using the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
. However, Hurricane Dog was referred to as "the great hurricane in the central Atlantic" in newspaper reports, and its name was seldom used. Operationally, hurricanes were not referred to by name until 1952.
Hurricane Dog retains the record for longest continuous duration for a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane, although Hurricane Allen
spent more total time as a Category 5
. On September 4, Hurricane Dog was one of three simultaneous Atlantic hurricanes, along with Charlie and Easy
. This is a rare occurrence in the Atlantic Ocean, and has only happened six times since 1950—in 1961
, 1967
, 1980
, 1995
, 1998
, and most recently in 2010
. This also occurred on August 31 with Baker, Charlie and Dog.
Additionally, Dog remains one of only three Category 5 hurricanes in the historical database
to avoid land—the others were Easy
and Cleo
, both of which also occurred in the 1950s.
A relief fund was organized in the aftermath of the hurricane by The Daily Gleaner, a newspaper from Kingston, Jamaica. The newspaper invited its readers to help assist "their suffering fellow-West Indians in the island of Antigua
." Four days after the hurricane, the fund totaled £171,000 (1950 GBP
, $ 2009 USD). One Antigua official stated the country "would appreciate voluntary assistance from outside, especially food and clothing". Relief aid was also sent from the United States to the affected islands.
1950 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1950 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which tropical cyclones were given official names in the Atlantic basin. Names were taken from the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet, with the first named storm being designated "Able", the second "Baker", and so on. It was an active season...
. The fourth named storm of the season, Dog developed on August 30 to the east of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
; after passing through the northern Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
, it turned to the north and intensified into a Category 5 hurricane. Dog reached its peak intensity with winds of 185 mph (297.7 km/h) over the open Atlantic and after weakening, it passed within 200 miles (321.9 km) of Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
. The storm became extratropical
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
on September 12.
Hurricane Dog caused extensive damage to the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, and was considered the most severe hurricane on record in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Many buildings were destroyed or severely damaged on the island, with thousands left homeless just weeks after Hurricane Baker caused serious damage there. In the United States, the hurricane caused moderate coastal damage, including damage to several boats, and resulted in 11 offshore drownings. Strong winds caused widespread power outages across southeastern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. There were twelve people missing and assumed dead offshore Nova Scotia. Damage across its path totaled about $3 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD).
Meteorological history
Tropical Storm Dog was first observed as a 70 mph (112.7 km/h) tropical storm on August 30, when the SS Sibrodin reported gale force winds and an area of low pressureLow pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
about 320 miles (515 km) east-southeast of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Its origin is unknown, though it is believed to have formed from a tropical wave
Tropical wave
Tropical waves, easterly waves, or tropical easterly waves, also known as African easterly waves in the Atlantic region, are a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which move from east to west across the tropics causing areas of...
that left the coast of Africa on August 24. With high pressures
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
to its northeast, the storm tracked west-northwestward, and attained hurricane status early on August 31. Hurricane Dog turned to the northwest on September 1, and intensified into a major hurricane that night as it passed just north of the northern Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. While the hurricane was passing near the islands, the island of Saint Martin
Saint Martin
Saint Martin is an island in the northeast Caribbean, approximately east of Puerto Rico. The 87 km2 island is divided roughly 60/40 between France and the Kingdom of the Netherlands ; however, the Dutch side has the larger population. It is one of the smallest sea islands divided between...
reported a pressure of 978.7 mbar
Bar (unit)
The bar is a unit of pressure equal to 100 kilopascals, and roughly equal to the atmospheric pressure on Earth at sea level. Other units derived from the bar are the megabar , kilobar , decibar , centibar , and millibar...
.
Under weak steering currents, Hurricane Dog drifted northwestward as it steadily intensified, and on September 5 attained Category 5 status about 335 miles (539.1 km) north of the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
. The hurricane strengthened further after turning to the north-northeast, and on September 6 Hurricane Hunters
Hurricane Hunters
The Hurricane Hunters are aircraft that fly into tropical cyclones in the North Atlantic Ocean and Northeastern Pacific Ocean for the specific purpose of directly measuring weather data in and around those storms. In the United States, the Air Force, Navy, and NOAA units have all participated in...
estimated peak winds of 185 mph (297.7 km/h) about 450 miles (724.2 km) south-southwest of Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
. At the time, reconnaissance practices were in their infancy, so it is possible the hurricane was over-estimated. Although the wind speed measurements may not be accurate, Dog was a formidable hurricane while over the western Atlantic, producing wave heights of over 100 feet (30.5 m).
Hurricane Dog maintained its peak intensity for about 18 hours. On September 7, the cyclone attained a central pressure of 948 mbar (27.99 inHg), which was the lowest pressure in association with the hurricane. A building ridge
Ridge (meteorology)
A ridge is an elongated region of relatively high atmospheric pressure, the opposite of a trough....
of high pressure to its north caused it to decelerate and weaken steadily for unknown reasons as it turned to the west; by September 9, the intensity had decreased to 90 mph (145 km/h). On September 10, as it turned northward, Hurricane Dog briefly re-intensified slightly to winds of about 100 mph (160.9 km/h) before weakening again. The hurricane passed within 200 miles (321.9 km) of Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
on September 12, and shortly afterwards it transitioned to an extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
. The extratropical remnant turned to the east and later to the northeast, and the system persisted, finally losing its identity near Ireland on September 16.
Preparations
In the United States, the threat of the hurricane prompted the National Weather Bureau to issue warnings of gale force winds, high tides, and rough surf from the Outer BanksOuter Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
of North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
to Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. At least 17 naval ships were moved in preparation for the hurricane. Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
state police officers warned homeowners near the coast to be ready to evacuate, if necessary. There, officials also closed several beaches and canceled ferry travel along the state's southern waterways.
On the day of the hurricane's closest approach to the United States, the National Weather Bureau issued storm warnings
Tropical cyclone warnings and watches
Warnings and watches are two levels of alert issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local population and civil authorities to make appropriate...
from Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May, New Jersey
Cape May is a city at the southern tip of Cape May Peninsula in Cape May County, New Jersey, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean and is one of the country's oldest vacation resort destinations. It is part of the Ocean City Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2010 United States...
to Eastport, Maine
Eastport, Maine
Eastport is a small city in Washington County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,640 at the 2000 census. The principal island is Moose Island, which is connected to the mainland by causeway...
.
Impact
Passing through the Lesser AntillesLesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
, Hurricane Dog produced a storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
of 8 feet (2.4 m) in Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
. Winds on Antigua and Barbuda
Barbuda
Barbuda is an island in the Eastern Caribbean, and forms part of the state of Antigua and Barbuda. It has a population of about 1,500, most of whom live in the town of Codrington.-Location:...
were estimated at 130 mph (209.2 km/h), with a gust of 144 mph (231.7 km/h) recorded at St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
St. John's, Antigua and Barbuda
St John's is the capital and largest city of Antigua and Barbuda, a country located in the West Indies in the Caribbean Sea. St John's is located at...
. On Antigua, where hurricane force winds were reported for 6 hours, residents considered it the most severe hurricane in history. Hurricane Dog left thousands homeless on Antigua, just weeks after Hurricane Baker
Hurricane Baker (1950)
Hurricane Baker was a major hurricane that affected the Leeward Islands, Greater Antilles, and the Gulf Coast of the United States. The tropical cyclone was the second intense hurricane, second hurricane, and second tropical storm of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season...
caused severe damage on the island. Damage throughout the Lesser Antilles totaled $1 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD), primarily on Antigua and Barbuda and included many damaged or destroyed homes, ruined crops, blocked roads from washouts or fallen trees, and power outages across the islands. The hurricane resulted in several shipwrecks; two people drowned when their small boat capsized. The hurricane sank a boat on the island of Saint-Barthélemy, where damage amounted to $70,000 (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD).
Heavy rain fell in the Mid-Atlantic States
Mid-Atlantic States
The Mid-Atlantic states, also called middle Atlantic states or simply the mid Atlantic, form a region of the United States generally located between New England and the South...
, leading to flash flood
Flash flood
A flash flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas—washes, rivers, dry lakes and basins. It may be caused by heavy rain associated with a storm, hurricane, or tropical storm or meltwater from ice or snow flowing over ice sheets or snowfields...
s in some locations. In Bel Air, Maryland
Bel Air, Harford County, Maryland
The town of Bel Air is the county seat of Harford County, Maryland, United States. According to the 2000 census the population of the town was 10,080. In 2009 the town's estimated population was 10,368...
, a car drove into the swollen Gunpowder River
Gunpowder River
The Gunpowder River is a tidal inlet on the western side of Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, United States. It is formed by the joining of two freshwater rivers, Gunpowder Falls and Little Gunpowder Falls.-Gunpowder Falls:The Big Gunpowder, long, begins in the extreme southern part of Pennsylvania's...
; three people in the car drowned and a fourth was injured. A further two people drowned in Lexington, Virginia
Lexington, Virginia
Lexington is an independent city within the confines of Rockbridge County in the Commonwealth of Virginia. The population was 7,042 in 2010. Lexington is about 55 minutes east of the West Virginia border and is about 50 miles north of Roanoke, Virginia. It was first settled in 1777.It is home to...
. Though newspaper sources attributed the heavy rainfall to Hurricane Dog, this was not confirmed.
The hurricane produced high tides and rough surf along the East Coast of the United States
East Coast of the United States
The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, refers to the easternmost coastal states in the United States, which touch the Atlantic Ocean and stretch up to Canada. The term includes the U.S...
, with coastal flooding reported along some beaches in Rhode Island
Rhode Island
The state of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island , is a state in the New England region of the United States. It is the smallest U.S. state by area...
. The hurricane capsized or damaged several boats along the coastline, including two large vessels in Nantucket
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
. In Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead, Massachusetts
Marblehead is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 19,808 at the 2010 census. It is home to the Marblehead Neck Wildlife Sanctuary and Devereux Beach...
, the surf grounded at least 15 vessels from the harbor onto a coastal causeway
Causeway
In modern usage, a causeway is a road or railway elevated, usually across a broad body of water or wetland.- Etymology :When first used, the word appeared in a form such as “causey way” making clear its derivation from the earlier form “causey”. This word seems to have come from the same source by...
. Near Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, damage to fishermen's assets totaled $150,000 (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD). Tides along Nantucket were reported at the highest levels since the 1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane
1944 Great Atlantic Hurricane
The Great Atlantic Hurricane in 1944 was an intense Atlantic hurricane sometimes compared to the New England Hurricane of 1938.-Meteorological history:...
. Hurricane Dog produced powerful wind gusts along coastal areas of New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, which caused widespread power outages, including a loss of power to 15 towns on Cape Cod, to hundreds of residences on Nantucket, and to several other locations in the area. Additionally, winds from the hurricane destroyed two small barns and uprooted a few trees, some of which blocked roads. The hurricane deposited light to moderate rainfall across southeastern Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, ranging from around 1 inches (25 mm) to about 4 to 5 inches (100 to 125 mm) near Nantucket
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket is an island south of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, in the United States. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the town of Nantucket, Massachusetts, and the coterminous Nantucket County, which are consolidated. Part of the town is designated the Nantucket...
. In Provincetown
Provincetown, Massachusetts
Provincetown is a New England town located at the extreme tip of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 3,431 at the 2000 census, with an estimated 2007 population of 3,174...
, a car hit a woman—neither the driver nor the victim were able to see due to the rains. A man in Falmouth
Falmouth, Massachusetts
Falmouth is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States; Barnstable County is coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 31,531 at the 2010 census....
was paralyzed from the waist downwards after coming into contact with a wet tree limb next to a downed power line. Overall damage was fairly light, totaling about $2 million (1950 USD, $ 2009 USD)—a much lower total than would have been expected if the hurricane had made landfall. In all, 12 people died in New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
as a result of the hurricane. Two ships went missing during the storm along the coast of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, with a crew of six people each; their status is unknown, and they are considered storm fatalities.
Naming, records and aftermath
During the 1950, 19511951 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1951 Atlantic hurricane season was moderately active, starting with an pre-season hurricane and lasting until late October. The season officially started on June 15, when the United States Weather Bureau began its daily monitoring for tropical cyclone activity; the season officially ended...
, and 1952
1952 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1952 Atlantic hurricane season was the most recent season in which all named storms attained hurricane status, although it was the least active since 1946. The season officially started on June 15; however, a pre-season unnamed storm formed on Groundhog Day, becoming the only storm on...
seasons, Atlantic hurricanes were named using the Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet
The Joint Army/Navy Phonetic Alphabet was a radio alphabet developed in 1941 and was used by all branches of the United States military until the promulgation of the ICAO spelling alphabet in 1956, which replaced it...
. However, Hurricane Dog was referred to as "the great hurricane in the central Atlantic" in newspaper reports, and its name was seldom used. Operationally, hurricanes were not referred to by name until 1952.
Hurricane Dog retains the record for longest continuous duration for a Category 5 Atlantic hurricane, although Hurricane Allen
Hurricane Allen
Hurricane Allen was the first and strongest hurricane of the 1980 Atlantic hurricane season. It was one of the strongest hurricanes in recorded history, one of the few hurricanes to reach Category 5 status on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale on three separate occasions, and spent more time...
spent more total time as a Category 5
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. On September 4, Hurricane Dog was one of three simultaneous Atlantic hurricanes, along with Charlie and Easy
Hurricane Easy (1950)
Hurricane Easy was the fifth tropical storm, hurricane, and major hurricane of the 1950 Atlantic hurricane season. The hurricane developed in the western Caribbean Sea on September 1, and tracked northeastward. After crossing Cuba, the hurricane rapidly strengthened in the eastern Gulf of Mexico to...
. This is a rare occurrence in the Atlantic Ocean, and has only happened six times since 1950—in 1961
1961 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1961 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1961, and lasted until November 15, 1961. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had seven major hurricanes, the second highest number on...
, 1967
1967 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1967 Atlantic hurricane season was the first year in which the National Hurricane Center was in operation. The season began on June 1, which was the date when the NHC activated radar stations across the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico...
, 1980
1980 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1980 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1980, and lasted until November 30, 1980. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season was fairly active, with eleven storms forming, of which nine reached...
, 1995
1995 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1995 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. It officially began on June 1, 1995, and lasted until November 30, 1995. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the north Atlantic ocean...
, 1998
1998 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1998 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1998, and lasted until November 30, 1998. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin; however, the season extended through December 1 as Hurricane Nicole remained...
, and most recently in 2010
2010 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2010 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record, tying with the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season, 1995 Atlantic hurricane season and the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season. It had the most number of named storms since the 2005 season and also ties with the...
. This also occurred on August 31 with Baker, Charlie and Dog.
Additionally, Dog remains one of only three Category 5 hurricanes in the historical database
HURDAT
The North Atlantic hurricane database, or HURDAT, is the database for all tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea, since 1851.-History:...
to avoid land—the others were Easy
Hurricane Easy (1951)
Hurricane Easy was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 1951 Atlantic hurricane season. It was a Cape Verde-type hurricane that recurved away from land masses. The fifth tropical cyclone, fourth hurricane, and fourth major hurricane of the season, Easy formed 1,000 miles west of Cape Verde...
and Cleo
Hurricane Cleo (1958)
Hurricane Cleo was the strongest Atlantic hurricane of the 1958 Atlantic hurricane season. It remains one of only three Category 5 hurricanes to avoid land in the historical database–the others were Dog of 1950 and Easy of 1951. The third tropical cyclone, first hurricane, and first major hurricane...
, both of which also occurred in the 1950s.
A relief fund was organized in the aftermath of the hurricane by The Daily Gleaner, a newspaper from Kingston, Jamaica. The newspaper invited its readers to help assist "their suffering fellow-West Indians in the island of Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
." Four days after the hurricane, the fund totaled £171,000 (1950 GBP
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
, $ 2009 USD). One Antigua official stated the country "would appreciate voluntary assistance from outside, especially food and clothing". Relief aid was also sent from the United States to the affected islands.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- List of Category 5 Atlantic hurricanes