Retrospective Analysis of the 1954-55 Hurricane Seasons and Impacts to the Northeast U.S.

Retrospective Analysis of the 1954-55 Hurricane Seasons and Impacts to the Northeast U.S.
Presented by Kevin S. Lipton
9:30 a.m. – 9:50 a.m.

A total of 5 tropical cyclones directly impacted the northeast U.S. during the 1954-55 hurricane seasons, each producing significant wind and flood damage. Total U.S. deaths attributed to these storms were 359, with damage estimates of over $1.5B (unadjusted). This presentation will examine the tracks, wind and rainfall distribution and impacts, and synoptic characteristics associated with each tropical cyclone during these seasons. In addition, a broader climatological analysis of each season will be presented, including tropospheric circulation patterns and anomalies, and western Atlantic Ocean Sea Surface Temperatures utilizing the NCEP/NCAR I Reanalysis and NOAA-CIRES 20th Century Reanalysis (V2 and V2c) datasets.