Hurricane Emily in 1993 caused record flooding in the

Outer Banks The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and ...

while remaining just offshore. The fifth

named storm Tropical cyclones and subtropical cyclones are named by various warning centers to simplify communication between forecasters and the general public regarding forecasts, watches and warnings. The names are intended to reduce confusion in the ...

and the first yet strongest hurricane of the year's hurricane season, Emily developed from a tropical wave northeast of the

Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc bet ...

on August 22, 1993. It moved northwestward and strengthened into a

tropical storm A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Dependi ...

on August 25, after becoming nearly stationary southeast of

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = "Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , es ...

. Emily then curved to the southwest but quickly resumed its northwest trajectory while strengthening into a hurricane. Late on August 31, the hurricane reached peak winds of on its approach to North Carolina. Although part of the eye passed over

Hatteras Island Hatteras Island (historically Croatoan Island) is a barrier island located off the North Carolina coast. Dividing the Atlantic Ocean and the Pamlico Sound, it runs parallel to the coast, forming a bend at Cape Hatteras. It is part of North Carol ...

in the Outer Banks, its absolute center remained /h) offshore. Gradually weakening, the hurricane swerved away from the coast toward the northeast and later east. Emily stalled again, this time northeast of Bermuda, and dissipated on September 6 to the southeast of Newfoundland. The threat of Emily prompted hurricane warnings for much of the North Carolina coast and northward through

Delaware Delaware ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Maryland to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and New Jersey and the Atlantic Ocean to its east. The state takes its name from the adjacent Del ...

. A mandatory evacuation for Ocracoke and Hatteras islands displaced 160,000 people during the busy Labor Day weekend; the loss in tourism revenue amounted to $10 million (1993

USD The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...

). About 1,600 residents on these islands rode out the storm in their homes, and emergency officials stayed behind. Most of the evacuees went to hotels or stayed with friends or relatives, causing an increase in business across southeastern Virginia, where effects were minimal. Due to uncertainty in forecasting Emily's path, there were also evacuations from the coasts of

Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...

Maryland Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...

, Delaware, and

Fire Island Fire Island is the large center island of the outer barrier islands parallel to the South Shore of Long Island, in the U.S. state of New York. Occasionally, the name is used to refer collectively to not only the central island, but also Lo ...

in New York. While bypassing the Outer Banks, Emily produced strong winds that coincided with high tides during a full moon, causing severe flooding along the

Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound ( ) is a lagoon in North Carolina which is the largest lagoon along the North American East Coast, extending long and 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of lagoon estuaries that i ...

. In

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level.Avon and Hatteras were inundated. The storm downed thousands of trees and wrecked 553 homes—completely destroying 168—leaving a quarter of the Cape Hatteras population homeless. Structural damage in North Carolina was estimated at $35 million. Along the coasts of North Carolina and Virginia, three swimmers drowned.

Meteorological history

Hurricane Emily originated from an African tropical wave that passed through the

Cape Verde Islands , national_anthem = () , official_languages = Portuguese , national_languages = Cape Verdean Creole , capital = Praia , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , demonym ...

on August 17, 1993. The wave traversed the

tropical Atlantic The Tropical Atlantic realm is one of twelve marine realms that cover the world's coastal seas and continental shelves. The Tropical Atlantic covers both sides of the Atlantic. In the western Atlantic, it extends from Bermuda, southern Florida, ...

and developed a closed cyclonic circulation five days later about east-northeast of

Puerto Rico Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and unincorporated ...

, when the National Hurricane Center (NHC) classified it as a

tropical depression A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...

. Moving northwestward, the depression remained poorly organized for several days, with an ill-defined circulation center and sporadic thunderstorms, in part due to unfavorable

wind shear Wind shear (or windshear), sometimes referred to as wind gradient, is a difference in wind speed and/or direction over a relatively short distance in the atmosphere. Atmospheric wind shear is normally described as either vertical or horizont ...

from an

upper-level low A cold-core low, also known as an upper level low or cold-core cyclone, is a cyclone aloft which has an associated cold pool of air residing at high altitude within the Earth's troposphere, without a frontal structure. It is a low pressure syste ...

to its north. On August 25, the depression became nearly stationary in response to weakening steering currents. As the upper environment turned less hostile to development, a reconnaissance aircraft found unusually high sustained winds—an indication that the cyclone had quickly strengthened into a strong

. The NHC named the storm Emily and upgraded it to a hurricane the following day, based on reports of winds from a second reconnaissance mission. Upon becoming a hurricane, Emily was centered roughly east of the

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

peninsula, passing well south of

. A ridge of high pressure began to mature to its north, forcing the hurricane westward on August 27. Emily's winds vacillated between tropical storm and hurricane force over the course of the day, although the cyclone resumed its strengthening by August 28 upon developing favorable upper-level outflow. Traversing warm

sea surface temperature Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mas ...

s, the hurricane continued to improve in appearance on

satellite images Satellite images (also Earth observation imagery, spaceborne photography, or simply satellite photo) are images of Earth collected by imaging satellites operated by governments and businesses around the world. Satellite imaging companies sell ima ...

, and the

barometric pressure Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, 7 ...

within its eye steadily decreased. Emily retraced toward the northwest on August 29, when a

shortwave trough A shortwave or shortwave trough is an embedded kink in the trough / ridge pattern. Its length scale is much smaller than that of and is embedded within longwaves, which are responsible for the largest scale (synoptic scale) weather systems. Sho ...

eroded the southern periphery of the contiguous ridge. The NHC expressed uncertainty in forecasting Emily's track, stating that

South Carolina )'' Animis opibusque parati'' ( for, , Latin, Prepared in mind and resources, links=no) , anthem = " Carolina";" South Carolina On My Mind" , Former = Province of South Carolina , seat = Columbia , LargestCity = Charleston , LargestMetro = ...

, and Mid-Atlantic states were at risk of a direct hit from the hurricane. As high pressure re-established itself off the North Carolina coast, Emily briefly turned west-northwestward on August 30 before initiating a prolonged curve toward the north. By that time, the NHC forecast Emily to remain offshore, though one

tropical cyclone forecast model A tropical cyclone forecast model is a computer program that uses meteorological data to forecast aspects of the future state of tropical cyclones. There are three types of models: statistical, dynamical, or combined statistical-dynamic. Dyna ...

projected that the hurricane would move inland. Early on August 31, a reconnaissance flight indicated that Emily had become a Category 2 hurricane on the

Saffir–Simpson scale The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms—into five categories distinguished b ...

, and further intensification was expected because of warm waters. Later that day, reconnaissance reported that Emily had achieved a peak intensity of , a Category 3

major hurricane Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

; the aircraft also observed flight-level winds of . At its peak, the center of the hurricane was located east of

while turning northward. Its eye measured in diameter, and a portion moved over Hatteras and the

, constituting a direct hit but not a

landfall Landfall is the event of a storm moving over land after being over water. More broadly, and in relation to human travel, it refers to 'the first land that is reached or seen at the end of a journey across the sea or through the air, or the fact ...

. After affecting the Outer Banks, Emily continued around the large high-pressure area, turning northeastward into an area with cooler ocean temperatures. The eye nonetheless remained distinct, and Emily maintained much of its intensity through September 2. Later that day, the hurricane turned sharply eastward in response to a trough nearby. Wind shear over the region increased, weakening Emily as its eye feature quickly dissipated. Emily turned to the southeast and diminished to a tropical storm on September 3, about northeast of Bermuda, with a significant deterioration of the convection. Once again becoming nearly stationary, Emily further weakened to a tropical depression late on September 4, after only a small area of thunderstorms remained near the center. It accelerated toward the northeast and became

extratropical Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...

on September 6, dissipating shortly thereafter.

Preparations

The NHC forecasts for Emily were generally accurate. On August 29, two days before the storm's closest approach, the NHC issued a

hurricane watch Tropical cyclone warnings and watches are alerts issued by national weather forecasting bodies to coastal areas threatened by the imminent approach of a tropical cyclone of tropical storm or hurricane intensity. They are notices to the local pop ...

from Cape Romain, South Carolina, to

Fenwick Island, Delaware Fenwick Island is a coastal resort town in Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to 2020 census figures, the population of the town is 355, a 2.6% decrease over the last decade. It is part of the Salisbury, Maryland-Delaware Metropo ...

, including the Albemarle and Pamlico sounds of North Carolina as well as the Chesapeake Bay south of the

Patuxent River The Patuxent River is a tributary of the Chesapeake Bay in the state of Maryland. There are three main river drainages for central Maryland: the Potomac River to the west passing through Washington, D.C., the Patapsco River to the northeast ...

. The next day, the watch was discontinued south of

Little River, South Carolina Little River is a census-designated place (CDP) in Horry County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 11,711 at the 2020 census. Little River is named for the Little River, which flows into the Atlantic Ocean at the state line betw ...

. A hurricane warning was issued from Bogue Inlet to the border of North Carolina and Virginia on August 30, and was extended a day later to

Cape Henlopen Cape Henlopen is the southern cape of the Delaware Bay along the Atlantic coast of the United States. It lies in the state of Delaware, near the town of Lewes, where the Delaware Bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. Off the coast on the bay side are t ...

, Delaware. The watches and warnings were canceled as Emily turned out to sea. During the week when Emily approached shore, the North Carolina government was scheduled to have a two-day emergency management exercise involving a hurricane strike; the storm caused the exercise to be postponed. On August 29, a voluntary evacuation was issued for the Outer Banks, and within 36 hours of the storm's approach, a mandatory evacuation was issued for Ocracoke and Hatteras Island. A total of 160,000 people (mostly tourists) evacuated from the Outer Banks, representing about 90% of the population there. The evacuation was completed within 12 hours, expedited by highway patrol and making

U.S. Route 158 U.S. Route 158 (US 158) is an east–west United States highway that runs for from Mocksville to Whalebone Junction in Nags Head, entirely in the state of North Carolina. It is also a critical route that connects the cities of Winston- ...

and the

Wright Memorial Bridge The Wright Memorial Bridge comprises two automobile bridges spanning the Currituck Sound, between Point Harbor, in Currituck County, and Kitty Hawk, in Dare County. The bridges carry US 158 and are dedicated to the Wright brothers. Hi ...

one-way inland. About 1,000 residents on Hatteras Island and another 600 on Ocracoke rode out the storm in their homes. The

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

evacuated personnel to the mainland, leaving behind a skeleton crew to maintain their facilities. The National Park Service closed the campground on Ocracoke two days before the storm. Several towns in southeastern North Carolina were also evacuated, and schools closed across the region. Because of the uncertainty in forecasting when and if Emily would make its northeast turn,

Virginia Governor The governor of the Commonwealth of Virginia serves as the head of government of Virginia for a four-year term. The incumbent, Glenn Youngkin, was sworn in on January 15, 2022. Oath of office On inauguration day, the Governor-elect takes th ...

Douglas Wilder declared a state of emergency and put the

National Guard National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards. Nat ...

on alert. In Virginia Beach, residents of seaside homes and low-lying areas were recommended to evacuate, while a mandatory evacuation was ordered for

Tangier Island Tangier is a town in Accomack County, Virginia, United States, on Tangier Island in Chesapeake Bay. The population was 727 at the 2010 census. Since 1850, the island's landmass has been reduced by 67%. Under the mid-range sea level rise scena ...

in the Chesapeake Bay. Residents in mobile homes and on campgrounds were also advised to seek shelter. At least 750 people left their homes, 711 of whom resided in storm shelters. The

Norfolk International Airport Norfolk International Airport is seven miles (11 km) northeast of downtown Norfolk, an independent city in Virginia, United States. It is owned and operated by the Norfolk Airport Authority: a bureau under the municipal government. The ...

was closed for 13 hours, and rail service was suspended. To the north, officials in

Ocean City, Maryland Ocean City, officially the Town of Ocean City, is an Atlantic resort town in Worcester County, Maryland along the East Coast of the United States. The population was 6,844 at the 2020 U.S. census, although during summer weekends the city hosts b ...

, declared a phase-one emergency ahead of the storm; beaches were closed, and tourists were recommended to leave. About 100,000 people evacuated from the coast of Maryland; 3,600 stayed in storm shelters. In Delaware, 892 people used storm shelters after voluntarily evacuating. Beaches in New Jersey closed due to threatening waves. About 20,000 people also evacuated from

, New York. Across the Atlantic coast, 33 emergency shelters were opened in response to Emily, though most evacuees instead relied on hotels or the homes of friends and relatives to ride out the storm. The

Federal Emergency Management Agency The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), initially created under President Jimmy Carter by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Ex ...

(FEMA) assisted in coordinating preparations for Emily. The

United States Department of Defense The United States Department of Defense (DoD, USDOD or DOD) is an executive branch department of the federal government charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government directly related to national sec ...

sent power equipment, previously used during the

Great Flood of 1993 The Great Flood of 1993 (or Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993) was a flood that occurred in the Midwestern United States, along the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and their tributaries, from April to October 1993. The flood wa ...

, to Fort Bragg, while the

United States Department of Agriculture The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is the federal executive department responsible for developing and executing federal laws related to farming, forestry, rural economic development, and food. It aims to meet the needs of com ...

stockpiled food in risk zones. Power companies deliberately shut off the power in the Outer Banks to reduce damage to the system and mitigate the risk of electrocutions. At

Naval Station Norfolk Naval Station Norfolk is a United States Navy base in Norfolk, Virginia, that is the headquarters and home port of the U.S. Navy's Fleet Forces Command. The installation occupies about of waterfront space and of pier and wharf space of the Hampt ...

, 28 ships sailed out to sea to ride out the storm; aircraft were evacuated, and nonessential personnel were sent home. The North Carolina government announced ahead of the storm that it would not create a State Disaster Fund, instead relying on private relief organizations such as the American Red Cross and the Salvation Army. The state's park service pre-positioned 60 members with chainsaws to help clear downed trees. Because Emily hit during the busy Labor Day weekend, the tourism industry suffered about $10 million in business losses. Many of the evacuees relocated to southeastern Virginia, which saw greatly increased business during the weekend.

Impact

North Carolina

As Emily approached the Outer Banks of North Carolina,

Diamond Shoal Light Diamond Shoal Light is an inactive offshore lighthouse marking Diamond Shoals off Cape Hatteras. History Diamond Shoals, which extend many miles out from Cape Hatteras, is considered to be one of the most dangerous spots on the Atlantic seaboard ...

off Cape Hatteras recorded 2-minute sustained winds of , along with gusts of . Closer to shore, surface winds reached in the Pamlico Sound. The

National Weather Service The National Weather Service (NWS) is an agency of the United States federal government that is tasked with providing weather forecasts, warnings of hazardous weather, and other weather-related products to organizations and the public for the ...

Buxton Buxton is a spa town in the Borough of High Peak, Derbyshire, England. It is England's highest market town, sited at some above sea level. archived in These high winds lasted for several hours due to the storm's slow movement. There were two possible tornadoes in the Outer Banks region. On the south side of Hatteras Island, the storm coincided with high tides, producing a peak storm surge of in Buxton. Large waves caused moderate beach erosion, comparable to that of a winter storm. The heaviest rainfall related to Emily occurred over the Outer Banks, where a peak total of was recorded in Buxton. Minimal rain fell farther inland, with only reported at Gum Neck in mainland Tyrrell County. Overall damage from the storm was lighter than expected, largely confined to the barrier islands of Dare and Hyde counties. Severe flooding from the storm affected a stretch of the Hatteras Island. Coinciding with high tides during a full moon, the hurricane's winds pushed water from the Pamlico Sound to the south, lowering levels along the mainland and inundating the barrier islands; surge flooding was minor on the ocean side. At Frisco and Hatteras, water levels along the Pamlico Sound reached above normal—their highest in the 20th century, surpassing those in

Hurricane Gloria Hurricane Gloria was a powerful hurricane that caused significant damage along the east coast of the United States and in Atlantic Canada during the 1985 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the first significant tropical cyclone to strike the n ...

eight years prior. These water levels may have been the highest in the region since the

1899 San Ciriaco hurricane The 1899 San Ciríaco hurricane, also known as the 1899 Puerto Rico Hurricane or The Great Bahamas Hurricane of 1899, was the longest-lived Atlantic hurricane on record, and the second-longest-lived tropical cyclone globally on record (in terms ...

. In Buxton, the waters rose per hour at one point, leaving behind flood marks as high as . The entire villages of Avon and Hatteras were inundated. Only the highest dunes along the

Cape Hatteras National Seashore Cape Hatteras National Seashore is a United States national seashore which preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over , and is managed by the National Park Service. Included ...

remained dry, and a section of dunes just north of Buxton was nearly breached. The waters— higher than the predicted

100-year flood A 100-year flood is a flood event that has a 1 in 100 chance (1% probability) of being equaled or exceeded in any given year. The 100-year flood is also referred to as the 1% flood, since its annual exceedance probability is 1%.Holmes, R.R., Jr. ...

—broke through windows and entered houses; some residents who did not exit their homes had to ride out the storm in their attics to escape the flooding. Officials at the Dare County Emergency Operations Center evacuated due to intrusion of floodwaters. The Cape Hatteras National Weather Service office was flooded for the first time since its inception in 1957, and sustained damage to its rain chart and an antenna. Many boats in marinas were wrecked, and hundreds of cars floated away from parking lots or streets; flooded police cars had their emergency lights activated after the wires were damaged. Farther south, impact from the storm was limited on Ocracoke Island. Emily's winds destroyed several roofs and knocked down thousands of trees and power lines, with many signs and sheds damaged. All towns south of the Bonner Bridge were without power, affecting at least 1,500 people, and Buxton lost water supply after the main water line was damaged. The combination of strong winds and floods left 553 homes uninhabitable in the Outer Banks, with 168 houses completely destroyed, including three that were washed away. Six of the destroyed homes were owned by the Coast Guard. The heaviest damage was largely in older homes or structures not up to code. About 25% of the Hatteras population was left homeless. The Cape Hatteras School sustained about $3.1 million in damage, after flooding deep destroyed computers and textbooks. Tidal floods, sand, and debris forced authorities to close Highway 12. Traffic lights along the route were damaged, and downed trees blocked the road in two areas. Sinkholes, some the size of three cars, developed along the route. Throughout North Carolina, damage from the storm was estimated at $35 million, mostly on Hatteras Island and chiefly to the south of Avon. Rough surf killed two people in

Nags Head Nag's Head or Nags Head may refer to: ;In London * Nag's Head, London, a locality in Holloway ** Nag's Head Market, a street market * Nag's Head, Covent Garden, a pub ;Elsewhere in the United Kingdom * Nag's Head Island, Abingdon-on-Thames * ...

, despite the beach being closed to swimming, and one person suffered injuries while escaping a flooded home.

Elsewhere

Outside of North Carolina, Emily produced gusts of 37 mph (59 km) at the

Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel The Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel (CBBT, officially the Lucius J. Kellam Jr. Bridge–Tunnel) is a bridge–tunnel that crosses the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay between Delmarva and Hampton Roads in the U.S. state of Virginia. It opened in 1 ...

. To the north of the storm, Ocean City, Maryland, measured of precipitation. Above-normal tides were reported as far south as Charleston, South Carolina; high tides also spread farther north, with a storm surge of at the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel and in

Lewes, Delaware Lewes ( ) is an incorporated city on the Delaware Bay in eastern Sussex County, Delaware, United States. According to the 2010 census, the population is 2,747. Along with neighboring Rehoboth Beach, Lewes is one of the principal cities of Delawar ...

. High waves caused beach erosion northward through Virginia. At

Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an independent city located on the southeastern coast of the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. The population was 459,470 at the 2020 census. Although mostly suburban in character, it is the most populous city ...

, the waves led to minor flooding along the Sandbridge section; rough surf and a strong undertow drowned one swimmer there. The storm triggered statewide power outages that affected about 5,000 residents, as well as the

Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel The Hampton Roads Bridge–Tunnel (HRBT) is a -long Hampton Roads crossing for Interstate 64 and U.S. Route 60. It is a four-lane facility comprising bridges, trestles, man-made islands, and tunnels under the main shipping channels for Hampto ...

. In

Newport News Newport News () is an independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. At the 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the 5th most populous city in Virginia and 140th most populous city in the Uni ...

, lightning set a roof on fire in the Lee Hall section of the city. Emily's light rains in the area were not enough to break a prolonged drought that plagued Virginia. Rough seas and high tides later caused

coastal flooding Coastal flooding normally occurs when dry and low-lying land is submerged by seawater. The range of a coastal flooding is a result of the elevation of floodwater that penetrates the inland which is controlled by the topography of the coastal land ...

along Fire Island in New York.

Aftermath

As Emily's winds eased over land, various assessment teams left Fort Bragg, North Carolina, to determine the extent of damage. FEMA informed the North Carolina congressional delegation about the storm's threat to their constituents. The agency later received compliments for their timely preparations for storm-related operations. All airports on the Outer Banks were reopened by September 1. In response to the extensive scale of the power outages, power companies flew a helicopter over the region to assess the damage. The power was expected to be out for two weeks. Six emergency vehicles were sent to Dare County to provide drinking water. On September 3,

Governor A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

Jim Hunt declared a state of disaster for North Carolina, while

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university * President (government title) President may also refer to: Automobiles * Nissan President, a 1966–2010 Japanese ...

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

declared Dare County a disaster area a week later. This allowed residents there to apply for federal assistance, as well as local governments to request aid to rebuild public buildings. Operating out of Avon, FEMA distributed about $1 million in housing assistance to 444 people and provided $400,000 in individual grants to 153 applicants. The

Small Business Administration The United States Small Business Administration (SBA) is an independent agency of the United States government that provides support to entrepreneurs and small businesses. The mission of the Small Business Administration is "to maintain and stre ...

received 812 applications for small business loans. Shelters closed by September 1 and residents returned to their homes, although Hatteras Island remained off-limits to everyone but emergency workers for several days. Unemployment across Hatteras rose in the wake of the damage to local businesses, and many restaurants lost product when their refrigerators failed during the power outages. Residents piled debris from their damaged homes on roads, primarily Highway 12, and workers responded by clearing the debris. The highway was speedily reopened and repaired at a cost of around $1 million. Within two weeks of the storm, businesses resumed as cleaning work was under way, and the island was reopened to tourists. Clean-up operations in the region lasted weeks to months. In the three months after the storm,

saltwater intrusion Saltwater intrusion is the movement of saline water into freshwater aquifers, which can lead to groundwater quality degradation, including drinking water sources, and other consequences. Saltwater intrusion can naturally occur in coastal aquifers, ...

into the Cape Hatteras water supply boosted

chlorine Chlorine is a chemical element with the symbol Cl and atomic number 17. The second-lightest of the halogens, it appears between fluorine and bromine in the periodic table and its properties are mostly intermediate between them. Chlorine i ...

levels from ; it took another three months for the chlorine to decrease to normal concentrations. Around 50 homeowners affected by Emily raised their houses to prevent a recurrence, partially funded by flood insurance payments.

References

External links

* The NHC'
preliminary report on Hurricane Emily
* The WPC'
rainfall report on Hurricane Emily
* The

USGS The United States Geological Survey (USGS), formerly simply known as the Geological Survey, is a scientific agency of the United States government. The scientists of the USGS study the landscape of the United States, its natural resources, a ...

'
flood summary for Hurricane Emily

The 1993 Monthly Weather Review
{{1993 Atlantic hurricane season buttons Emily Emily (1993) Emily Emily 1993 in North Carolina 1993 in Virginia 1993 natural disasters in the United States August 1993 events September 1993 events