Monday, August 25: Extreme Weather
On September 21, 1938, one of the most destructive and powerful storms ever to strike southern New England devastated the region, with sustained winds reaching 121 miles per hour, tides surging more than 15 feet, and rainfall up to 17 inches in some areas. 564 people lost their lives and hundreds were injured. Tonight Storm Team 5's Danielle Vollmar recounts the fury of the storm. Plus, she reports on how our ability to predict severe weather is benefiting from advances in technology.
On September 21, 1938, the Great New England Hurricane hit the Northeast unannounced and left utter devastation in its wake. A new book from the American Meteorological Society, Taken by Storm 1938, documents the devastation and details the changes it brought about in disaster preparedness and weather forecasting.
Michael Utley was stuck by lightning on a Cape Cod golf course in 2000. Now he promotes safety awareness on his web site Struckbylightning.org.