It lingered through five high tides over a three-day period, killing 40 people, injuring over 1,000, and causing hundreds of millions in property damage in six states.

[2] On March 4, 1962, a large low-pressure area developed along a cold front off the southeast coast of the United States, with several ill-defined circulation centers.

The storm also produced a 600 mi (970 km) long fetch of flow of winds from the Atlantic Ocean, building the height of the waves as high as 30 ft (9.1 m).

[5] In most areas, the storm peak occurred on March 7, which was the Christian holiday of Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent that year.

The large storm dropped heavy snowfall as far south as Alabama, with the heaviest accumulations in western Virginia and Maryland.

[4] Cold, northerly winds first affected Florida on March 5, with peak gusts of 42 mph (68 km/h) in Daytona Beach.

[3] Construction of the Chesapeake Bay Bridge–Tunnel was disrupted when the waves knocked over the world's largest pile driver, which stood on four 100 ft (30 m) legs.

At the Town of Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern Shore near the border with Maryland, six feet (1.8 m) of water covered parts of Main Street, and most of the island was flooded to various depths; the storm damaged boats and homes and also killed several livestock.

Flooding closed down roads and entered houses along the coast, causing significant damage to seaside resorts.

[3] Farther inland, the floods killed over 1.2 million broiler chickens and many incubating eggs due to power outages.

[3] Farther north, 7.6 m (25 ft) waves struck Ocean City, Maryland and the resort developments beginning on Assateague Island were destroyed.

The Weather Bureau forecast for Atlantic City failed to anticipate the severity of the storm, and there was little warning for the flooding along the coasts.

[4] High waves battered the Jersey Shore and the Delaware Bay, along with strong wind gusts, reaching 73 mph (117 km/h) in Long Branch.

In Atlantic City, the waves knocked a 100 ft (30 m) barge into Steel Pier, which washed out a quarter-mile section, including the tank used for the diving horse.

Waves up to 20 ft (6.1 m) in height washed away about 100 houses in the state, including 35 on Fire Island, and flooded coastal roads, forcing families to evacuate.

High waves flooded coastal and low-lying areas, inundating roads and houses' cellars, and washing over seawalls as far north as Portland, Maine.

[10] Although much diminished after crossing the Atlantic, the Ash Wednesday Storm system was still able to cause significant damage on its landfall in south-west England.

On 13th March the seafront at Penzance, Cornwall was destroyed by waves generated by the storm, with extensive damage in other settlements nearby.

Shore towns cleared sand and restored road access ahead of the summer tourist season.

[7] Some 5,000 private lots comprising what is now National Park Service land on Assateague Island had been zoned and sold for resort development.

The Ash Wednesday Storm halted the plans for development, as it destroyed the few existing structures on the island and ripped roads apart.

The family named her "Stormy," laying the basis for another book in Marguerite Henry's award-winning Misty of Chincoteague series.