Cape Hatteras

Cape Hatteras
An aerial view of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse prior to its 1999 relocation
Location	United States
Coordinates	35°15′16.49″N 75°31′11.82″W / 35.2545806°N 75.5199500°WCoordinates: 35°15′16.49″N 75°31′11.82″W / 35.2545806°N 75.5199500°W

Cape Hatteras from space, October 1989

Cape Hatteras /ˈhætərəs/ is a cape on the coast of North Carolina, and is protected as the namesake feature of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ^[1] It is the point that protrudes the farthest to the southeast along the northeast-to-southwest line of the Atlantic coast of North America.

It is also the nearest landmass to Bermuda, which is about 563 nautical miles (648 mi; 1,043 km) to the east-southeast.

The community of Buxton, lies on the inland side of the Cape itself, at the widest part of Hatteras Island. It is the largest community on the island, and is home to the governmental offices and schools for the Island.

Geography

Cape Hatteras is a bend in Hatteras Island, one of the long thin barrier islands that make up the Outer Banks. It is the site where the two great basins of the East Coast meet.^[2] The cape's shoals are known as Diamond Shoals. Somewhat analogous to Point Conception in Southern California, this on-the-edge placement at the confluence of the Labrador and Florida currents leads to unusually diverse biological assemblages. Many species' ranges have either a southern or northern terminus at the cape.

Climate

An aerial view of where Hurricane Isabel cut inlets into Hatteras Island

Cape Hatteras has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen Cfa), with mild winters, and warm to hot, humid summers, and is part of USDA Plant Hardiness Zone 9.^[3] It is surrounded by large bodies of water, with Pamlico Sound to the west and northwest, and the Atlantic Ocean to all directions from northeast through southwest. The proximity to water moderates conditions throughout the year, producing cooler summers and warmer winters than inland areas of North Carolina.^[4] The warmest days in July and early August have an average high temperature of less than 85 °F (29 °C). As a result of its proximity to water, temperatures above 90 °F (32 °C) are rare, with an average of only 2.3 days per summer above 90 °F (32 °C);^[5] one to three years out of each decade will not see any 90 °F readings. The coolest month, January, has a daily mean of 45.5 °F (7.5 °C), with lows normally well above freezing (32 F). The average window for freezing temperatures is from December 12 to March 11 (allowing a growing season of 275 days), between which there is an average of 21 nights with lows at or below the freezing mark,^[5] though only once every several years does the thermometer stay at or below the freezing mark all day. Extremes in temperature range from 6 °F (−14 °C) on January 21, 1985 up to 97 °F (36 °C) on June 27, 1952.

Snowfall is observed occasionally, and usually light.^[4] Precipitation, mostly in the form of rain, is over 58 inches (1,500 mm) per year, making it the wettest coastal location in North Carolina.^[4] Precipitation is evenly distributed throughout the year in which July to September are the wettest months.^[4] On average, August is the wettest month, owing to high frequencies of both summer thunderstorms and tropical systems (hurricanes, tropical storms and tropical depressions) that affect the area, mostly from August to early October.

Cape Hatteras is virtually the highest-risk area for hurricanes and tropical storms along the entire U.S. Eastern seaboard. Cape Hatteras can experience significant wind and/or water damage from tropical systems moving (usually northward or northeastward) near or over North Carolina's Outer Banks, while other areas (i.e. Wilmington, NC or Myrtle Beach and Charleston, SC to the south and Norfolk, VA and Maryland's Eastern Shore to the north) experience much less, minimal or no damage. The Cape Hatteras area is infamous for being frequently struck by hurricanes that move up the East Coast of the United States. The strike of Hurricane Isabel in 2003 was particularly devastating for the area. Isabel devastated the entire Outer Banks and also split Hatteras Island between the two small towns of Frisco and Hatteras. NC 12, which provides a direct route from Nags Head to Hatteras Island, was washed out when the hurricane created a new inlet. Students had to use a ferry to get to school. The inlet was filled in with sand by the Army Corps of Engineers which took nearly two months to complete. The road, electrical and water lines were quickly rebuilt when the inlet was filled.

Climate data for Cape Hatteras (Billy Mitchell Airport), 1981–2010 normals, extremes 1898–present[lower-alpha 1]

History

The Cape Hatteras Life Guard Station, which later became part of the Durant Motel, and was upended by Hurricane Isabel in 2003

The name Hatteras is the sixth oldest surviving English place-name in the U.S. An inlet north of the cape was named "Hatrask" in 1585 by Sir Richard Grenville, the admiral leading the Roanoke Colony expedition sent by Sir Walter Raleigh. It was later applied to the island and cape as well, and modified to "Hatteras."^[7] Hatteras is the name of the Hatteras Indians.^[8]

Because mariners utilize ocean currents to speed their journey, many ships venture close to Cape Hatteras when traveling along the eastern seaboard, risking the perils of sailing close to the shoals amid turbulent water and the frequent storms occurring in the area. So many ships have been lost off Cape Hatteras that the area is known as the "Graveyard of the Atlantic." Cape Hatteras is also well known for surfing.^[9][10]

The first lighthouse at the cape was built in 1803; it was replaced by the current Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in 1870, which at 198.48 feet (60.50 m) from the ground to the tip of its lightning rod is the tallest lighthouse in the United States and one of the tallest brick lighthouses in the world. In 1999, as the receding shoreline had come dangerously close to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the 4830-ton lighthouse was lifted and moved inland a distance of 2,900 feet (880 m). Its distance from the seashore is now 1,500 feet (460 m), about the same as when it was originally built.

The E.M. Clark (shipwreck and remains), EMPIRE GEM (shipwreck and remains), and USS Monitor are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.^[11][12]

Awards and Recognition

Cape Hatteras has received the following awards:

Top 10 U.S. Beaches, The Travel Channel ^[13]

Top 10 U.S. Beaches for 2016, CNN ^[14]

America’s Top 10 Beaches of 2015, Forbes ^[15]

Notes

1. Official temperature and precipitation records for Cape Hatteras were kept at Hatteras from January 1893 to February 1957, and at Billy Mitchell Airport since March 1957. Snowfall and snow depth records date to 1 January 1908 and 1 January 1948 respectively.^[5] For more information, see ThreadEx.</ref> .8 | Month t Jan Feb s Mar Apr e May 9 Jun ' Jul H Aug a Sep Oct c Nov | Dec |ə|r|ə|s}} is a [[Headlands and bayYear e ast of [[North Record high °F (°C) otected as the namesake feature of the [[Cape Hatteras Nationa 75
   (24) ref>USC 459</ref> It is the point that protrudes the farthest 76
   (24) st along the northeast-to-southwest line{{what|date=September 82
   (28) [Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast of [[North America]]. It is 89
   (32) t [[landmass]] to [[Bermuda]], which is about {{convert|563|nm 91
   (33) e east-southeast. The community of [[Buxton, North Carolina|B 97
   (36) n the inland side of the Cape itself, at the widest part of [[ 96
   (36) ]]. It is the largest community on the island, and is home to 94
   (34) al offices and schools for the Island. ==Geography== Cape Hat 92
   (33) in [[Hatteras Island]], one of the long thin [[barrier island 89
   (32) p the [[Outer Banks]]. It is the site where the two great basi 81
   (27) Coast meet.<ref name=point>{{cite news |title= Point Well Take 78
   (26) |first= Bill |work= The Washington Post |date= June 5, 1996 |page= C9 |url= http://sea 97
   (36) /3 904917/1390C34F Average high °F (°C) =46320 These are the Mid-Atlantic Bight, from Cape Cod to Cap 52.2
   (11.2) South Atlantic Bight, from Cape Lookout to Cape Canaveral.}}< 53.5
   (11.9) shoal]]s are known as [[Diamond Shoals]]. Somewhat analogous t 58.6
   (14.8) n]] in [[Southern California]],{{cn|date=September 2014}} this 66.3
   (19.1) ent at the confluence of the Labrador and Florida currents lea 73.7
   (23.2) erse biological assemblages. Many species' ranges have either 81.0
   (27.2) ern terminus at the cape. ===Climate===<!---linked from Clima 84.6
   (29.2) ates--> [[File:46 9 21 03 14.jpg|thumb|An aerial view of where 84.1
   (28.9) ut inlets into Hatteras Island]] Cape Hatteras has a [[humid s 79.9
   (26.6) ] ([[Köppen climate classification|Köppen]] ''Cfa''), with mil 72.0
   (22.2) to hot, humid summers, and is part of [[Hardiness zone|USDA P 64.0
   (17.8) ]] 9.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arborday.org/treeinfo/Zone 55.9
   (13.3) 959&submit=Look+it+up%21|title=The Arbor Day Foundation|author=The Arbor Day Foundation 68.8
   (20.4) t surrounded by Average low °F (°C) , with Pamlico Sound to the west and northwest, and the Atlant 38.7
   (3.7) rections from northeast through southwest. The proximity to w 40.0
   (4.4) ditions throughout the year, producing cooler summers and warm 44.6
   (7) inland areas of North Carolina.<ref name = NOAALCD> {{cite web 52.6
   (11.4) dc.noaa.gov/pub/data/lcd/annual/2014/01201413HSE.pdf|title= Lo 60.5
   (15.8) Data–Annual Summary with Comparative Data: Cape Hatteras |publ 69.3
   (20.7) ceanic and Atmospheric Administration]] |accessdate = Septembe 73.6
   (23.1) The warmest days in July and early August have an average high 72.9
   (22.7) s than {{convert|85|°F|0}}. As a result of its proximity to wa 69.0
   (20.6) bove {{convert|90|°F|0}} are rare, with an average of only 2.3 59.7
   (15.4) ove {{convert|90|°F|0}};<ref name = NCDC /> one to three years 51.2
   (10.7) will not see any 90&nbsp;°F readings. The coolest month, Janu 42.7
   (5.9) ean of {{convert|45.5|°F|1}}, with lows normally well above freezing (32 F). The averag 56.2
   (13.4) at es is from Dece Record low °F (°C) (allowing a growing season of 275 days), between which there i 6
   (−14) 21 nights with lows at or below the freezing mark,<ref name = 11
   (−12) only once every several years does the thermometer stay at or 19
   (−7) ing mark all day. Extremes in temperature range from {{convert 26
   (−3) January 1985 Arctic outbreak|January 21, 1985]] up to {{conver 39
   (4) June 27, 1952.{{cn|date=March 2015}} Snowfall is observed oc 44
   (7) d usually light.<ref name = NOAALCD /> Precipitation, mostly i 52
   (11) ain, is over {{convert|58|in}} per year, making it the wettest 56
   (13) on in North Carolina.<ref name=NOAALCD/> Precipitation is even 45
   (7) throughout the year in which July to September are the wettes 32
   (0) name=NOAALCD/> On average, August is the wettest month, owing 22
   (−6) cies of both summer thunderstorms and tropical systems (hurric 12
   (−11) torms and tropical depressions) that affect the area, mostly from August to early Octob 6
   (−14) } Cape Hatteras i Average precipitation inches (mm) urricanes and tropical storms along the entire U.S. Eastern se 5.24
   (133.1) as can experience significant wind and/or water damage from tr 4.02
   (102.1) g (usually northward or northeastward) near or over North Caro 4.77
   (121.2) while other areas (i.e. Wilmington, NC or Myrtle Beach and Cha 3.64
   (92.5) south and Norfolk, VA and Maryland's Eastern Shore to the nort 3.57
   (90.7) less, minimal or no damage. The Cape Hatteras area is infamou 4.03
   (102.4) ly struck by [[hurricane]]s that move up the [[East Coast of t 4.99
   (126.7) The strike of [[Hurricane Isabel]] in 2003 was particularly d 6.93
   (176) area. Isabel devastated the entire Outer Banks and also spli 6.25
   (158.8) etween the two small towns of [[Frisco, North Carolina|Frisco] 5.38
   (136.7) rth Carolina|Hatteras]]. [[North Carolina State Highway 12|NC 4.95
   (125.7) a direct route from [[Nags Head, North Carolina|Nags Head]] t 4.27
   (108.5) ], was washed out when the hurricane created a new [[inlet]]. Students had to use a [[f 58.04
   (1,474.2) et as filled in wi Average snowfall inches (cm) ngineers which took nearly two months to complete. The road, e 0.3
   (0.8) er lines were quickly rebuilt when the inlet was filled.{{cn|d 0.1
   (0.3) {{Cape Hatteras weatherbox}} ==History== [[Image:Cape Hatter 0
   (0) g station.jpg|thumb|The Cape Hatteras Life Guard Station, whic 0
   (0) e part of the Durant Motel, and was upended by Hurricane Isabe 0
   (0) he name Hatteras is the sixth oldest surviving English place-n 0
   (0) S. An inlet north of the cape was named "Hatrask" in 1585 by [ 0
   (0) Grenville]], the admiral leading the [[Roanoke Colony]] expedi 0
   (0) [[Sir Walter Raleigh]]. It was later applied to the island and 0
   (0) , and modified to "Hatteras."<ref>{{cite book |title=Names on 0
   (0) istorical Account of Place-Naming in the United States |last=S 0
   (0) =George |authorlink=George R. Stewart |year=1945 |publisher=Ra 1.3
   (3.3) ion=New York |page=23}}</ref> Hatteras is the name of the [[Hatteras Indians]].<ref>{{c 1.7
   (4.3) s. ogle.com/books? Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) he United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannet 10.6 ry | year=1905 | pages=152}}</ref> Because mariners utilize o 10.5 urrents to speed their journey, many ships venture close to Ca 10.3 teras when traveling along the [[East Coast of the United Stat 8.8 stern seaboard]], risking the perils of sailing close to the s 8.8 amid turbulent water and the frequent storms occurring in the 10.1 So many ships have been lost off Cape Hatteras that the area 11.6 wn as the "[[Graveyard of the Atlantic]]." Cape Hatteras is al 11.2 l known for surfing.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rodndtube.c 9.6 rf/info/best_5_breaks.shtml|title=The Best 5 Surfing Waves|wor 8.9 ndtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mademan.com/m 9.6 best-surf-spots-east-coast.html|title=10 Best Surf Spots on th 10.4 Coast|work=Made Man}}</ref> The first [[lighthouse]] at the cape was built in 1803; i 120.4 y e current [[Cap Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) to the tip of its lightning rod is the tallest lighthouse in t 0.4 ited States and one of the tallest brick lighthouses in the wo 0.3 In 1999, as the receding shoreline had come dangerously close 0 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the 4830-ton lighthouse was lifted a 0 moved inland a distance of {{convert|2900|ft|m}}. Its distance 0 om the seashore is now {{convert|1500|ft|m}}, about the same a 0 hen it was originally built. The [[SS E.M. Clark|E.M. Clark]] 0 hipwreck and remains), [[List_of_Empire_ships_(G)#Empire_Gem|E 0 RE GEM (shipwreck and remains)]], and [[USS Monitor]] are list 0 on the [[National Register of Historic Places]].<ref name="nri 0 {{NRISref|version=2010a}}</ref><ref name="nps">{{cite web|url= 0 p://www.nps.gov/nr/listings/20131018.htm|title=National Regist 0.3 Historic Places Listings|date=2013-10-18|work=Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properti 1.0 ro h 9/30/13 |pub Average relative humidity (%) > ==Awards and Recognition== Cape Hatteras has received the f 75.3 ng awards: Top 10 U.S. Beaches, The Travel Channel <ref>[http 74.3 .travelchannel.com/interests/beaches/articles/top-10-us-beache 74.1 10 U.S. Beaches”]’’The Travel Channel’’, Retrieved 8 April 20 72.3 ef> Top 10 U.S. Beaches for 2016, CNN <ref>Hetter, Katia. [ht 77.3 dition.cnn.com/2015/05/21/travel/dr-beach-top-10-us-beaches-20 79.0 t/ “Dr. Beach names top 10 U.S. beaches for 2015’]’’CNN’’, 23 80.9 016, Retrieved 8 April 2016.</ref> America’s Top 10 Beaches o 80.6 , Forbes <ref> [http://www.forbes.com/pictures/ehlk45edemk/5-c 78.5 tteras-outer-ba/ “America’s Top 10 Beaches of 2015”]’’Forbes’’ 75.8 ieved 8 April 2016.</ref> ==Notes== {{notelist}} ==Referenc 75.1 {Reflist}} == External links == {{Commons category}} *[http:/ 75.1 ps.gov/caha/ National Park Service: Cape Hatteras National Seashore] *[http://www.grave 76.5 th atlantic.co / raveyard of the Mean monthly sunshine hours rt2.php?chartId=11555_1&lat=35.2400&lon=-75.5555 Nautical char 153.7 pe Hatteras] {{Outer Banks}} [[Category:Landforms of Dare Co 162.8 orth Carolina]] [[Category:Outer Banks]] [[Category:Headlands 224.8 h Carolina|Hatteras]] 261.3 278.3 272.4 282.9 267.1 233.0 207.2 170.8 142.8 2,657.1 Percent possible sunshine 49 53 61 66 64 63 64 64 63 59 55 47 60 Source: NOAA (relative humidity and sun 1961–1990)^[5][6]<ref name='noaasun'>"WMO Climate Normals for CAPE HATTERAS, NC 1961–1990". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2014-05-27.

References

1. USC 459
2. Heavey, Bill (June 5, 1996). These are the Mid-Atlantic Bight, from Cape Cod to Cape Hatteras, and the South Atlantic Bight, from Cape Lookout to Cape Canaveral. "Point Well Taken" Check |url= value (help). The Washington Post. p. C9.
3. The Arbor Day Foundation. "The Arbor Day Foundation". arborday.org.
4. "Local Climatological Data–Annual Summary with Comparative Data: Cape Hatteras" (PDF). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 30, 2015.
5. "NOWData - NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2012-04-14.
6. "Station Name: NC CAPE HATTERAS AP". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved 2014-06-11.
7. Stewart, George (1945). Names on the Land: a Historical Account of Place-Naming in the United States. New York: Random House. p. 23.
8. Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. p. 152.
9. "The Best 5 Surfing Waves". rodndtube.com.
10. "10 Best Surf Spots on the East Coast". Made Man.
11. Staff (2010-07-09). "National Register Information System". National Register of Historic Places. National Park Service.
12. "National Register of Historic Places Listings". Weekly List of Actions Taken on Properties: 9/16/13 through 9/30/13. National Park Service. 2013-10-18.
13. “Top 10 U.S. Beaches”’’The Travel Channel’’, Retrieved 8 April 2016.
14. Hetter, Katia. “Dr. Beach names top 10 U.S. beaches for 2015’’’CNN’’, 23 June 2016, Retrieved 8 April 2016.
15. “America’s Top 10 Beaches of 2015”’’Forbes’’, Retrieved 8 April 2016.

External links

• National Park Service: Cape Hatteras National Seashore
• Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum
• Nautical chart of Cape Hatteras