Historic Storms of Cape Cod

Cape Cod has always been in the path of deadly hurricanes and ferocious storms. Unwelcome summer visitors include the “Long Island Express” Hurricane of 1938, the Great Atlantic Hurricane of 1944, the twin Hurricanes Carol and Edna in 1954, and Hurricane Bob in 1991.

These storms destroyed countless homes and left several coastal communities under several feet of water. Surging tides carried away houses with residents inside who didn't survive and sank the Coast Guard lightship Vineyard in Buzzards Bay, killing all 12 crew members. Fall and winter brought the benchmark Blizzard of 1978, the nor’easter of January 1987, and the infamous “Perfect Storm” of October 1991 which delivered some of the highest tides ever seen on the Outer Cape.

Don Wilding has been telling stories of Cape Cod Outer Beach history since the start of the millennium. An award-winning writer and editor for Massachusetts newspapers for thirty-six years, Don is the author of four other books on Cape Cod history, including Shipwrecks of Cape Cod: Stories of Tragedy and Triumph and Cape Cod and the Portland Gale of 1898, both from The History Press. He has worked as a tour guide and leads history walks for the Harwich Conservation Trust at Cape Cod National Seashore. Don and his wife, Nita, live in Franklin, Massachusetts, and in Dennis on Cape Cod.

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