January 1913 Atlantic coast storm
{{Short description|Extratropical cyclone – eastern coast of the United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox storm
| name = Cyclone of January 3, 1913
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| type = Extratropical cyclone
| formed =
| active = {{Start date|1913|01|03}}
| dissipated =
| lowest pressure = 955.0
| lowest temperature =
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| beaufort scale =
| highest winds = 140
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| power outages =
| casualties = 7 (Schooner Future)
| damages =
| areas affected = New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Virginia
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}}
The January 1913 Atlantic coast storm was a strong extratropical cyclone that affected the eastern coast of the United States on January 3, 1913. It resulted in heavy damage due to the high winds and produced record low pressure readings.{{cite web|last1=Staff|title=WIND HITS NEW YORK AT 90 MILES AN HOUR; Freak Storm Is Accompanied by Lowest Barometer Ever Recorded Here.|url=https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B00E5DC163FE633A25757C0A9679C946296D6CF|newspaper=The New York Times|accessdate=9 January 2016|date=January 4, 1913}} The lowest confirmed barometric pressure reading, {{convert|955.0|mb|inHg|abbr=on}}, for a non-tropical system in the continental United States (CONUS) was recorded during this storm at Canton, New York.{{cite web|title=National Overview – October 2012. Historical Minimum Central Pressure Readings|url=https://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/sotc/national/2012/10/supplemental/page-8/|publisher=NOAA}}{{cite web|title=Pressure Records: The October 26–27, 2010 Significant Extratropical Cyclone|url=http://www.weather.gov/dlh/101026_pressurerecords|publisher=National Weather Service}} This broke the record low of this type set by the January 1886 Blizzard. The lowest pressure reading of this type was later equalled on March 7, 1932, at Block Island, Rhode Island. The next lowest record, {{convert|955.2|mb|inHg|abbr=on}}, was during the October 2010 North American storm complex on October 26, 2010, at Bigfork, Minnesota.
Meteorological history
The storm formed suddenly on the night of January 2–3 and developed into a severe storm with destructive gales and record low pressures on January 3 over eastern Pennsylvania and Virginia.{{cite book|title=Water Power Chronicle|date=March 1913|publisher=The Water Power Chronicle Company|page=130|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZEQ_AQAAMAAJ&pg=PA130}}{{cite book|last1=von Herrmann|first1=Charles F.|title=Monthly Weather Review: Climatological Data for January 1913|date=1914|publisher=Weather Bureau|page=14|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O75GAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA14|chapter=District 2, South Atlantic and East Gulf States}} The high winds and low pressures continued over New Jersey, New York, and Massachusetts.{{cite book|last1=Wilson|first1=Wilford M.|title=Monthly Weather Review: Climatological Data for January 1913|date=1914|publisher=Weather Bureau|pages=2–3|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=O75GAQAAIAAJ&pg=PA2|chapter=District 1, North Atlantic States}} It passed over Maine by the next morning.
Weather Bureau forecaster Scarr reported in The New York Times that the storm produced a record low pressure of {{convert|968.9|mb|inHg|abbr=on}} and wind speeds of {{convert|90|mph|km/h|abbr=on}} in New York City. He also said "the storm had been caused by several small depressions ... combining and forming a cyclone."
Philadelphia recorded its lowest pressure, {{convert|970.9|mb|inHg|abbr=on}}, for the month of January.{{cite web|title=Historical Weather for Philadelphia/Mt.Holly, NJ WFO|url=http://www.weather.gov/phi/hist_phi|publisher=National Weather Service}}