 The third and final widely documented hurricane to affect the U.S. East Coast in 1850 remained predominately offshore , but still impacted ships and coastal cities on September 7 and 8 . A vessel about 140 mi ( 230 km ) east of Atlantic City , New Jersey , intercepted the hurricane 's center and recorded a pressure of 988 mbar ( 29 @.@ 18 inHg ) on the night of September 7 . Numerous ships near the Delaware coast were stricken . Gusty winds snapped tree branches in New York City , while Newark received 2 @.@ 6 in ( 66 mm ) of rain as the hurricane brushed the region . The system probably continued toward the northeast , passing south of Nantucket , Massachusetts . There , gale @-@ force winds initially blew out of the southeast before shifting to north midday on September 8 . Similarly , Cape Cod experienced blustery conditions accompanied by heavy rainfall , though damage in eastern New England was generally inconsequential . Providence , Rhode Island , received 2 in ( 51 mm ) of rain . 
