Hurricane Gloria - Cedar Island, North Carolina - September 26-27, 1985

From September 26th through the 28th, 1985, large and powerful Hurricane Gloria impacted the east coast of the United States from North Carolina northward through New England.

Prior to landfall, Hurricane Gloria reached its peak intensity, east of the Bahamas, on the afternoon of September 25th. With maximum sustained winds of 145mph and a minimum central pressure of 919mb (27.14in), at this time, Gloria was a strong category four. After this, the hurricane gradually weakend as it accelerated northward.

On the early morning of the 27th, Gloria made its first landfall over eastern North Carolina with maximum sustained winds of 105mph and gusts to near 125mph. Diamond Shoals lighthouse recorded sustained winds of 98mph with gusts to 120mph. Between 1am - 2am, the eye of Gloria moved directly over Hatteras Island with the village of Buxton reporting nearly calm winds and a pressure of 947.5mb (27.98in). At this time, the hurricane's minimum central pressure, as reported by reconnaissance aircraft, was 942mb (27.82in).

From the afternoon of the 26th through the early morning of the 27th, storm chasers Michael Laca and Jim Leonard intercepted Hurricane Gloria at Cedar Island, North Carolina. Our chase team recorded a minimum pressure of 975.6mb (28.81in) and encountered sustained winds of 80mph with peak gusts of 100-105mph. Our location during the worst part of the storm was on the immediate coastline with direct onshore flow from Pamlico Sound. We were also adjacent to large utility transmission towers, whose high-tension lines produced some of the most incredible wind noise our team has ever heard.

After passing North Carolina, Gloria continued to accelerate northward making a second landfall over Long Island in New York, and a third in Connecticut, bringing hurricane conditions to several locations in New England.

Across the affected areas, Hurricane Gloria was responsible for $1.8 billion (adjusted) in damage and eight fatalities.

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• Hurricane
• Gloria
• Tropical
• Cyclone
• Storm
• Category
• Four
• Two
• September
• 1985
• North
• Carolina
• Outer
• Banks
• Buxton
• Cape
• Hatteras
• Cedar
• Island
• Mid
• Atlantic
• New
• England
• York
• Strong
• Violent
• Extreme
• Winds
• 100
• 120
• mph
• Wind
• Noise
• Howling
• Screaming
• Incredible
• Audio
• Loud
• Rain
• Surge
• Wave
• Waves
• Flood
• Flooding
• Historic
• Record
• Disaster
• Catastrophe
• Damage
• Deadly
• Landfall
• Warning
• Chase
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• Chaser
• Michael
• Laca
• High
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• DVD
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[MedelProductions]

I would love to be back in the 80's holding one of those monster camera/VCR sets filming storms such us this. :D

[vmax135]

I wasn't too thrilled with all the different (and heavy) pieces of equipment that went into it... especially when traveling... lol. But, the inconvenience was definitely worth being able to document all these storms.

[MEnubnub]

Hmmmm. Can i ask which is the most powerful hurricane u have met b4?

[vmax135]

Hi there. In terms of the strongest winds I've personally experienced, that would probably be Hurricane Hugo (1989)... however, both Andrew (1992) and Gilbert (1988) were stronger storms than Hugo when I was in them but, in both instances, my location didn't expereince the strongest winds they were producing (Andrew came close though).

[MedelProductions]

Are you still going to upload some more old footage?

[vmax135]

Hi Gavin. Yes, I'm currently working on remastering other footage from the 1985 and 86 seasons.

[Rainheart119]

Thumbs up if you are going to experience or already experienced the wrath of Hurricane Irene in the August of 2011

[babeemuffin98]

MY name Gloria LOL

[0520sexy]

The wind sounds so evil

[MsBest450]

Not bad for 1985 that is.Lol.

[aurellii78]

This so grasping,look and enjoy....

[J9A2M6E8S5B]

I was born September 26, 1985, smack in the middle of the hurricane. Pretty cool to see what was going on that day!

[MW2Addiction]

Exactly 10 years after this I was born lol. Im a youngster :)

But yeah it is very nice that you recorded this because I find it interesting to watch stuff before I was born for some reason lol.

[salmoncorey]

I was 15 years old when Gloria happened. I lived on The Eastern Shore of Virginia, and even though the eye stayed out over the ocean, we had 90 mph gust where I lived. We had 7 large trees fall in our yard, three of them on our house during the storm. It was a little spooky, but I loved it.