Hurricane Edouard (1996)

Hurricane Edouard

Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS)
Hurricane Edouard at peak intensity
Formed	August 19, 1996
Dissipated	September 7, 1996
(Extratropical after September 3, 1996)
Highest winds	1-minute sustained: 145 mph (230 km/h)
Lowest pressure	933 mbar (hPa); 27.55 inHg
Fatalities	2 direct
Damage	$20 million (1996 USD)
Areas affected	Mid-Atlantic States, New England
Part of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane Edouard was the strongest hurricane in the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) on its path. Edouard remained a major hurricane for eight days, an unusually long amount of time. A Cape Verde-type hurricane, the storm formed near the coast of Africa in the middle of August. It moved westward then curved northward, and persisted until early September when it became extratropical to the southeast of New England. Edouard was originally forecast to strike the northeast United States, but it produced hurricane-force gusts to portions of southeastern Massachusetts while remaining offshore. The winds caused minor damage totaling $20 million. In addition, the hurricane generated strong waves and rip currents to coastlines, killing two people in New Jersey and causing numerous injuries.

A tropical wave moved off the coast of Africa on August 19, accompanied with spiral bands of convection around an area of low pressure. A large circulation quickly developed once it reached the Atlantic Ocean, and the system organized into Tropical Depression Four late on August 19 while located 345 mi (555 km) southeast of Cape Verde. Initial forecasts predicted for great intensification, including one forecast for the depression to strengthen to a hurricane within three days. However, the depression remained disorganized, and slowly intensified to attain tropical storm status on August 22.

After becoming a tropical storm, Edouard quickly strengthened due to the establishment of an upper-level anticyclone over the storm. The storm moved to the west in response to a strong subtropical ridge to its north, and Edouard strengthened into a hurricane on August 23. Due to very favorable conditions, the hurricane rapidly strengthened on August 24 and August 25 to peak as a 145 mph (230 km/h) Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Scale. A weakness in the subtropical ridge allowed for a motion more to the west-northwest, and the hurricane passed about 250 mi (400 km) north of the Lesser Antilles on August 28. For three days during this time, Edouard maintained Category 4 intensity, though weakened late on August 28 due to an eyewall replacement cycle and vertical shear.