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Hurricane Floyd Analysis
September 24, 1999
Hurricane Floyd made landfall on September 16 near Cape Fear, North Carolina, with maximum sustained winds of nearly 110 m.p.h. Rainfall of 4 to 12 inches was recorded along the track of the storm along the Eastern Seaboard from northeast South Carolina to New England. Isolated areas received up to 20 inches of rain from the storm, and several locations in North Carolina received more than 15 inches in 24-hours on September 15-16. The rain caused serious river and lowland flooding, particularly in the Carolinas and Virginia, and caused damage to open-boll cotton, peanuts, soybeans, and other summer crops. Livestock and poultry producers also suffered heavy losses. Flood waters are slowly receding but many fields and residential areas remain submerged. It will be several weeks before the full extent of agricultural and economic losses are known. Officials are also concerned about the long-term environmental impact of Floyd, especially on the water supply, which has been contaminated in many areas by oil, chemicals, and waste products following the flooding.
Imagery:
Slide 1: Hurricane Floyd, September 15, 1999
Slide 2: North Carolina Coastal Plain "Before Floyd"
Slide 3: North Carolina Coastal Plain "After Floyd"
For more information, you may contact the author, Paulette Sandene, of the Production Estimates and Crop Assessment Division of FAS at (202) 690-0133.
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