Abstract
Floods are extreme events associated with severe weather that have plagued human populations almost everywhere they have lived. The causes and effects of a catastrophic flood occurring on the southern Atlantic seaboard in May 1771 were examined through a combination of historical climatological sources and synoptic meteorological analysis. Reconstruction of the event reveals the unique weather pattern responsible for an unusual early-season flood of this magnitude. Compilation of historical records allows for an assessment of the human toll and social response. Comparative analysis exposes aspects of an increasingly predictable outcome.
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This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grants ATM-0000881 and ATM-9904383. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
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Blanton, D.B., Chenoweth, M., Mock, C.J. (2009). The Great Flood of 1771: An Explanation of Natural Causes and Social Effects. In: Dupigny-Giroux, LA., Mock, C. (eds) Historical Climate Variability and Impacts in North America. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-2828-0_1
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