Wikipedia:Today's featured article/April 8, 2013

Hurricane Carol was among the worst tropical cyclones on record to affect the New England region of the United States. It developed from a tropical wave near the Bahamas on August 25, 1954, and slowly strengthened as it moved northwestward, developing into a major hurricane. While paralleling the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern United States, the storm produced strong winds and rough seas that caused minor coastal flooding and slight damage to houses. It made landfall on Long Island, New York, and Connecticut on August 31 near peak intensity. Early on the following day, Carol transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over New Hampshire. In New York, storm surge flooded LaGuardia Airport and inundated Montauk Highway, leaving the eastern portion of Long Island isolated. There were 65 deaths and 1,000 injuries in New England. About 150,000 people were left without electricity in the region, and over 1,500 houses were destroyed. Overall, Carol caused 68 fatalities and damage totaled about $460 million (1954 USD), making it the costliest hurricane in U.S. history at the time. Following the storm, Carol became the first name to be removed from the naming lists in the Atlantic basin. (Full article...)

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