22 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 367 



The Hurricane of September 1938 



The hurricane on September 21, 1938, was the most disastrous storm 

 during the JO-year period covered by this summary. A reprint of the "Re- 

 marks" in the monthly bulletin is given below. The accompanying graph shows 

 barometric pressure and wind velocity in the afternoon of that day. 



The outstanding feature of the weather during September was 

 the heavy rainstorm from the 17th to the 21st, terminating with the 

 hurricane on the 21st. A total of 11.96 inches of rain fell between 

 6 p.m. on the I7th and 9 p.m. on the 21st. This storm brought 

 the Connecticut River to a height of 14.9 feet over the Holyoke dam. 

 This is .1 foot higher than in November, 1927, and 1.7 feet lower 

 than in March, 1936. The total rainfall during the month was 14.55 

 inches. This is the greatest rainfall in Amherst during any month 

 since 1836, the year records were first taken in Amherst. The nearest 

 approach to this heavy rainfall was in July, 1897 when 14.51 inches 

 were recorded. The total rainfall since January 1 is now 49.74 inches, 

 as compared with a normal of 33.25 inches for this period. 



The barometer continued high during the rain on the 17th and 

 18th and until noon on the 19th, reading approximately 30.15 inches 

 when reduced to sea level. At noon (E. S. T.) on the 19th the ba- 

 rometer commenced falling slowly and reached 29.70 by 12 p.m. on 

 the 20th. On the 21st the fall of the barometer was accelerated but 

 did not become unusual until noon when it had fallen to 29.58. Be 

 tween 12 noon and 2 p.m. it fell .15 inches and by 3 p.m. it reached 

 29.12. By 4 o'clock the barometer had dropped to 28.72 Inches and 

 reached the minimum of 28.41 at 5:05 p.m. During this time the 

 wind rose from 20 miles per hour at 3 p.m. to 38 at 4 p.m., and 

 about 50 at 4:30, and reached 80 miles per hour at 5:17. An average 

 velocity of 57 miles per hour was maintained for 5 minutes beginning 

 at 5:10. After 5:05 p.m. the barometer rose at about the same rate 

 at which it had dropped. The wind gradually decreased in velocity to 

 65 miles per hour at 5:30 and fell to 22 miles per hour at 7 p.m. 



On March 1, 1914 there was a sudden drop in the barometer 

 quite similar to that which occurred on the 21st. The lowest reading 

 at that time was 28.47 inches when reduced to sea level. The wind 

 velocity accompanying that storm was only 45 miles per hour. 



The wind blew from the north during the rain on the I7th, 18th, 

 19th and 20th, except from 9 p.m. on the 19th to 6 a.m. on the 

 20th when it blew from the south. It continued from the north until 

 noon on the 21st when it shifted to southeast and continued from 

 that direction during the storm. After the storm it shifted to south 

 and continued from that direction on the following day. 



A large number of trees was uprooted and others were snapped 

 off by the force of the wind, both on the College campus and in 

 the town. Many tobacco barns and poultry buildings were over- 

 turned and collapsed. Many roofs were damaged, some blowing oif 

 completely. Few substantial buildings were damaged except from 

 falling trees. 



