The Gale of September 8, 1869
Posted on January 13, 2009 by Jenny ONeill
A Category 3, this ‘September Gale’ was first observed in the Bahamas. It ultimately made landfall in Rhode Island just west of Buzzards Bay, dissipating in Northern Maine. This storm was very compact, but intense. It was reported to have been only 60 miles wide, but it caused extensive damage in Rhode Island, southern Massachusetts and Maine. Wind gusts of 120-140 mph were estimated to have occurred across Cape Cod and Buzzards Bay. New Bedford suffered significant damage: many boats were lost and the New Bedford-Fairhaven Bridge destroyed.
