Nor’easter Riley’s Deadly Hurricane Force Winds

Waves and storm surge crash over Ocean Drive in Newport Rhode Island. The waves were after the March 2 Nor’easter that hit the East Coast. Powerful waves crash against the seawall and into the road. By Olga Enger @ Shutterstock.com

On a cloudless day, when you look across Buzzards Bay from my parents’ front deck in Mattapoisett, Massachusetts, you can see Woods Hole, a cut in the land separating Cape Cod from the Elizabeth Islands. The “Hole” as it’s commonly referred to by boaters can be a weekend rite of passage, literally, as you are met with strong currents, a narrow channel keeping you off the rocks, and often, too close for comfort to fellow boaters. The reward is Vineyard Sound, your gateway to Martha’s Vineyard, Nantucket and the Atlantic Ocean beyond. In the winter, the boating traffic is mostly gone, but the current still rips.

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Over the weekend, the huge Nor’easter Riley crashed into the region like a freight train cutting power to millions of residents. The highest recorded wind gust in the “Hole” was 88 mph. I can only imagine the ferociousness of the water crashing onshore and into anything else in its path.

In Newport, Rhode Island, a prominent 72-year-old local man was killed when a tree fell on him.

In Essex, MA, a full moon and Riley combined to create record tide surges through several high and low tide cycles as this storm stayed around for the weekend like a guest who never leaves. If you’ve ever waited in line for the fresh steamers and lobsters in front of Woodman’s in Essex, Massachusetts, the tide surge was so high that if it were open, patrons would have needed dinghies.

Walking the streets of Newport on Saturday and Sunday you could hear the hum of generators as the winds still gusted 35-40 mph. It was yet another reminder that hurricane force winds can come out of a Nor’easter and that it’s never too early to begin your preparations, because another one is in the forecast for mid- week.

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E.J. Smith - Your Survival Guy

E.J. Smith is Founder of YourSurvivalGuy.com, Managing Director at Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd., a Managing Editor of Richardcyoung.com, and Editor-in-Chief of Youngresearch.com. His focus at all times is on preparing clients and readers for “Times Like These.” E.J. graduated from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts, with a B.S. in finance and investments. In 1995, E.J. began his investment career at Fidelity Investments in Boston before joining Richard C. Young & Co., Ltd. in 1998. E.J. has trained at Sig Sauer Academy in Epping, NH. His first drum set was a 5-piece Slingerland with Zildjians. He grew-up worshiping Neil Peart (RIP) of the band Rush, and loves the song Tom Sawyer—the name of his family’s boat, a Grady-White Canyon 306. He grew up in Mattapoisett, MA, an idyllic small town on the water near Cape Cod. He spends time in Newport, RI and Bartlett, NH—both as far away from Wall Street as one could mentally get. The Newport office is on a quiet, tree lined street not far from the harbor and the log cabin in Bartlett, NH, the “Live Free or Die” state, sits on the edge of the White Mountain National Forest. He enjoys spending time in Key West and Paris. Please get in touch with E.J. at ejsmith@yoursurvivalguy.com To sign up for my free monthly Survive & Thrive letter, click here.