Hurricane Daisy (1962)

Hurricane Daisy

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Daisy near peak strength
Formed	September 29, 1962
Dissipated	October 8, 1962
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 110 mph (175 km/h)
Lowest pressure	965 mbar (hPa); 28.5 inHg
Fatalities	2 direct, 24 indirect
Damage	$1.1 million (1962 USD)
Areas affected	New England, Canadian Maritimes
Part of the 1962 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Daisy brought the worst flooding to New England since Hurricane Diane in 1955. The fourth named storm and second hurricane of the 1962 Atlantic hurricane season, Daisy developed from a tropical disturbance located well east of the Leeward Islands on September 29. Initially a tropical depression, it headed west-northwestward and failed to strengthen significantly. While located a short distance from the Leeward Islands, the depression curved northwestward and began intensifying. On October 2, the depression was upgraded to Tropical Storm Daisy. Around that time, the storm turned back to the west-northwest and continued to deepen. Daisy reached hurricane status late on October 3. Two days later, it became a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, but briefly weakened back to a Category 1 on October 6.

Daisy re-strengthened into a Category 2 later on October 6, and peaked with winds of 110 mph (175 km/h). The outerbands of Daisy produced strong winds and heavy surf in Bermuda, but caused no damage. It weakened back to a Category 1 again on October 7. While passing offshore New England, the storm, combined with a nor'easter, produced flooding and strong winds. Two fatalities were directly related to the hurricane, and 24 other people died in traffic related deaths, that were caused by slick roads from the heavy rain. Total damage in New England was estimated to be over $1.1 million (1962 USD). Early on October 8, Daisy made landfall near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, several hours before transitioning into an extratropical cyclone. In Atlantic Canada, the storm brought rough seas, causing coastal flooding and six fatalities in Nova Scotia.