New York, NY – Today, Sunday, September 21, marks the 87th anniversary of the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, one of the most powerful and destructive storms to ever strike the Northeast.
According to the U.S. National Weather Service New York, the Category 3 hurricane made its first landfall near Bellport, Long Island, between 2:10 and 2:40 p.m. before striking again between Bridgeport and New Haven, Connecticut, around 4:00 p.m. The storm packed winds of 115 to 120 miles per hour and moved inland at a rapid 47 miles per hour.
The hurricane killed hundreds of people across New York, Connecticut, and Rhode Island while destroying entire fishing fleets and reshaping Long Island’s shoreline. Officials report that 10 new inlets were carved along the coast, including the Shinnecock Inlet, which remains today.
In 1938 dollars, the storm caused more than $620 million in damages, making it one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history at the time. Historical photos, maps, and first-hand accounts show widespread flooding, collapsed homes, and washed-out infrastructure across the Tri-State region.
The National Weather Service has published an online archive with photos, news clippings, and a timeline of the events leading up to the hurricane. The resource aims to preserve the history of a storm that permanently altered the landscape and lives of countless families across New England.
