History Close at Hand: The harrowing tale of the ‘Long Island Express,’ the ’38

History Close at Hand: The harrowing tale of the ‘Long Island Express,’ the ’38 hurricane that rocked the Island | TBR News Media

Oh, that sounds interesting! Are you referring to the “Long Island Express” hurricane of 1938? I understand this was one of the most destructive hurricanes to ever hit the east coast of the United States, causing significant damage to Long Island, New York City, and New England. It's also notable for the lack of early warning systems and forecasting capabilities at the time, which led to many residents being caught off guard. Was this a news story or a historical account?

Beverly C. Tyler
Eighty-five years ago, on Wednesday, Sept. 21, 1938, just past noon, a tidal wave swept over Fire Island and the Long Island South Shore, the advance wind and waves announcing the arrival of a hurricane, later named the “Long Island Express.”

It swept across eastern Long Island and continued across Long Island Sound to have even greater destruction and loss of life in southern New England.