Remembering Tropical Storm Irene
Ten years ago, towns across northern New York and Vermont were devastated by the historic flooding produced by Tropical Storm Irene.
We give respect to those who lost loved ones and other North Country residents who were impacted by this devastating storm. Sincere appreciation is also given to emergency personnel and other volunteer first responders. Their tireless recovery efforts epitomized the resilience and fighting spirit of Vermonters and North Country residents alike. The narrative that follows highlights this once in a generation event.
Introduction
As was typical in most years during late summer, the weather headlines would be occasionally stirred by a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, or Atlantic Ocean. However, Tropical Storms Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, and Gert spent their lives largely at sea and had limited impact on the Lower 48 proper. So when the National Hurricane Center began issuing advisories on newly formed Tropical Storm Irene east of the Lesser Antilles on August 20, most people raised no more than an eyebrow at the curiosity. Yes, remnant tropical systems would occasionally affect northern New England, but a true hurricane or tropical storm? Outside the Great Hurricane of ‘38, that was something typically reserved for south coastal New England....until Tropical Storm Irene.
Setting the Stage
Years that are wet and dry come and go. 2011 had been a wet year - a very wet year. Indeed, a relentless storm track in late winter into early spring led to the wettest April, and second wettest May on record in Burlington, VT and other locations around the region. Stream and river levels ran very high with several episodes of flooding occurring, the most notable being on Lake Champlain where the level reached an impressive 103.2 feet on the 6th of May, an all-time record. As the summer wore on, conditions trended somewhat drier across northern counties where occasional, though more typical bouts of showers and thunderstorms occurred. In contrast, southern and eastern Vermont remained under an active weather pattern with more frequent storms and wetter overall conditions by mid to late August.
The Build-Up
Not until Monday, August 22nd did incoming information suggest the potential for now upgraded Hurricane Irene, or its remnants, to have a significant chance of affecting the area. At that time, being 5 days out, uncertainty abounded in the forecast. However, the afternoon forecast discussion from NWS Burlington cautioned readers to keep abreast.
If Irene ultimately takes a course near the coast (either just inland or just offshore), some part of the forecast area will have the threat for some very very heavy rainfall...Bottom line - at this point, we'll just have to see how Irene evolves...
By Friday, confidence continued to increase that Irene would make a direct hit upon Vermont over the upcoming weekend. Preparations were underway to schedule extra staffing at NWS Burlington. Outside the normal duties of issuing forecasts, additional staff would be needed to handle warning coordination, perform severe weather and flash flood operations, and to keep the public informed. All hands were on deck in preparation for this very high impact event with forecasters working 12-hour shifts around the clock. On the morning of Friday, August 26th, the following was included in the NWS Burlington forecast discussion...
...concern is now increasing considerably for a very high impact event for much of our area, the likes of which we've not seen here in quite some time. This would include torrential rainfall with a high risk of flooding, and very strong and gusty winds...
Then by Friday afternoon, NWS Burlington began to spread the word, hoisting a High Wind Watch and a Flash Flood Watch for much of the forecast area. In addition, for the first time in NWS Burlington's history, a special hurricane-like weather statement was issued for the entire forecast area. This statement highlighted the potential for heavy rainfall, widespread flash flooding, and numerous rivers rising out of their banks, as well as frequent wind gusts over 50 mph! This statement would be updated several times throughout the event as the situation unfolded.
Former hydrologist at NWS Burlington, Greg Hanson, recalled...
I remember a forecaster from the Northeast River Forecast Center (NERFC) calling me a day or two before Irene... saying they were [forecasting] record flooding on the White River and others, even after dialing back the precipitation forecast. She said she wanted to put those forecasts out there, and we were both incredulous at what the forecast was telling us.
Governor Peter Shumlin declares State of Emergency for Vermont on Friday, August 27th, 2011 with Department of Public Safety Commissioner Keith Flynn in attendance. Photo courtesy of VTDigger.
At the state level, an initial State Support Function Conference Call was held at Vermont Emergency Management for planning and logistical purposes. Then, as the certainty of Irene’s track across Vermont was solidified, Governor Peter Shumlin declared a State of Emergency on Saturday, August 27th. This effectively put everyone on notice with news headlines now running continuously, and precautionary/preparedness measures being taken by many. The National Guard was also activated.
Satellite image of Hurricane Irene near Cape Hatteras, NC around 3:00 pm EDT on Saturday, August 27, 2011. Source: NASA/NOAA GOES Project
The potential seriousness of the event was now real and tangible, but since nothing like it had been observed in generations, expectations were mixed. Some prepared for the worst while hoping for the best. Others felt it would pass as most things do, and that the severity would not be as great as advertised. Everyone kept an eye on the weather.
On the afternoon prior to the storm’s arrival, the first line of the NWS Burlington forecast discussion said it all:
"Buckle up everyone because Irene is coming...."
NWS Burlington’s Warning Coordination Meteorologist, Scott Whittier, recalled…
I was designated to work at Vermont’s Emergency Operations Center (EOC) on Main St. in Waterbury beginning at 7 AM on August 28th...Less than an hour upon my arrival, Swift Water Rescue assets were needed near the VT/MA border. Once deployed, they could not reach the scene and asked for mutual aid from NH and USCG in MA/CT for air rescue. Shortly thereafter, around 9 AM, is when a steady stream of flooding reports - including road closures and evacuations - began in extreme southern Vermont and steadily moved north into central Vermont by evening.
Reports continued to trickle in highlighting severe, in some cases dire, circumstances in which people were trapped in homes, bridges and roads were washed away, and flooding of historic proportions was observed.
As for the day of the storm, I remember laying low at home and watching it rain hard all day, though I recall that there wasn’t much wind, at least at our location (Corinth, VT). Late in the afternoon/early evening, I remember the rain letting-up some and feeling a little cooped up, I decided to go out and take a ride around Corinth to see how things looked....The Meadow Brook in particular, runs through a series of flood-plain areas, which all looked like ponds as I drove along, being completely under water. The brook runs under several side roads (Eagle Hollow Road, South America Road & Dearborn Hill Road) that cut across the flood-plains and needless to say, these side roads were also inundated. -Peter Allen, NWS COOP Observer
The Aftermath/Recovery
By early evening on the 28th, Irene was downgraded to an extratropical cyclone while accelerating into northeastern Canada and the North Atlantic. However, the effects of Irene were far from over; numerous New England towns were forced to deal with the devastation left behind. Below is a sampling of aerial photos of some of the impacted areas. You can select either the descriptions or map markers to begin exploring.
In Irene’s aftermath, it was revealed that numerous roads and bridges had been damaged, or in some cases, swept away by severe flooding. Historic bridges in Quechee and Windsor, Vermont were washed away, and train tracks were washed out in Northfield and Rutland, Vermont.
As a result of the storm, 500 miles of roadway and approximately 1,200 bridges and culverts were either damaged or destroyed, 6 of which were completely washed away, including the historic Bartonsville covered bridge. In addition, 3,500 homes were damaged or destroyed, 629 cultural sites damaged, and 20,000 acres of farmland flooded...Overall, Irene caused over $700 million in damages to state infrastructure and private property. - National Weather Service
At the height of the storm, approximately 50,000 people were without power. Power lines and fiber optic cables were cut. Some towns were totally isolated in the Green Mountains and had to initially rely on the heroic efforts of the Vermont National Guard and good samaritans from surrounding communities for help. One such town was Mendon, Vermont. Flooding had caused substantial damage along Route 4, rendering it impassible. As a result, a decent portion of the town and its 250 residents were left stranded. Community-wide coordination between town districts, volunteers, and state agencies such as Vermont Emergency Management was vital in assuring needed supplies reached their intended destinations. Similar efforts were taken in the Ausable River Valley in northeastern New York.
"The spirit of cooperation was amazing, and that's why the road [Route 4] was open in 17 days, an amazing feat. The 'I am Vermont Strong' motto came out of the city of Rutland, but it gave everybody in our area a sense of pride in your neighbors and in the cooperation that happened." - Phil Douglas, Mendon volunteer, from Irene Storms Through Mendon.
Isolated areas on August 30th, 2011 (left). Bridge and highway status on August 31, 2011 and again on December 31, 2011 (right). Images courtesy of the Vermont Agency of Transportation.
Sadly, six lives were lost as a result of Tropical Storm Irene and many injuries were reported.
It was a storm to be remembered, and ultimately, the severity and coverage of the flooding would rank as the second worst in recorded history for the state of Vermont. Only the Great Vermont Flood of November 3-4, 1927 was more severe.
“When I finally left the Incident Command Center on Saturday, September 3rd...and drove to Newfane, I frankly could not believe what I was seeing. Piles of debris towered over our vehicle...After the pace of our work and shell shock of what we were seeing, it simply brought you to tears.” - Joe Flynn, Director, Division of Emergency Management and Homeland Security, from Irene: Reflections on Weathering the Storm.
Personal Reflection
For many, Tropical Storm Irene was an event that will not be easily forgotten. Lives were altered in profound ways, and the impacts extended weeks, months, even years beyond Irene’s passage. However, tragedy was not the only thing left behind. The compassion and unyielding spirit of all those affected will long be remembered.
"I will never forget. It was a learning experience and made us all stronger to know what we are capable of if we have to." - Scott Bradley, Emergency Manager in Mendon, Vermont, from Irene Storms Through Mendon.
“I toured the riverfront; uprooted trees and reformed landscape is all there [was]. Strange huge objects here and there. Then there were two doves, two white doves, fluttering around...In the flood aftermath what has been most alive is the piercing quality (the white of a bird against against this dark backdrop) of the human spirit...the presence of this grace is abundant here today and probably will be for a while.” - Father Caleb Abetti, Pastor of St Jacob’s of Alaska Orthodox Church, Northfield Falls, Vermont, from Irene: Reflections on Weathering the Storm.
“The day after Irene swept through Vermont, the weather was warm, sunny, and still. All at once, Vermonters came to rescue each other. Volunteers showed up in towns by the thousands. And they kept coming. Over the next year, Vermonters housed, clothed, and fed their neighbors; they organized response and recovery missions, mucked basements, and rebuilt homes, businesses, farms, rivers and roadways. These volunteers...not only gave help to those in need, they gave hope. Hope that tomorrow would come, and that no one would be left alone.” - Sue Minter, Deputy Secretary of Agency of Transportation, from Irene: Reflections on Weathering the Storm.
To hear more stories of Vermonters impacted by Tropical Storm Irene, you can check out the local film, Flood Bound - The Uplifting Story of a Small Town Facing of a Natural Disaster.
Flood Bound - The Uplifting Story of a Small Town Facing of a Natural Disaster, by Mad Motion.
Our hearts go out to those who lost loved ones and other North Country residents who were impacted by this devastating storm.
