Long Island Express 1938

[dixiebreeze]

Just watched a terrific documentary (History channel) about the '38 Long Island Express 'Cane. Not sure if it was a re-run, but if they run it again, be sure and watch, one of the best.

Hit in September after missing Florida, with no warning to residents of Long Island, Conn. and Rhode Island, etc. Up to 50 ft. surge from L.I. Great South Bay.

My husband watched with great interest since he lived in Islip, L.I. at the time -- just a little kid. Had been sent to the store by his parents and couldn't get back home. Blown against a fence and unable to move in the wind until his father rescued him and they managed to get back to the house.

[all_we_know_is_FALLING]

I watched that too! Very well done, IMO.

[brunota2003]

I watched part of it...O/T but...did you see the commercial with the scientist for a show on Levees, said "There are two types of levee's, those that have failed, and those that are going to fail" I thought that was an interesting quote...

[dixiebreeze]

I did see that Brunota and it didn't surprise me a bit -- unfortunately.

[Pebbles]

It was on a couple nights ago and I saw it.. so sure it will be again. It's definately a must see if you have any interest in tropical weather... or weather in general.

[all_we_know_is_FALLING]

I saw that advert too.

[dixiebreeze]

I doubt the weather conditions are identical to late September 1938, when two high pressure systems channeled the L.I. Express northward, but I'll bet anyone in that area watching Ernesto and the program must be having chills right now.

[THead]

Just checked and its on again tonight at Midnight Eastern Time on History Channel.

[all_we_know_is_FALLING]

Thanks! I had to do homework so I didn't catch the last half. I got all the way up to when Mr. Moore (I think that was his name) had his heart attack. So I missed a lot.

[Ptarmigan]

It's one of the fastest moving hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean.

[Rainband]

Good show. I watched most of it. Kathryn Hepburn was a Storm survivor.

[baygirl_1]

Thanks for the info! My mother talks about wading through water when she was visiting her brother on Long Island. It came so fast they were all caught off guard. Also, my brother-in-law's mother talked about watching roofs blow off! I'll have to set the VCR to tape it.

[skufful]

Just checked and its on again tonight at Midnight Eastern Time on History Channel.

Watching it now.

[sunny]

Good show. I watched most of it. Kathryn Hepburn was a Storm survivor.

I watched it also. I had of course heard of this storm, but was quite surprised to find out that Kathryn was a survivor!!!

Man was that storm awful.

[gurutc]

When I was a kid I lived on Conanicut Island at the mouth of Narragansett Bay in RI. There's a beach we swam at called Mackerel Cove. It is a viaduct between the main island and the part of the island that contains the Beavertail Lighthouse. I've heard a story that before the 38 cane this was wider low-lying ground, not a viaduct, and the island was visually one island. But the storm surge was so powerful that it cut the island in half. Oral history says that a school bus carrying kids was crossing that spot just when the surge came in and washed the bus away.

- gurutc

[dixiebreeze]

That's exactly what happened, gurutc, according to the documentary. Awful, that 20 ft wall of water enveloping the school bus.