Sept. 21 will mark the 80th anniversary the hurricane of 1938, one of the most powerful and destructive storms ever to strike New England. It killed almost 700 people and caused damage estimated at over $306 million which, by today’s standards, equates to a little over $68 billion.

The storm is said to be the worst natural disaster to have struck Connecticut during the 20th century and it certainly did not spare Groton.

The hurricane came without warning, and most residents were unaware of the oncoming onslaught. Unlike today, there were no satellites, radar or even hurricane hunter aircraft to track such storms and provide advance warning.

Based on reports from ships along the eastern seaboard, weather forecasters believed that this storm would remain offshore and would not be a threat to New England. The weather forecast published in The Day newspaper the day before the storm called for “rain and cooler temperatures with moderate shifting winds becoming north or northeast.”

There were other reasons the storm took many by surprise. The technology used in 1938 was certainly not what it is today. Communication was mostly accomplished by radio — there were no televisions, and no computers. Yes, there were telephones; however, the advancing winds of the hurricane caused numerous telephone and electric lines to come down.

Radio stations and newspapers were unable to provide warnings because the storm was moving so rapidly up the coast. Many believed the storm was just a strong “nor’easter” associated with the heavy rains that had fallen across Connecticut for the preceding four days.

The last hurricane to strike New England was in September of 1815, and there was no one living who recalled it. Many thus believed that a hurricane would never hit the area.

Once it was determined that the hurricane had turned to the west and was indeed going to strike the East Coast, it was too late.

The winds from the hurricane began in the late morning, and the full force of the storm struck Groton at about 3 p.m. Classified as a Category 3 hurricane, it moved at a speed of approximately 70 miles per hour. Sustained winds of 90 miles per hour and gusts reaching over 120 miles per hour were experienced during the peak of the storm. The Weather Bureau estimated the size of the hurricane to be approximately 500 miles wide with an eye as much as 50 miles wide. A barometric pressure chart for the area on the day of the storm recorded the pressure at 28.8 inches at the peak of the storm.

Heavy rains would ultimately contribute to the extreme damage experienced throughout the area. The water from these rains, estimated to be about 10 inches, on top of the three to six inches of rain accompanying the hurricane, contributed to the severe flooding that took place throughout New London County.

Adding to the destruction and devastation caused by the storm was the fact that it struck at the peak of high tide. The tides, which had been expected to be higher than usual before the storm because of autumnal equinox (when the sun and moon are both in line with the earth, causing a double gravitation pull), grew to over 17 feet above normal levels.

Wave surges between 30 and 50 feet pounded the coastline with millions of tons of sea water. The impact of the storm surge, often referred to as a “tidal wave,” was so strong that it was recorded on the earthquake seismograph at Fordham University in New York City.

The combination of the winds, floods, storm surge and waves not only wiped out thousands of homes and hundreds of thousands of trees, but also caused extensive damage to bridges, utilities and rail lines.

Many of the lives lost as a result of the storm occurred when people came out of their homes as the winds calmed down and the sun came out.

But those who emerged to take a look at the damage were unaware this was the eye of the hurricane and within a short period of time they were caught in the backlash of this powerful storm.

Incidentally, the naming of tropical storms and hurricanes began in 1953. Although the hurricane of 1938 did not have an official name it has been referred to by many names, including the Great New England Hurricane, Long Island Express and the Yankee Clipper.

Today a rotating list of male and female names is used over a six-year cycle in naming the storms. A name is retired from the list if the storm was deadly or costly.

Tragically, dozens of deaths in New England were attributed to the storm.

According to the Dec. 28, 1938, edition of The Hartford Courant, 83 of the deaths occurred in Connecticut and at least six died in Groton. The destruction of property in Groton was widespread and enormous.

Jim Streeter is the Groton town historian.

The Hurricane of 1938

Eighty years after the Hurricane of 1938, details and personal accounts about the storm are beginning to fade. In this three-part series, a local historian examines the storm and its effect on Groton. Next week, read about the tragic deaths that occurred here and details about the wrath of destruction caused by the hurricane.