&sq=&lang=en&file=File:Edouard_1996-08-25_1215Z.jpg) Edouard at peak intensity on August 25 | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | August 19, 1996 |
| Extratropical | September 3, 1996 |
| Dissipated | September 7, 1996 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 145 mph (230 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 933 mbar (hPa); 27.55 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | 2 direct |
| Damage | $20 million (1996 USD) |
| Areas affected | East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada |
| IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season | |
Hurricane Edouard was the strongest tropical cyclone of the 1996 Atlantic hurricane season, reaching winds of 145 mph (233 km/h) on its path. Edouard remained a major hurricane for eight days, an unusually long amount of time. A Cape Verde hurricane, the storm formed near the coast of Africa in the middle of August. It moved westward then curved northward, and persisted until early September when it became extratropical to the southeast of New England. Edouard was originally forecast to strike the northeast United States, but it produced hurricane-force gusts to portions of southeastern Massachusetts while remaining offshore. The winds caused minor damage totaling $20 million. In addition, the hurricane generated strong waves and rip currents to coastlines, killing two people in Ocean City, New Jersey and causing numerous injuries.