Montpelier, Vermont - August 25, 2011
Hurricane Irene is currently wreaking havoc in the Atlantic Ocean. And now forecasters say it is on target to make a direct hit on the Connecticut River Valley this weekend.
The last tropical system to have a major impact on our region was Hurricane Floyd back in 1999. It was still a tropical storm when it swept over Vermont. The storm caused major flooding, knocking out power to thousands and tossing boats around like toys.
The questions now: How strong will Hurricane Irene be when it reaches our region? And will it be one for the record books?
"You get a big storm like this and it can remake the landscape," said Marjorie Strong of the Vermont Historical Society.
The hurricane of 1938 may have been the most powerful tropical system in modern history to come our way. And no one was ready for it.
"The forecasters thought it would be a typical hurricane and hit the Carolinas... The storm made an unexpected curve. It hit the Northeast before there were any projections," Strong said. "The people were caught by surprise, that was the big problem. There was no preparation."
It was the last tropical system to hit Vermont with sustained hurricane force winds of 74 mph or greater. Thousands of miles of roads were blocked. Remarkably, only five people were killed.
"The trees, that's the part that impressed everybody in '38, the fact that a third of the trees went down, that's a huge number. Well-developed large trees coming down-- it changed the landscape completely," Strong said.
Eleven years earlier a tropical system caused Vermont's greatest natural disaster-- the Flood of 1927. The storm brought 9 inches of rain. Eighty-five people were killed, 9,000 lost their homes and 1,200 bridges were destroyed.
"In the ranking it goes the '27 flood, then the hurricane-- though the hurricane hit on two fronts, so in some ways it did more damage-- but the flooding in the '27 was more extensive. It's not often you have every river and stream rising simultaneously in the state," Strong said.
It is believed the strongest hurricane to ever hit Vermont was back in 1788.
The governor is asking Vermonters to be prepared in case Hurricane Irene comes to the Green Mountains. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains, high winds and possible flash flooding. Gov. Peter Shumlin, D-Vermont, is on vacation in Nova Scotia but has been in constant contact with Vermont Emergency Management.
"People need to get out, make sure they have enough water to last them a few days, if not longer, and the same for food, and clean up around their yard, anything that could become projectiles need to be picked up," said Peter Coffey of Vermont Emergency Management.
Utilities all across the state say they are on standby and will be ready when the storm hits. Additional help is also ready to roll in if necessary.
Matt Henson - WCAX News
