Hurricane How (1951)
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Surface weather map of Hurricane How on October 5
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| Formed | September 28, 1951 |
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| Dissipated | October 7, 1951 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 110 mph (175 km/h) |
| Fatalities | 17 total |
| Damage | $2 million (1951 USD) |
| Areas affected | Florida, Outer Banks, Virginia, New England |
| Part of the 1951 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane How was the only tropical cyclone to make landfall on the United States in 1951. It was the eighth storm of the season, forming on September 28 in the northwest Caribbean and, after entering the Gulf of Mexico, turned eastward and became a tropical storm. The storm brought heavy rainfall to Florida, causing flooding and $2 million in damage. Tropical Storm How later became a hurricane, passing near the Outer Banks of North Carolina where it produced strong winds and high tides. A ship called the "Southern Isles" capsized off Cape Hatteras, killing 17 out of the crew of 23. Rains and high tides occurred in southeastern New England, before the hurricane moved out to sea and became extratropical.
The origins of Hurricane How were from an easterly wave that organized into a tropical depression, in the western Caribbean Sea on September 28, 1951. It moved to the north-northwest, passing by the Yucatan peninsula before turning to the east in the central Gulf of Mexico on October 1. That day, a reconnaissance aircraft in the system reported gale force winds and, as a result, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm How. The storm strengthened to just below hurricane force, making landfall near Punta Gorda, Florida with 70 mph (110 km/h) winds (115 km/h). While it crossed the state, the center was not very organized, and consequently the strongest winds were in the south and southeastern portion of the storm; heavy rains, however, fell across its path.
Tropical Storm How emerged into the Atlantic Ocean near Vero Beach, quickly intensifying to hurricane strength by October 3. Turning northeastward, Hurricane How reached peak winds of 110 mph (180 km/h) on October 4 as it passed near the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Subsequently the hurricane embarked on a slow weakening trend, as it briefly posed a threat to New England. It passed southeast of Cape Cod before turning more to the east-northeast. It became an extratropical storm on October 7, and the next day the remnants of How dissipated in the far northern Atlantic.
As the storm was not very well-organized when it crossed Florida, the strongest winds were not near the center, and instead were confined to squalls in the Florida Keys and the southeast coast.Miami reported a gust of 60 mph (96 km/h), and West Palm Beach reported 55 mph (88 km/h) winds. Wind damage was minor, confined to a few broken windows and the sinking or damaging of some small craft. Nevertheless, heavy rainfall occurred along its path. The highest total was 15.7 inches (40 cm) near Bonita Springs, near where it moved ashore. Elsewhere, Fort Myers reported 10.43 inches (26.5 cm), while Clewiston along the western shore of Lake Okeechobee received about 10 inches (25 cm); the lake rose about 4 inches (10 cm) from the rainfall, but no overflow was expected. Elsewhere, the precipitation caused some significant street flooding, while about 7,000 acres (28 km2) of tomato and bean fields were deluged.
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