Nobel Prize winners believe that your SUV caused the 1938 hurricane.
Long Island has hosted at least 20 hurricanes and tropical storms over the past century. According to a recent study published by the International Hurricane Research Center, Long Island is considered one of the top ten most vulnerable areas to hurricanes.
Five Category 3 hurricanes have made Long Island their target over the past 75 years, including the deadly hurricane of 1938. Dubbed “Long Island Express”, this hurricane claimed the lives of over 700 people and caused massive destruction on what was then largely undeveloped land. Over 2 billion trees were destroyed across New York and New England. That’s enough lumber to build 200,000 homes.
The 1938 storm caused an estimated $308 million in damages. Some experts estimate that a storm of the same magnitude today could cause as much as $40 billion in damages on Long Island, and up to $250 Billion in damages if it were to hit Manhattan. By comparison, the total damages caused by Hurricane Katrina are estimated to have been $81 Billion.



