The San Narciso Hurricane was the ninth and last known hurricane of the 1867 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming in late October, the hurricane, the costliest and deadliest storm of the
1867 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1867 Atlantic hurricane season lasted from mid-summer to late-fall. A total of nine known tropical systems developed during the season, with the earliest forming on June 21, and the last dissipating on October 31. On two occasions during the ...
, caused at least 811 deaths in
Saint Thomas (Danish West Indies) and
Captaincy General of Puerto Rico
The Captaincy General of Puerto Rico ( es, Capitanía General de Puerto Rico) was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire, created in 1580 to provide better military management of the island of Puerto Rico, previously under the direct ...
and at least $1 million (1867
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; code: USD; also abbreviated US$ or U.S. Dollar, to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies; referred to as the dollar, U.S. dollar, American dollar, or colloquially buck) is the official ...
) in damage.
Meteorological history
On or before 27 October 1867, a tropical storm developed east of the northern
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles ( es, link=no, Antillas Menores; french: link=no, Petites Antilles; pap, Antias Menor; nl, Kleine Antillen) are a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea. Most of them are part of a long, partially volcanic island arc betwe ...
, and the mail steamer ''Principe Alfonso'' skillfully avoided the storm on that day. This tropical storm moved westward or west-southwestward, intensifying into a hurricane on or before 28 October 1867. Intensifying into a major hurricane on 29 October, this tempest hit
Sombrero, Anguilla
Sombrero, also known as Hat Island, is part of the British Overseas Territory of Anguilla and is the northernmost island of the Lesser Antilles. It lies north-west of Anguilla across the Dog and Prickly Pear Passage. The distance to Dog Islan ...
. The northeasterly or northerly wind intensified from 1 am through 6 am; after 8 am, a barometric pressure of accompanied a half-hour of relative calm. The wind then shifted to a violent easterly until 11 am and then diminished through 1 pm. The hurricane reached its peak intensity of at 1200 UTC near the island.
From 1:30 pm to 2:00 pm, its eye passed over
Sankt Thomas, Danish West Indies.
The hurricane weakened slightly before reaching
Captaincy General of Puerto Rico
The Captaincy General of Puerto Rico ( es, Capitanía General de Puerto Rico) was an administrative district of the Spanish Empire, created in 1580 to provide better military management of the island of Puerto Rico, previously under the direct ...
later on 29 October, the memorial of Saint
Narcissus of Jerusalem
Saint Narcissus of Jerusalem (c. 99 (reputedly) – c. 216) was an early patriarch of Jerusalem. He is venerated as a saint by both the Western and Eastern Churches. In the Roman Catholic Church, his feast day is celebrated on October 29, while ...
; following the Puerto Rican convention of naming hurricanes after the saint of the day on which a hurricane strikes the island, the storm acquired the name ''San Narciso''. The hurricane made landfall in
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico (; abbreviated PR; tnq, Boriken, ''Borinquen''), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( es, link=yes, Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico, lit=Free Associated State of Puerto Rico), is a Caribbean island and Unincorporated ...
, and its winds decreased further over the island. Despite its small size, it ranks among the most intense hurricanes recorded on the island. It passed near the city of
Fajardo
Fajardo (, ) is a town and municipality -Fajardo Combined Statistical Area.
Fajardo is the hub of much of the recreational boating in Puerto Rico and a popular launching port to Culebra, Vieques, and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. It is ...
, between 5 pm and 6 pm and later passed near
Caguas
Caguas (, ) is a city and municipality of Puerto Rico located in the Central Mountain Range of Puerto Rico, south of San Juan and Trujillo Alto, west of Gurabo and San Lorenzo, and east of Aguas Buenas, Cidra, and Cayey. Caguas was founded ...
. People sensed tremors in the towns of
Humacao
Humacao () is a city and municipality in Puerto Rico located in the eastern coast of the island, north of Yabucoa; south of Naguabo; east of Las Piedras; and west of Vieques Passage. Humacao is spread over 12 barrios and Humacao Pueblo (the ...
,
Luquillo
Luquillo () is a Luquillo barrio-pueblo, town and Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality of Puerto Rico located in the northeast coast, northwest of Fajardo, Puerto Rico, Fajardo; and east of Río Grande, Puerto Rico, Rio Grande. Luquillo i ...
, and
Peñuelas. The storm affected all of the towns in the island of Puerto Rico.
[ San Narciso hit the island of ]Hispaniola
Hispaniola (, also ; es, La Española; Latin and french: Hispaniola; ht, Ispayola; tnq, Ayiti or Quisqueya) is an island in the Caribbean that is part of the Greater Antilles. Hispaniola is the most populous island in the West Indies, and th ...
on 30 October 1867. The storm probably dissipated that day over the high mountains of the island.
Impact
The hurricane caused at least 811 deaths in total: 600 in Sankt Thomas (Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies ( da, Dansk Vestindien) or Danish Antilles or Danish Virgin Islands were a Danish colonization of the Americas, Danish colony in the Caribbean, consisting of the islands of Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands, Saint Thomas ...
- now Saint Thomas, the United States Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands,. Also called the ''American Virgin Islands'' and the ''U.S. Virgin Islands''. officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and an unincorporated and organized territory ...
) and 211 on Puerto Rico.
On Tortola
Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
(British Virgin Islands
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = Territorial song
, song = "Oh, Beautiful Virgin Islands"
, image_map = File:British Virgin Islands on the globe (Americas centered).svg
, map_caption =
, mapsize = 290px
, image_map2 = Brit ...
), the storm reached its peak fury from noon to 2 pm and blew down one-third of the "miserable tenements." Deaths numbered 22 at Road Town
Road Town, located on Tortola, is the capital of the British Virgin Islands. It is situated on the horseshoe-shaped Road Harbour in the centre of the island's south coast. The population was about 15,000 in 2018.
The name is derived from the na ...
, 2 on Peter Island
Peter Island is a 720 hectare (1,779 acre) private island located in the British Virgin Islands (BVI). It is about 5 miles (8 km) south-west (195 degrees true) from Road Town, Tortola. The island was named after Pieter Adriensen (nicknamed "T ...
, and 2 on Westland (now Soper's Hole).
On Saint Thomas, the hurricane drove ashore or otherwise wrecked 80 ships including the and the barometric pressure reached with winds of ; about 600 people drowned.[
It caused 211 deaths in Puerto Rico, and the damages were calculated at 13 million ]Spanish escudo
The escudo was either of two distinct Spanish currency denominations.
Gold escudo
The first escudo was a gold coin introduced in 1535/1537, with coins denominated in escudos issued until 1833. It was initially worth 16 '' reales''. When differ ...
s.[ The hurricane ruined agriculture of the island of Puerto Rico, causing a great economic crisis.] The hurricane and various other factors contributed to the discontent on the island that erupted into the Grito de Lares
''El Grito de Lares'' (''The Cry of Lares''), also referred to as the Lares uprising, the Lares revolt, the Lares rebellion, or the Lares revolution, was the first major revolt against Spanish rule in Puerto Rico. The revolt was planned by Ra ...
of 1868.[
It almost destroyed the city of ]Santo Domingo
, total_type = Total
, population_density_km2 = auto
, timezone = AST (UTC −4)
, area_code_type = Area codes
, area_code = 809, 829, 849
, postal_code_type = Postal codes
, postal_code = 10100–10699 (Distrito Nacional)
, websi ...
de Guzmán, Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic ( ; es, República Dominicana, ) is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean region. It occupies the eastern five-eighths of the island, which it shares wit ...
, where 200 persons died on that day.
See also
*Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a rapidly rotating storm system characterized by a low-pressure center, a closed low-level atmospheric circulation, strong winds, and a spiral arrangement of thunderstorms that produce heavy rain and squalls. Depend ...
*List of Atlantic hurricanes
Lists of Atlantic hurricanes, or tropical cyclones in the Atlantic Ocean, are organized by the properties of the hurricane or by the location most affected.
By property
* List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
*List of Atlantic hurricane records
*Li ...
*1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami
The 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami occurred on November 18, at 2.45 p.m. in the Anegada Trough about 20 km southwest of Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies (now U.S. Virgin Islands). The 7.5 earthquake came just 20 days after the ...
– Devastating event that struck the same region 20 days later
References
{{Reflist
1860s Atlantic hurricane seasons
Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes
Hurricanes in Puerto Rico
1867 in Puerto Rico
October 1867 events
1867 natural disasters
1867 meteorology
1867 disasters in North America