If you lived in Charlotte in 1989, chances are you have a Hurricane Hugo story.
John Wendel, Larry Sprinkle Aftermath of Hurricane Hugo. Hugo (or Hugo the Hornet) is the mascot of the Charlotte Hornets of the National Basketball Association.Designed by Cheryl Henson, daughter of Jim Henson, Hugo the Hornet was created in 1988, one year before Hurricane Hugo hit the Carolinas. Hurricane Hugo / Charlotte, North Carolina #329166 CBS Evening News for Friday, Sep 22, 1989 View other clips in this broadcast → Material supplied by VTNA may be … It’s name? It was on this night 31 years ago that Hurricane Hugo slammed into the South Carolina coast changing lives forever. Two deaths were reported near Charlotte; one, a child who perished when a tree fell on his home, and the other, a motorcyclist trying to reach safety who couldn't quite get out of the city in time. Hurricane Hugo Aftermath. If you were in Charlotte when Hugo blew through on Friday, September 22, 1989 these scenarios will look familiar to you. Pictures you may see now do not adequately describe what Charlotte was like after Hugo. a Cape Verde hurricane that became a Category 5 (on the Saffir-Simpson Scale) storm in the Atlantic It reached Charlotte about five hours later, and what it left behind cannot be denied. We’re aware that these uncertain times are limiting many aspects of life. Costs incurred to South Carolina as a result of Hurricane Hugo totaled nearly $6 billion, and the hurricane still is considered the most devastating in the history of the state. Hurricane Hugo was a powerful Cape Verde tropical cyclone that inflicted widespread damage across the northeastern Caribbean and the Southeastern United States in September 1989. If you lived in Charlotte in 1989, chances are you have a Hurricane Hugo story. More than 700,000 residents were without power for weeks, and many schools and businesses were closed for much longer. Hurricane Hugo swept ashore in the late evening hours of September 21, 1989, and brought with it Category 4 force winds and a storm surge exceeding 20 feet in some areas. Charlotte took a hard hit from Hugo. We at least had some warning about the storm coming. Hugo's center passed over I-77 between Columbia and Charlotte early on Sept. 22, 1989 with wind gusts at Charlotte-Douglas measuring 63 mph, according to the NWS. Hurricane Hugo caused upwards of $10 billion in damage. Many of the homes and businesses along the coast of South Carolina were damaged or destroyed. Sunrise Restaurant regained power before many other homes and businesses, and quickly started doing what it does best: serving the community. At the time it was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. At the time it was the costliest hurricane in U.S. history. When they were predicting that Hurricane Fran was going to "follow Hugo's path" I was extremely agitated and upset. Hurricane Hugo caused upwards of $10 billion in damage. Its direct effects killed 67 people and inflicted $11 billion in damage. I was living in Charleston when Hugo hit. Reading Hurricane Hugo: A Landmark in Time by Evening Post Publishing Co. and The Post and Courier is a powerful, frightening and sometimes tragic story about this devastating storm. Released for the 20th anniversary of Hugo, this book is edited by John M. Burbage and Jason R. Lesley. Hurricane Hugo hit the South Carolina coast hard in September 1989, and while many did not think it would be able to travel as far inland as Charlotte… it did. I'll never forget my friend from Charlotte coming down with a generator for us. Trees were uprooted, houses were crushed, and lives were lost. Hugo must serve as a reminder that it is possible for hurricanes of this strength to travel as far inland as the Queen City – even though we are more than 150 miles away from the coast. Winds even measured as high as 80 mph here in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was awe-struck. Hurricane Hugo slammed ashore near Charleston, S.C. No one expected the storm to still have hurricane-force winds when it roared into Cabarrus County on the morning of Sept. 22. Hurricane Hugo's sneak attack lasted for just a few hours, but a full recovery would take years. “I’ll wait for you, should I fall behind, wait for me” – Bruce Springsteen. CHARLOTTE, NC (WBTV) - Rushing 85 mile an hour winds paralyzed the Carolinas largest city. The N.C. Department of Public Safety and North Carolina Emergency Management have even developed a special ReadyNC app that can be downloaded here. It is estimated that 10,000-20,000 trees were knocked down as a result of Hugo. Countless trees crashed into homes and fell across power lines causing widespread power outages. They boarded up … CHARLOTTE, (WBTV) - Hurricane Hugo roared ashore along the Carolina coast 20 years ago on September 21, 1989. Today, as Irma approaches, we must come together again as a community to prepare and help our neighbors and fellow Charlotteans. It made landfall near Charleston, leaving catastrophic damage all the way to Charlotte. Hurricane Hugo hit the South Carolina coast hard in September 1989, and while many did not think it would be able to travel as far inland as Charlotte… it did. On or about midnight on September 21/22 will mark the 31st anniversary of Hurricane Hugo sending a destructive path through Charleston and its neighboring beaches and towns. As we prepare ourselves for the potential threat of Irma, we feel that it is important to look back on Hugo as a reminder that such storms are to be taken very seriously, no matter how safe we feel in our inland city. Several times a day came the progress reports. It is estimated that 10,000-20,000 trees were knocked down as a result of Hugo. winds recorded after it had already demolished areas in Guadeloupe, Montserrat, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Florida, and Georgia. The eye made landfall just north of Charleston, with those to the north receiving the worst of the storm surge. Hugo originally served as the Charlotte Hornets' mascot from 1988 to 2002, and was the mascot for the New Orleans Hornets from 2002 to 2013. Charlotte Area Business Listings, EEO Reports and Outreach Initiatives Reports. Hurricane Irma is making her way through the Caribbean, heading straight towards the U.S., and many Charlotteans are remembering a similar hurricane that struck the Carolinas back in 1989. 4 of 4. Typical of hurricanes, the strongest wind gusts in Hugo were right around the eye which measured at 138 mph on a ship in Charleston Harbor. Above all else, we wish everyone in the pathway of this massive incoming storm to stay safe and prepared, should another Hugo-like situation come to pass. Countless trees crashed into homes and fell across power lines causing widespread power outages. Harsh winds in Charlotte tore down 80,000 trees, toppling them over homes, businesses, and power lines. Folks who lived in Charlotte on Sept. 22, 1989, will remember it as the night Hurricane Hugo barreled through town, its 80 mph winds snapping … We urge you to use the devastating event in 1989 as an experience to learn from, to better plan and prepare for Irma, should she make landfall and continue inland toward Charlotte. Although Irma’s path has not yet been clearly defined as to which parts of the country she will most strongly impact, some storm forecasters have expressed concerns that Irma’s path may lead her into the Western Carolinas. In the fall of 1989, Hurricane Hugo set its sights on the Carolinas. Hugo made landfall near Sullivan’s Island, South Carolina just after midnight on September 22, 1989. The storm formed near the Cape Verde Islands on September 9, 1989. Residents spent months cleaning up … I will say, though. Hurricane Hugo strengthened in the last 12 hours before landfall, where it struck just north of Charleston, South Carolina, early on 22 September as a Category 4 hurricane.High winds associated with Hugo extended far inland, as Charlotte, North Carolina (~320 kilometers [200 miles] inland) reported 110 km/h (69 mph) sustained winds and gusts to 158 km/h (99 mph). Hugo proved that assumption wrong when it ripped through the city nearly three decades ago. Charlotte took a hard hit from Hugo. In September of 1989 hurricane Hugo hit the Charlotte area and left most of the area without power for weeks. Hugo. Skip Navigation Share on Facebook Hurricane Hugo made landfall in South Carolina on Sept. 22, 1989. In the days following Hurricane Hugo did you: Grill out to use the meat thawing in your refrigerator due to power outages? See more ideas about hurricane, hugo, south carolina. Oh wow, since I just referenced hurricane Hugo in my last post, it is fresh in my mind. Hugo produced the highest storm surge ever recorded on the east coast of the United States which was 20 feet in Bulls Bay, South Carolina near Cape Romain. This Rustic Steakhouse In Charlotte Is A Carnivore’s Dream Come True, There’s An Adventure Park Hiding Near Charlotte And You Need To Visit, 9 Charlotte Sandwiches You Have To Try Before You Die, This Epic Snow Tubing Hill In Charlotte Will Give You The Winter Thrill Of A Lifetime, This Creepy Asylum Near Charlotte Is Still Standing… And Still Disturbing, The Creepy Small Town Near Charlotte With Insane Paranormal Activity, Here Are The Oldest Photos Ever Taken In Charlotte And They’re Incredible, A Massive Blizzard Blanketed Charlotte In Snow In 2004 And It Will Never Be Forgotten. It slammed into Charleston as a Category Four hurricane and punched through all the way to Charlotte where it hammered even that inland city with 85 mph winds. Charleston and Myrtle Beach were the first major cities in the hurricane's path. Keep up-to-date on the status of this storm through credible news organizations, like the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center, the Weather Channel’s Irma forecasts, and the continuously-updated NWS Twitter page for the Carolinas region. While we continue to feature destinations that make our state wonderful, please take proper precautions or add them to your bucket list to see at a later date. Hurricane Hugo is seen just above Charlotte in September 1989. Across its track, Hugo affected approximately 2 million people. Apr 5, 2015 - Explore Mellissa Anne Martin-Bridge's board "Hurricane Hugo" on Pinterest. As a native and resident of Louisiana until I was 28 I can assure you I was very familiar with what going thru a hurricane … Charlotte, 150 miles from the Atlantic, would seem immune to hurricanes. Hurricane Hugo devastated the South Carolina coastline and inland communities on September 21st and 22nd 1989. 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