On this date in 1933, a devastating hurricane struck the Mid-Atlantic, killing 47 people and leaving thousands homeless. The storm caused severe flooding in Virginia, Maryland, D.C., Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey. After making landfall near the North Carolina–Virginia border, the storm tracked northward and maintained significant strength as it pushed inland.
“A spectacular storm of unprecedented magnitude struck the National Capital yesterday, drenching it with nearly 7 inches of rainfall, flooding the Potomac River, demoralizing public utilities and doing great property damage,” The Washington Post reported the following day.
The storm’s defining feature was its surge. The hurricane pushed an ocean surge up the Potomac River estimated to be 11 to 12 feet, driving water deep into normally dry areas. In DC, waterfront sections along the Potomac flooded extensively, while farther downstream, the Chesapeake Bay region bore the brunt of the devastation.
Areas around the Bay were decimated by the towering surge. “Bay communities such as St. George Island and Tilghman Island practically disappeared under water, the residents forced to scramble onto their roofs for safety,” The Post’s John Kelly wrote in a retrospective. Entire communities were overwhelmed as water levels rose rapidly, destroying homes and infrastructure.
The storm also reshaped the coastline in dramatic fashion. In Ocean City, Maryland, powerful waves and surge cut a new inlet at the southern end of the town, separating it from Assateague Island — a change that permanently altered the region’s geography and helped transform Ocean City into the island it is today.
In addition to flooding, strong winds damaged buildings, uprooted trees and disrupted transportation and utilities across the region.
See these articles for more information about the storm:
