RA IV/HC-37/Doc. 4.2(1), p.2
Tropical Storms and Hurricanes that impacted the United States in 2014.
Most of the season’s hurricanes occurred well east of the United States east coast. Only Hurricane Arthur made landfall in the United States and it occurred on the North Carolina Outer Banks. Figure 1 shows the track of Arthur. Dates are based on Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).
4.2.1.1 Hurricane Arthur
On July 3, Arthur was located off the southeast coast of the United States. The cyclone turned north-northeastward and accelerated while it moved between the ridge over the western Atlantic and an approaching mid- to upper-level trough over the eastern United States. The hurricane reached its peak intensity of 100 mph early on July 4 just before it turned northeastward and made landfall on Shackleford Banks, just west of Cape Lookout, North Carolina, at 0315 UTC July 4. After crossing the Outer Banks, Arthur accelerated northeastward over the western Atlantic late on July 4 and early on July 5, weakening to a tropical storm early on July 5 while located 130 miles east of Cape Cod.
The highest sustained winds measured in North Carolina were 83 mph in Salvo, and the highest measured wind gust was 101 mph at Cape Lookout. There were no reports of casualties associated with Arthur, and the United States was spared from significant damage. Insured losses from the hurricane did not meet the Property Claim Services’ $25 million threshold. Despite the relatively modest damage, one of the hardest hit areas was Dare County, North Carolina, which includes part of the Outer Banks. The worst damage occurred south of Oregon Inlet on Hatteras Island, especially in the Rodanthe, Salvo, and Waves areas, where wind and water damaged numerous residences, businesses, and campgrounds. In North Carolina and New England, more than 110,000 customers lost power.
4.2 .1.2 Hurricane Bertha
Although Bertha passed well east of the United States east coast, rip currents generated by Bertha caused two direct deaths: a man died near Frisco, North Carolina, and a woman died near Atlantic City, New Jersey.
4.2 .1.3 Hurricane Cristobal
Rip currents associated with the hurricane claimed the lives of two young men at Sandy Hook, New Jersey, and Ocean City, Maryland.
4.2 .1.4 Hurricane Marie (eastern North Pacific)
The west coast of the United States was affected by Hurricane Marie while it was located west of the Baja California Peninsula. Marie was a large hurricane with tropicalstormforce winds extending up to about 575 miles across. This wind field generated large swells that affected the coast of California, causing high surf and dangerous rip currents. The large waves resulted in damage totaling at least $20 million in the United States, much of which occurred on Catalina Island and at the Port of Long Beach. In addition, a surfer drowned in the high surf in Malibu, California.
Figure 1: Track of Hurricane Arthur.