Hurricane Bob facts for kids
| Category 3 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Hurricane Bob approaching New England
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| Formed | August 16, 1991 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | August 29, 1991 |
| (Extratropical after August 20) | |
| Highest winds | 1-minute sustained: 115 mph (185 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 950 mbar (hPa); 28.05 inHg |
| Fatalities | 15 direct, 2 indirect |
| Damage | $1.5 billion (1991 USD) |
| Areas affected | North Carolina, Mid-Atlantic states, New England and Atlantic Canada |
| Part of the 1991 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Bob was a powerful hurricane that hit the eastern United States and Canada in August 1991. It was one of the most expensive hurricanes ever to strike New England.
Bob started as an area of low pressure near the Bahamas. This area slowly grew stronger and became Tropical Storm Bob on August 16.
Contents
How Hurricane Bob Formed and Moved
At first, Tropical Storm Bob moved towards the north-northwest. But after it became a hurricane on August 17, it changed direction and headed north-northeast.
By August 18 and 19, Hurricane Bob's path was very similar to Hurricane Carol, a storm from 1954. Both storms affected North Carolina and New England. Bob passed very close to eastern North Carolina on August 18 and early on August 19.
On August 19, the storm traveled up the Mid-Atlantic coast. It went just east of Long Island before crossing Block Island in Rhode Island. Later that afternoon, it made landfall near Newport, Rhode Island.
Impact and Damage from Hurricane Bob
While Bob was affecting Rhode Island, its strong winds also reached westward into Connecticut. In Connecticut, the winds reached speeds of about 75 miles per hour (120 km/h).
The state that saw the most damage was Massachusetts. The total damage there was about $1 billion.
After hitting Rhode Island, the storm weakened into a strong tropical storm. It then hit Maine with winds of 70 miles per hour (110 km/h) and brought heavy rain.
Overall, Hurricane Bob caused about $1.5 billion in damage. Sadly, 18 people lost their lives because of the storm.
Retirement of the Name Bob
Because Hurricane Bob caused so much damage and was so deadly, its name was taken out of the list of hurricane names. This happened in the spring of 1992. The name Bob was replaced with Bill for future storms.
Images for kids
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Hurricane Bob near its strongest point on August 19
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Rainfall from Hurricane Bob across the United States
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Hurricane Bob off the coast of North Carolina on August 18
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Hurricane Bob making landfall at Rhode Island
See also
In Spanish: Huracán Bob para niños
