Hurricane Belle was a strong tropical cyclone that caused moderate damage across the East Coast of the United States in August 1976. In late July, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa. Traversing the Atlantic Ocean for more than a week, the system eventually consolidated into a tropical depression near the Bahamas on August 6. Remaining nearly stationary for a day, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm on August 7 and a hurricane later that day as it acquired a northwest motion. Formation of an eye accompanied quick intensification and Belle reached its peak the following day with winds of . The hurricane subsequently turned north and accelerated, skirting the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Early on August 10, Belle made landfall on Long Island, New York, as a minimal hurricane crossing Long Island Sound and hitting the central coast of Connecticut as a strong tropical storm. Thereafter, Belle transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over New England before moving over Atlantic Canada. The system turned east while over the North Atlantic and ultimately dissipated on August 15 to the south of Iceland.
Threatening much of the East Coast of the United States, hurricane warnings were issued from Georgia to Maine. An estimated 500,000 people evacuated coastal areas accordingly. Overall, impacts from Belle were less than expected and mainly attributed to flooding across New England. Hundreds of thousands of residents lost power due to high winds. A total of 12 people lost their lives, mostly incidents indirectly related to the hurricane, and damage reached an estimated $100 million. Portions of New Jersey, New York, and Vermont were later declared major disaster areas by then-President Gerald Ford. Some damage also took place in New Brunswick, Canada, from heavy rain.
Meteorological history
On July 28, 1976, a tropical wave emerged off the west coast of Africa. An unusually well-organized system for the time of year and location, considerable deep convection accompanied it. A possible low-level circulation consolidated within the system by July 31 as it raced west across the Atlantic Ocean. As it approached the Lesser Antilles in early August, convection separated from the system and moved north of the islands while the wave itself continued into the Caribbean. The northern portion of the system eventually reached a point north of the Bahamas on August 5 and grew increasingly organized. Well-defined upper-level outflow became established that evening. A low-level center formed early on August 6 and became a tropical depression by 06:00 UTC while situated roughly east-northeast of Nassau, Bahamas. Over the next 24 hours, the system remained almost stationary and executed a small counter-clockwise loop. Early on August 7, the depression acquired gale-force winds and became a tropical storm. Accordingly, it was assigned the name Belle. Acquiring a slow northwest trajectory, Belle steadily intensified on August 7. Reconnaissance aircraft investigating the storm revealed the system to have achieved hurricane strength by 18:00 UTC as its pressure fell to 985 mbar (hPa; ). Additionally, a well-defined eye was present by this time. Late on August 9, the hurricane passed within of Hatteras Island, North Carolina. Contrary to most storms which threaten the northeastern states, Belle did not accelerate tremendously as it neared land. Accordingly, it weakened quickly in response to cooler waters in the region. Around 05:00 UTC on August 10, Belle made landfall as a minimal hurricane with winds along Jones Beach, Long Island, New York.
Preparations
thumb|left|Radar image of Hurricane Belle off the coast of North Carolina on August 9
Owing to Hurricane Belle's proximity to many states along the Eastern Seaboard, hurricane watches and warnings were issued for the entire coast from Georgia to Maine. Accordingly, evacuations took place in numerous states with an estimated 500,000 people evacuating overall. Approximately 40,000 vacationing in the Outer Banks evacuated; however, roughly 2,500 residents decided to ride out the storm in their homes. In Kitty Hawk and Nags Head, volunteer firefighters traveled door-to-door urging residents to leave. Schools and hotels across the areas were utilized as shelters for tourists. National Parks across the Outer Banks closed for the duration of the storm. Aircraft at the Marine Corps Camp Lejeune were relocated inland and helicopters were moved to hangars; some helicopters remained available for emergency rescue operations. An estimated 6,200 residents evacuated to Red Cross shelters in the state.
The majority of evacuations in the country were in New Jersey, with 250,000 residents and tourists relocating. Advisories from the National Hurricane Center emphasized the flood risk as well. The Red Cross reported that about 2,300 people evacuated Cape Cod, Massachusetts, and thousands of tourists left the area. Notable state maximums included in Massachusetts, in Maryland, in Maine, in New York, in New Jersey, in Connecticut, and in Virginia. Although on the weaker side of the storm, New Jersey saw the highest winds from Belle, with an estimated peak gust of in Ship Bottom. A similar gust was estimated to have occurred in Jones Beach, New York, where Belle made landfall. Hurricane-force gusts also affected portions of Connecticut, New York, and North Carolina. LaGuardia Airport, near New York City, saw sustained winds of with gusts to , while Bridgeport, Connecticut has gusts to 77 mph. Tides of above normal were common from North Carolina to Rhode Island. Atlantic City, New Jersey saw the greatest tides at above mean low-tide, while Battery Park in lower Manhattan saw a peak value of above mean low tide. Along the North Carolina–Virginia border, five people lost their lives in a car accident on a rain-slicked highway. On August 21, then-President Gerald Ford issued a major disaster declaration for Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, and Ocean counties, allowing them to receive federal funding.
The high winds knocked down trees and power lines across Long Island, New York, leaving roughly 170,000 residents without electricity. Power crews from Pennsylvania were called in to assist in restoring electricity. Damage across the island reached $8 million, of which $3 million stemmed from erosion at Rockaway Beach. An estimated 36,000 residents in the lower Hudson Valley lost power. President Ford later declared Nassau, Suffolk, and Rensselaer counties major disaster areas. Effects were similar in Connecticut where approximately 247,000 people lost electricity. Flooding in and around Danbury prompted evacuations of an apartment complex and motel. One fatality took place in Barkhamsted due to slippery roads. with losses reaching $7.1 million and mostly stemming from Fairfield and New Haven counties. Power companies brought in additional personnel to expedite the restoration process, though many remained in the dark days after the storm. A couple and their two dogs in Vernon died from carbon monoxide poisoning from a generator on August 14.
Owing to heavy rains that preceded the hurricane, widespread small stream flooding took place in New England, with southern areas of the state seeing the greatest damage. Portions of Route 100 were washed out. The overall scale of flooding was regarded as a 1-in-10 to 1-in-25 year event. Immediately following the hurricane, a statewide ban on drinking water was imposed with an order to boil it first. This was later lifted on August 23. Salt accumulation along power lines in Rhode Island cut electricity to 8,000 residents on Aquidneck Island. Along the Saint John River in Aroostook County, Maine, flooding caused $2.5 million worth of damage to crops and buildings.
See also
- List of New England hurricanes
- Hurricane Bob (1991) – the most recent hurricane to strike New England
- Hurricane Gloria (1985)
- List of New York hurricanes
- Hurricane Irene (2011) – The most recent tropical cyclone to make landfall in New York state
- Hurricane Sandy (2012) – affected similar U.S. states as Belle, and was also a Category 3 hurricane
- List of North Carolina hurricanes (1950–1979)