In late October 28 into early November 1991, a fierce storm wreaked havoc on the high seas, bringing hurricane-force winds, major coastal flooding, and perilous waves to New England. Though it never actually made landfall in the United States, it is regarded as a highly unusual and record-setting storm for the northwest Atlantic ocean and was memorialized in the book Perfect Storm by Sebastian Junger and a movie of the same name.. 

The Formation of the Storm and the Loss of the Andrea Gail

On the afternoon of October 28, 1991, a low pressure system began to form just east of Nova Scotia, Canada. It wasn’t the only storm in the works -- at the same time, Hurricane Grace was forming offshore, just west of Bermuda. As the day went on, a cool, dry air mass appeared over New England, and a high pressure system formed over the Great Lakes. These events, coupled with a low pressure system over the Rockies, were the key ingredients for making a “Perfect Storm,” 

Some time after midnight, as the storm continued intensifying, the Andrea Gail, a 72-foot commercial fishing vessel, sank, taking her six-man crew down with her. The ship’s last reported position was about 180 miles northeast of Sable Island -- and it was here that the ship’s emergency beacon washed ashore on November 5, 1991. 

The Evolution of the “Perfect Storm” and the Tamaroa

On October 29, Hurricane Grace’s circulation had become very low-level, and was increasingly being disrupted by an approaching cold front. Moisture from this front began to merge with the coastal storm, and on October 30, it moved southwest and reached peak intensity, strengthening winds and waves as it went. By Halloween, the storm had spun even farther south and had landed over the Gulf Stream, where sea surface temperatures hovered at about 80 degrees.

Over the course of these few days, many ships and other maritime vessels found the waters to be dangerous, growing more so all the time. Enter the Coast Guard Cutter Tamaroa, a former WWII US Navy tugboat that had been in service for almost 50 years. The Tamaroa and her crew made several rescues over the course of this monstrous storm.

In one instance, a New York Air National Guard helicopter, which had been returning from its own storm-related mission, was low on fuel and unable to connect to a fuel tanker. About 90 miles south of Montauk, New York, the crew had no choice but to abandon their aircraft  and hope that help would arrive. After several hours of reconnaissance and transit, the Tamaroa succeeded in rescuing three of the crew members. The fourth member, pararescueman Rick Smith, was never found, despite extensive search efforts.

The Unnamed Hurricane and the Record-Breaking Impacts

In the first few days of November, the “Perfect Storm” evolved into a tropical cyclone, and then quickly evolved into a hurricane as it sped back towards the northeast. On November 2, it passed over the same area where it had originated, landfalling in Nova Scotia. 

Though the storm did become a hurricane, it was never named, as it was expected to be short- lived and was determined to primarily affect maritime interests. In short, forecasters didn’t want to create confusion or a media circus. 

The “Perfect Storm” caused treacherous swells, surf, and coastal flooding along large portions of the Atlantic shoreline, including Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, the Bahamas, the United States, and Bermuda. Waves reaching almost 30 feet in height were common from North Carolina all the way up to Canada, and there were isolated rogue waves reported as high as 90 feet in the North Atlantic. Hurricane-force wind gusts, reaching almost 80 miles per hour in certain areas, swept the coasts and whipped seas into a frenzy. 

There can be no doubt that, though it never touched down on American soil, the “Perfect Storm” will forever be remembered as a benchmark storm for the North Atlantic.

Additional Resources

• GIS Story Board -- WFO Boston

• "Remembering the Perfect Storm 30 Years Later" Presentation, WFO Boston

• Other Articles and Information