Hurricane Fran 728685 225209634 2008-07-12T13:54:44Z 67.62.202.32 /* Virginia */ spelling correction - "which was 22 feel above" to "which was 22 feet above" {{dablink|This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 1996; for other storms of the same name, see [[Tropical Storm Fran (disambiguation)]].}} {{Infobox Hurricane | Name=Hurricane Fran | Type=hurricane | Year=1996 | Basin=Atl | Image location=Hurricane Fran sept 1996.jpg | Image name=Hurricane Fran at peak intensity | Formed=[[August 23]], [[1996]] | Dissipated=[[September 8]], [[1996]] | 1-min winds=105 | Pressure=946 | Damages=3200 | Inflated=0 | Fatalities=26 direct | Areas=[[South Carolina]], [[North Carolina]], [[Virginia]], [[West Virginia]], [[Maryland]], [[Pennsylvania]] | Hurricane season=[[1996 Atlantic hurricane season]] }} '''Hurricane Fran''' was a powerful [[Cape Verde-type hurricane]] of the [[1996 Atlantic hurricane season]] that made landfall near [[Cape Fear]] in [[North Carolina]] at [[Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale|Category 3]] strength. The storm caused more than $3 billion in damage (1996 [[United States dollar|USD]]) along the [[Eastern seaboard]] of the [[United States]], and is to blame for 26 deaths. ==Storm history== {{storm path|Fran 1996 track.png}} The tropical wave that would eventually become Hurricane Fran emerged from the west coast of Africa on [[August 22]]. It quickly gained deep convection and a recognizable circulation, organizing into a tropical depression on [[August 23]] southeast of the [[Cape Verde Islands]]. The storm continued to track westward across the Atlantic without significant strengthening. The slowness of the system's development is attributed to nearby Hurricane Edouard, which was disrupting Fran's inflow currents. Nonetheless, the system became a tropical storm on [[August 27]] while well east of the [[Lesser Antilles]], receiving the name Fran. Fran continued strengthening as it followed the path of Edouard, and reached hurricane strength on [[August 29]] before weakening back to a tropical storm on the [[August 30]].<ref name="tcr">[[National Hurricane Center]]. [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1996fran.html Fran Tropical Cyclone Report.] Retrieved on [[2007-12-25]].</ref> [[Image:Hurricane Fran peak.png|thumb|right|Colorized infrared image of Fran near peak intensity east of the northern [[Bahamas]] and [[Florida]].]] By [[August 31]], Edouard had moved northward, allowing Fran to develop. In the wake of Edouard, a strengthening [[subtropical ridge]], a high-pressure system that helps to steer tropical cyclones, kept Fran on a westerly track. Fran moved quickly to the west-northwest, and passed north of the [[Bahamas]] as it reached Category 3 strength on [[September 4]]. With winds reaching 115&nbsp;[[mph]] (185&nbsp;[[km/h]]), Hurricane Fran became the third major hurricane of the [[1996 Atlantic hurricane season]], following [[Hurricane Bertha|Bertha]] and Edouard. <ref name="tcr"/> Large-scale airflow around a large low-pressure centered over the southeastern United States accelerated Fran to the north, causing it to parallel the [[Florida]] coastline while staying well offshore. The storm reached peak strength late on [[September 4]] EDT<!-- 0000 September 5 UTC --> with 120&nbsp;[[mph]] (195&nbsp;[[km/h]]) winds and a minimum central pressure of 945&nbsp;mbar (hPa) while east of Florida.<ref name="tcr"/> By this time Fran was recognizable in satellite pictures as unusually large for an [[Atlantic hurricane]].<ref>[http://hurricanes.noaa.gov/prepare/structure.htm NOAA: Basics: Structure]</ref> [[Image:Hurricane Fran.png|thumb|left|Infrared image of Fran making landfall.]] Fran struck the North Carolina coast very close to [[Cape Fear]] around 8:30 p.m. [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]], [[September 5]] [[1996]], with sustained winds of 115&nbsp;mph (185&nbsp;km/h). Hurricane-force winds are estimated to have extended northward along the coast as far as [[Carteret County]], despite the storm's oblique angle of landfall. Pressure at landfall is estimated to have been 954&nbsp;[[Bar (unit)|mbar]] ([[Pascal (unit)|hPa]]). The highest wind gust was unofficially measured at 137&nbsp;mph (220&nbsp;km/h) about 30&nbsp;feet (9.1&nbsp;meters) off the ground on [[Hewletts Creek]] between [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]] and [[Wrightsville Beach]].<ref name="tcr"/> After landfall, Fran quickly weakened, dropping to tropical storm strength while passing over [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]] and central North Carolina and into a tropical depression while over [[Virginia]]. The storm became [[extratropical cyclone|extratropical]] late on [[September 8]] EDT<!-- 0000 September 9 UTC --> while over southern [[Ontario]], and continued to disintegrate before being absorbed by a frontal system on the 10th.<ref name="tcr"/> ==Impact== Fran killed twenty-six people with estimated property damage of $3.2 billion ($6.0&nbsp;billion in 2007&nbsp;[[United States dollar|USD]]). ===South Carolina=== There was $15 million (1996 USD) in damage and significant crop damage.<ref name="assess">[[United States Department of Commerce]]. [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/franrpt.pdf Service Assessment: Hurricane Fran.] Retrieved on [[2007-12-25]].</ref> ===North Carolina=== [[Image:Flood sceen.gif|thumb|right|185px|Flooding in North Carolina.]] Fran caused coastal damage from the [[South Carolina]] border to [[Surf City, North Carolina]]. Its 12-foot storm surge carried away a temporary [[North Topsail Beach, North Carolina|North Topsail Beach]] police station and town hall, housed in a double-wide trailer since [[Hurricane Bertha]]'s rampage across the same area in July. Extensive flooding struck the coast around [[Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina|Wrightsville Beach]], just up the coast from Cape Fear. In [[Jacksonville, North Carolina]], three schools and several homes were damaged. The storm was most damaging to the barrier islands on the [[North Carolina]] coastline. Inland, the storm caused damage on its way north from [[Wilmington, North Carolina|Wilmington]] to [[Raleigh, North Carolina|Raleigh]]. Unexpectedly, high wind damage extended along the I-40 corridor west of Raleigh as far as [[Orange County, North Carolina|Orange County]] (including damage to centuries-old buildings and trees<ref name="daviepoplar">[[Davie Poplar]]</ref>at the [[University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill|University of North Carolina]]) and [[Alamance County, North Carolina|Alamance County]]. Rain of up to 16&nbsp;inches (406&nbsp;mm) deluged interior North Carolina, Virginia and [[West Virginia]],<ref name="rain">[[David M. Roth]]. [http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/fran1996.html Hurricane Fran Rainfall Page.] Retrieved on [[2007-12-25]].</ref> bringing dangerous river flooding to much of the mid-Atlantic. Hurricane Fran's thrashing of North Carolina aggravated the state's problems caused by numerous weather disasters in 1996. At least six people were killed in the [[Carolinas]]; most of them were from auto accidents. In [[North Carolina]], 1.3 million people were left without power. In [[North Topsail Beach, North Carolina|North Topsail Beach]] and [[Carteret County, North Carolina|Carteret County]], there was over $500 million dollars (1996 USD) in damage and 90% of structures were damaged.<ref name="assess">http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/franrpt.pdf</ref> One male teenager died from drowning caused by flooding of Crabtree Creek at Old Lassiter Mill in Raleigh. [[Image:Fran1996rain.gif|right|thumb|Rainfall from Hurricane Fran]] ===Virginia=== In Virginia, winds between 39 and 73&nbsp;mph (63 and 117&nbsp;km/h) lashed [[Chesapeake Bay]] and increased water levels in the [[Potomac River]] around the nation's capital, where it backed up into [[Georgetown, Washington, D.C.|Georgetown]] and Old Town [[Alexandria, Virginia]]. There was severe damage to power lines that left 415,000 people without electricity, making it the largest storm related power outage in history until [[Hurricane Isabel]] in 2003.<ref name="assess"/> Along the [[Tappahanock River]], a storm surge of 5&nbsp;feet (1.5&nbsp;meters) damaged or sank several small boats and damaged wharfs and bulkheads. This was the highest tide in the state since [[Hurricane Hazel]] of [[1954]].<ref name="assess"/> Rain up to 16&nbsp;inches fell in the western part of [[Virginia]], making Fran the fourth wettest known tropical cyclone to impact Virginia and causing major flash flooding. The floods shut down many of the primary and secondary roads and closed [[Shenandoah National Park]]. Fran destroyed about 300 homes, mostly from flooding, and 100 people had to be rescued. Damage totaled $1 billion dollars (1996 USD). [[Page County, Virginia|Page County]] was the hardest hit locality in the state of Virginia with reguards to damage. Three days after the storm had passed, "hundreds" of people were still stranded. Some 75 homes were destroyed, however there were no deaths. At one point on Friday every town in the county was isolated due to high water. {{cite news | title = Hurricane Fran Situation Report| publisher = Commonwealth of Virginia | date = 1996-09-09 | url = http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/sitreps/1996/fran/sitfrn7.htm| accessdate = 2007-10-03}} In the county seat of [[Luray, Virginia|Luray]], a house was lifted off its foundation by the Hawksbill Creek and placed into [[Luray High School]]'s baseball field. Water from the Hawksbill reached 2 feet from the top of the [[field goal (football)|field goal]] upright--sixteen feet of water covered the ground. Bulldog field was flooded for over a week after the storm, until finally the standing water was pumped across [[U.S. Route 340]] back into the Hawksbill Creek. Also in downtown Luray, the creek demolished three buildings, including the [[Adelphia Cable]] building. The [[Shenandoah River]] crested some 20 feet above flood stage. The South Fork of the Shenandoah River crested at 37 feet in [[Front Royal, Virginia]], which was 22 feet above the 15 foot flood stage. {{cite news | title = Hurricane Fran Situation Report| publisher = Commonwealth of Virginia | date = 1996-09-08 | url = http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/sitreps/1996/fran/sitfrn6.htm| accessdate = 2007-10-03}} In [[Rockingham County, Virginia]], over 10,000 people were evacuated from their homes, however most were allowed to return to their homes after the water subsided.{{cite news | title = Hurricane Fran Situation Report| publisher = Commonwealth of Virginia | date = 1996-09-07 | url = http://www.vaemergency.com/newsroom/sitreps/1996/fran/sitfrn4.htm| accessdate = 2007-10-03}} ===West Virginia=== Up to 7&nbsp;inches (178&nbsp;mm) of rain fell,<ref name="rain"/> causing widespread flash flooding. Pendleton and Hardy County were the hardest hit as the floods swept away several bridges, damaged several water plants and caused a reported gas leak.<ref name="assess"/> ===Maryland=== Western [[Maryland]] was hard hit by Fran, mostly from flash flooding. About 650 homes were damaged and there was $100 million (1996 USD) in damage. This was the worst flooding event to hit Maryland since [[Hurricane Hazel]] and the [[January flood of 1996]].<ref name="assess"/> ===Washington D.C.=== Like Maryland, Washington D.C. suffered flood damage. The floods closed roads which stranded motorists and damaged the National Park Area. Fran left $20 million dollars in damage in Washington D.C.<ref name="assess"/> ===Pennsylvania and Ohio=== About 15 [[List of counties in Pennsylvania|counties in Pennsylvania]] were hit by flash flooding as rainfall up to 7&nbsp;inches (178&nbsp;mm) caused the [[Juniata River]] to overrun its banks.<ref name="rain"/> In Ohio, there was localized flooding.<ref name="assess"/> ===Retirement=== {{seealso|List of retired Atlantic hurricane names}} Because of the damage in [[North Carolina]] and elsewhere in the [[United States]], the name Fran was retired in the spring of 1997 and will never be used for another [[Atlantic hurricane]]. It was replaced with Fay in the [[2002 Atlantic hurricane season|2002 season]]. ==See also== {{tcportal}} * [[List of Atlantic hurricanes]] * [[List of retired Atlantic hurricane names]] * [[List_of_wettest_tropical_cyclones_in_the_United_States#Virginia|List of wettest known tropical cyclones in Virginia]] * [[List of North Carolina hurricanes (1980-present)]] ==References== {{reflist}} ==External links== * [http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/1996fran.html NHC Hurricane Fran Preliminary Report] * [http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/assessments/pdfs/franrpt.pdf NWS Service Assessment] {{Retired Atlantic hurricanes}} {{1996 Atlantic hurricane season buttons}} [[Category:1996 Atlantic hurricane season|Fran]] [[Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes|Fran (1996)]] [[Category:Retired Atlantic hurricanes|Fran]] [[Category:Virginia hurricanes|Fran]] [[Category:North Carolina hurricanes|Fran]] [[Category:1996 meteorology]] [[fi:Hurrikaani Fran]]