Hurricane Agnes

Category 1 hurricane
Hurricane Agnes approaching Florida
Formed	June 14, 1972
Dissipated	June 25, 1972
Highest winds	85 mph (140 km/h) sustained
Lowest pressure	977 mbar (hPa)
Damages	$2.1 billion (1972 USD) $11.6 billion (2005 USD)
Fatalities	129 direct
Areas affected	Florida Panhandle, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York
Part of the 1972 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Agnes was the first tropical storm and first hurricane of 1972 Atlantic hurricane season. A rare June hurricane, it made landfall on Florida before moving northeastward and hitting New England as a tropical storm, with the worst damage occuring in parts of northeastern Pennsylvania and upstate New York. Agnes brought heavy rainfall along its path, killing 129 and causing $11.6 billion (2005 US dollars) in damage. The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a scale classifying most Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the levels of tropical depression and tropical storm and thereby become hurricanes. ... Summary Hurricane Agnes approaching the Florida panhandle on June 19, 1972. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1972 calendar). ... Miles per hour is a unit of speed, expressing the number of international miles covered per hour. ... Kilometre per hour (American spelling: kilometer per hour) is a unit of both speed (scalar) and velocity (vector). ... A millibar (mbar, also mb) is 1/1000th of a bar, a unit for measurement of pressure. ... HPA means Physiology Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal axis: The hypothalamus, pituitary and adrenal glands work together to regulate hormone levels and maintain homeostasis. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... The westernmost 16 counties in the state. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 28th 139,509 km² 805 km 240 km 9. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ... Official language(s) None Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 145 km 400 km 21 37°53N to 39°43N 75°4W to 79°33W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 19th 5,296,486 165... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... First storm formed: May 23, 1972 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ... First storm formed: May 23, 1972 Last storm dissipated: Nov. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170 451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ... The states of New England are Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. ... This mountainous area of Pennsylvania includes the Pocono Mountains, the Endless Mountains and anthracite coal mining cities and towns, including Scranton, Wilkes-Barre, Hazleton, Pittston and Carbondale. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Storm history

Storm path

The large disturbance was first detected over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico on June 14. The system drifted eastward and became a tropical depression later that day and a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean on the 16th. Agnes turned northward on June 17 and became a hurricane over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico the next day. A continued northward motion brought Agnes to the Florida Panhandle coast on June 19 as a Category 1 hurricane. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x721, 673 KB) Summary Hurricane Agnes (1972) track. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1024x721, 673 KB) Summary Hurricane Agnes (1972) track. ... The Yucatán Peninsula separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico. ... June 14 is the 165th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (166th in leap years), with 200 days remaining. ... June 17 is the 168th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (169th in leap years), with 197 days remaining. ... This article is about weather phenomena. ... Gulf of Mexico in 3D perspective. ...

Agnes turned northeastward after landfall and weakened to a depression over Georgia. However, it regained tropical storm strength over eastern North Carolina on June 21 and moved into the Atlantic later that day. A northwestward turn followed, and a just-under-hurricane-strength Agnes made a final landfall on June 22 near New York, New York. The storm merged with a non-tropical low on June 23, with the combined system affecting the northeastern United States until June 25. ^{[citation needed]} This article is about weather phenomena. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 28th 139,509 km² 805 km 240 km 9. ... June 22 is the 173rd day of the year (174th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 192 days remaining. ... Midtown Manhattan, looking north from the Empire State Building, 2005 New York City (officially named the City of New York) is the most populous city in the state of New York and the entire United States. ... June 23 is the 174th day of the year (175th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 191 days remaining. ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ...

Impact

Agnes was barely a hurricane at landfall in Florida, and the effects of winds and storm surges were relatively minor. The major impact was over the northeastern United States, where Agnes combined with the non-tropical low to produce widespread rains of 6 to 12 inches with local amounts of 14 to 19 inches. These rains produced widespread severe flooding from Virginia northward to New York, with other flooding occurring over the western portions of the Carolinas. ^{[citation needed]} Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170 451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ... Official language(s) English Capital Raleigh Largest city Charlotte Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 28th 139,509 km² 805 km 240 km 9. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ... Official language(s) None Capital Dover Largest city Wilmington Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 49th 6,452 km² 48 km 161 km 21. ... Official language(s) None Capital Annapolis Largest city Baltimore Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 42nd 32,160 km² 145 km 400 km 21 37°53N to 39°43N 75°4W to 79°33W Population  - Total (2000)  - Density Ranked 19th 5,296,486 165... Official language(s) None defined, English de facto Capital Trenton Largest city Newark Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 47th 22,608 km² 110 km 240 km 14. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ... Official language(s) None Capital Harrisburg Largest city Philadelphia Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 33rd 119,283 km² 255 km 455 km 2. ... Official language(s) English Capital Tallahassee Largest city Jacksonville Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 22nd 170 451 km² 260 km 800 km 17. ... Official language(s) English Capital Richmond Largest city Virginia Beach Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 35th 110,862 km² 320 km 690 km 7. ... Official language(s) None, English de facto Capital Albany Largest city New York City Area  - Total  - Width  - Length  - % water  - Latitude  - Longitude Ranked 27th 141,205 km² 455 km 530 km 13. ...

The worst flooding was along the Genesee River, the Canisteo River, and the Chemung Rivers in southwestern and southcentral New York. The latter two flowed into an already swollen Susquehanna River due to winter snow run off and flooding continued all the way down this river. The worst damage occurred in Elmira, New York and Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, but many other communities along the rivers suffered great losses. The Delaware River basin and the Potomac basins also had some flooding. So much fresh water was flushed into Chesapeake Bay that its seafood industry was badly damaged for several years. ^{[citation needed]} Upper Genesee near Belmont, New York, a series of pools and riffles The Middle Falls of the Genesee in Letchworth State Park The Genesee Rivers name is derived from the Iroquois meaning good valley or pleasant valley. ... The Canisteo River is a tributary of the United States. ... The Chemung River (shuh-MUHNG) is a tributary of the Susquehanna River, approximately 45 mi (72 km) long, in south central New York and northern Pennsylvania in the United States. ... The Susquehanna River is a river in the northeastern United States. ... Elmira is a city located in Chemung County, New York, USA. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 30,940. ... Wilkes-Barre (IPA: , , or ) is a city located in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, of which it is the county seat. ...

Agnes's rains were felt as far away as the west-central coast of Florida, and flooded Pinellas County.

Rainfall in the Piedmont region of Virginia also caused extensive flooding in the James River basin. Areas along the James west of Richmond and east of the Blue Ridge received massive amounts of rainfall that exceeded the rains of Hurricane Camille three years prior. The river experienced five-hundred year flooding levels, inundating downtown Richmond and causing millions of dollars in damages. ^{[citation needed]} Image File history File links Download high resolution version (621x914, 94 KB) Summary A St. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (621x914, 94 KB) Summary A St. ... Pinellas County is a county located in the state of Florida. ... The James River at Cartersville The James River in the U.S. state of Virginia is 547. ... Nickname: River City Motto: Sic Itur Ad Astra Official website: http://www. ... Blue Ridge may refer to any of the following: Blue Ridge, Georgia Blue Ridge, Virginia The Blue Ridge Mountains The US Navy Command ship USS Blue Ridge The passenger train Blue Ridge Blue Ridge Summit, Pennsylvania This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might... Hurricane Camille was a Category 5 hurricane that struck the United States at peak intensity near the mouth of the Mississippi River on the night of August 17 during the 1969 Atlantic hurricane season, causing catastrophic damage. ...

Agnes caused 122 deaths in the United States. Nine of these were in Florida (mainly from severe thunderstorms) while the remainder were associated with the flooding. The storm was responsible for $2.1 billion in damage (1972 US dollars) in the United States, the vast majority of which came from the flooding. Of this, over $2 billion was in Pennsylvania, and $750 million in New York^{[citation needed]}. Agnes also affected western Cuba, where seven additional deaths occurred. After adjustment for inflation, Agnes is the seventh costliest storm in United States history with a total of $11.6 billion (2005 US dollars). ^{[citation needed]} The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ... A flood (in Old English flod, a word common to Teutonic languages; compare German Flut, Dutch vloed from the same root as is seen in flow, float) is an overflow of water, an expanse of water submerging land, a deluge. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Retirement

The name Agnes was retired following this storm, and will never again be used for an Atlantic hurricane. [1] These are the names of Atlantic hurricanes that have been retired (removed from the rotation of naming lists) since human names were first used for naming of tropical cyclones in 1953. ... The following are hurricanes that formed in the northern Atlantic Ocean that have articles on Wikipedia. ...

Aftermath

The Green Brook Flood Control Project in central New Jersey was initiated after the flooding caused by Agnes in the Green Brook and Raritan River basins. The flood control project remained on the drawing boards for decades until Hurricane Floyd caused extensive damage in the same areas in 1999. Green Brook Flood Control is a flood control project in Somerset County in central New Jersey first proposed in the early 1970s in the wake of two major flooding events: Hurricane Agnes in June 1971 and a major flood in August 1973, which ravaged the Green Brook and Raritan basins... Hurricane Floyd was the sixth named storm, fourth hurricane, and third major hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. ...

Agnes had a devastating effect on already-bankrupt railroads in the Northeast. See Conrail for more information. Bankruptcy is a legally declared inability or impairment of ability of an individual or organization to pay their creditors. ... This is the top-level page of WikiProject trains Rail tracks Rail transport refers to the land transport of passengers and goods along railways or railroads. ... Conrail 6114, a GE Dash 8-40CW, leads a train westbound out of Altoona, Pennsylvania. ...

See also

Tropical cyclones Portal

• List of notable tropical cyclones
• List of notable Atlantic hurricanes

Image File history File links Portal. ... This is a list of notable tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin and reason for notability. ... This is a list of notable Atlantic hurricanes, subdivided by reason for notability. ...

References

• Modified after the National Hurricane Center web site. This US government site is in the public domain.
• United States Railway Association final system plan for reconstructing railroads in the northeast and midwest region pursuant to the Regional Rail Reorganization Act of 1973
• FAQ: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tropical Cyclones, NOAA, retrieved January 26, 2006.
• Agnes in Northeastern Pennsylvania