Tropical Storm Dean (1983)

Tropical Storm Dean caused minor flooding along portions of the East Coast of the United States in September 1983. The seventh and final tropical cyclone of the very inactive 1983 Atlantic hurricane season, Dean developed from a frontal low to the northeast of the Bahamas on September 26. Initially subtropical, it gained characteristics of a tropical cyclone while tracking slowly north-northeastward. By September 27, the system was reclassified as Tropical Storm Dean. While tracking northward on September 28, Dean peaked with winds of 65 mph (100 km/h), shortly before curving west-northwestward and slowly leveling-off in intensity. Eventually, Dean made landfall in Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula on September 29 as a weakening tropical storm. Dean rapidly weakened over land and was no longer classifiable as a tropical cyclone by early on October 1.

Offshore Virginia, swells generated by the storm stranded a tugboat and injured two people. Waves along the coast also caused beach erosion, especially in Virginia and North Carolina. Inland, effects were minor and generally limited to mostly light rainfall. More than 100 campers on the Outer Banks of North Carolina were forced to evacuate due to flooding on North Carolina Highway 12. Although near-hurricane-force wind gusts pelted coastal areas of Virginia and North Carolina, wind damage from the storm was minimal. The remnants of the storm brought rainfall to portions of New England, especially to Connecticut, where precipitation from the storm peaked at 4.62 in (117 mm). Damage from the storm was unknown, but presumed to be minimal.

Meteorological history

A frontal cloud band moved offshore the East Coast of the United States on September 22. During the next few days, the cloud band became stationary while stretching from The Bahamas to northeast of Bermuda. Around that time, a high pressure stalled over the Northeastern United States, producing a strong pressure gradient and gale force winds over the East Coast of the United States. While located about east of Vero Beach, Florida, a low-level circulation developed within the frontal cloud band on September 26. At around 1800 UTC that day, the NHC classified the system as a subtropical storm, due to a ship report of gale force winds from the center. Initially, it tracked north-northeastward under the influence of the frontal cloud band that spawned the storm. The wind field quickly condensed, while the storm itself separated from the frontal cloud band. As a result, it was re-classified as Tropical Storm Dean at 1800 UTC on September 27 while approximately east of Jacksonville, Florida. The National Hurricane Center, which initiated advisories on the storm at 2200 UTC on the same day, indicated that a weak ridge to the north and a cold low moving offshore of the Southeastern United States would cause Dean to move slowly and possibly curve northwestward.

Early on September 28, a reconnaissance aircraft recorded Dean's minimum barometric pressure of . Although forecast models initially indicated that the storm would continue northeastward, they quickly switched to a westward movement on September 29. After curving northwestward later that day, Dean attained its maximum sustained wind speed of 65 mph (100 km/h), as reported by a ship. While a reconnaissance aircraft flew into Dean north of center late on September 29, it reported hurricane-force wind gusts. However, the storm soon began to weaken. At around 1200 UTC on September 30, Dean made landfall in Virginia on the Delmarva Peninsula with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Operationally, the National Hurricane Center discontinued advisories four hours after Dean struck the state. At 1800 UTC on September 30, the storm weakened to a tropical depression. At 0000 UTC on October 1, Dean became unidentifiable as a tropical cyclone while located over Virginia near the mouth of the Potomac River. The remnants continued northwestward, before curving to the northeast while near the border of Virginia and West Virginia. It crossed the Mid-Atlantic and New England before re-emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near Boston, Massachusetts. By October 2, the remnants of Dean had dissipated just offshore of the East Coast of the United States.

Preparations and impact

As Dean approached the United States, numerous gale warnings were issued. Many of these warnings were issued from North Carolina up to Rhode Island. Small craft advisories were also raised along much of the eastern seaboard, covering places between Cape Cod, Massachusetts to Jupiter Inlet, Florida. In Norfolk, Virginia, the naval station was placed under "hurricane condition 3", meaning that destructive winds were anticipated within 48 hours. In parts of North Carolina, residents were urged to prepare for the storm and remain out of the rough coastal waters.

As the storm moved inland over Virginia, its outer bands and high winds prompted more than 100 campers on Ocracoke Island

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