The 1908 Atlantic hurricane season remains the only
season
A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and pol ...
on record to feature two hurricanes prior to the month of June. The season produced thirteen
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 ...
s, of which ten became tropical storms; six became hurricanes, and one of those strengthened into a major hurricane – tropical cyclones that reach at least Category 3 on the modern day Saffir–Simpson scale. The season's first system developed on March 6, which was the only known tropical cyclone to have developed in the month of March since
official records
The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...
began in
1851
Events
January–March
* January 11 – Hong Xiuquan officially begins the Taiping Rebellion.
* January 15 – Christian Female College, modern-day Columbia College, receives its charter from the Missouri General Assembly.
...
. The last storm transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of ...
on October 23.
The season's most intense tropical cyclone peaked as a Category 3 hurricane with
maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained wind associated with a tropical cyclone is a common
indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, it is found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unl ...
s of 120 mph (195 km/h) in mid-September. Significant damage and at least 26 deaths occurred in
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...
and
the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
as a result of this storm. Most of the other systems also impacted land. In May, the second storm caused thousands of dollars in damage and one indirect death in the
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States, also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast, is a geographic region of the United States. It is located on the Atlantic coast of North America, with Canada to its north, the Southe ...
. The next system caused flooding in
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, resulting in the deaths of two children. In late September and early October, the eighth system caused considerable damage in portions of the
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles ( es, Grandes Antillas or Antillas Mayores; french: Grandes Antilles; ht, Gwo Zantiy; jam, Grieta hAntiliiz) is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, Jamaica, and ...
and the Bahamas, leaving six people dead. A hurricane which struck the Caribbean coast of
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
inflicted severe damage in several communities and killed at least two people. Overall, the tropical cyclones of the season collectively caused at least 37 fatalities.
__TOC__
Tropical cyclogenesis began on March 6, 1908, when the first system was initially detected northeast of the
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 ...
. It was the only cyclone to develop in the Atlantic in the month of March since the beginning of
official records
The ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies in the War of the Rebellion'', commonly known as the ''Official Records of the Union and Confederate Armies'' or Official Records (OR or ORs), is the most extensive collection of Americ ...
in 1851. On May 24, the next system developed near the
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and n ...
. Intensifying into a hurricane on May 28, the storm became one of only three May hurricanes in the 20th century, with the others being Able in 1951 and Alma in 1970. Additionally, due to this storm and the previous, the 1908 season became the only in which two systems reached hurricane status prior to the month of June. Thereafter, activity ceased for nearly two months, until the third cyclone formed northeast of
the Bahamas
The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to ...
on July 24, followed by another system forming in the northwestern
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico ( es, Golfo de México) is an oceanic basin, ocean basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, largely surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of ...
on July 29. The month of August featured two cyclones, a tropical depression and a tropical storm. September was the most active month, with five systems developing, including two hurricanes, one tropical storm, and two tropical depressions. In October, a hurricane and a tropical storm developed, the latter of which became extratropical on October 23, ending seasonal activity.
The season had a total of 10 tropical storms, 6 of which intensified into a hurricane. Re-analysis by José F. Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1997 resulted in the addition of the second system, while
Christopher Landsea
Christopher William "Chris" Landsea is an American meteorologist, formerly a research meteorologist with the Hurricane Research Division of the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory at NOAA, and now the Science and Operations Offi ...
et al. added the sixth system in 2004 as part of the
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project
The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to correct and add new information about past North Atlantic hurricanes. It was started around 2000 to update HURDAT, the official hurricane d ...
. Seven out of the ten systems reaching at least tropical storm intensity made landfall during the season. Collectively, the tropical cyclones of the 1908 Atlantic hurricane season caused at least 37 fatalities.
The season's activity was reflected with an
accumulated cyclone energy
Accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) is a metric used by various agencies to express the energy released by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. It is calculating by summing the square of a tropical cyclone's maximum sustained winds, measured ever ...
(ACE) rating of 95. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
Systems
Hurricane One
The 1908 March hurricane was initially observed by a ship at 12:00 UTC on March 6 while located about northeast of Barbuda. Tracking in an unusual south-southwest direction, the storm intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Shortly before reaching 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 ...
early on March 8, the hurricane intensified into a Category 2 hurricane, peaking with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h) and a minimum
barometric pressure
Atmospheric pressure, also known as barometric pressure (after the barometer), is the pressure within the atmosphere of Earth. The standard atmosphere (symbol: atm) is a unit of pressure defined as , which is equivalent to 1013.25 millibars, 7 ...
of , which was observed in Basseterre on Saint Kitts. Once in the Caribbean on March 8, the system slowly began to weaken, losing hurricane status the following morning. The storm was last noted about north of
Blanquilla Island
Blanquilla is an island, one of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, located in the southeastern Caribbean Sea about 293 km (182 miles) northeast of Caracas. It is a popular location for divers, as well as famous for its white sand beac ...
late on March 9. It is the only Atlantic tropical cyclone on record to have formed in March, according to NOAA's best track database dating from 1842.
On
Saint Barthélemy
Saint Barthélemy (french: Saint-Barthélemy, ), officially the Collectivité territoriale de Saint-Barthélemy, is an overseas collectivity of France in the Caribbean. It is often abbreviated to St. Barth in French, and St. Barts in English ...
, some buildings were damaged. Winds in
Saint Martin Saint Martin may refer to:
People
* Saint Martin of Tours (c. 316–397), Bishop of Tours, France
* Saint Martin of Braga (c. 520–580), archbishop of Bracara Augusta in Gallaecia (now Braga in Portugal)
* Pope Martin I (598–655)
* Saint Mart ...
toppled peasant tents and damaged crops. The city of Basseterre on Saint Kitts reported winds at and rainfall reaching . The storm beached 24 small crafts and boats and severely damaged crops.
Hurricane Two
A tropical depression developed on May 24 at 12:00 UTC about southwest of
Cockburn Town
Cockburn Town ( ) is the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands, spreading across most of Grand Turk Island. It was founded in 1681 by salt collectors.
Geography
Cockburn Town is located on the largest island in the Turks Islands archipelago, ...
, Turks and Caicos Islands. Moving northwestward, the depression struck the Turks and Caicos Islands. Around 06:00 UTC on May 26, the depression intensified into a tropical storm. By late on May 27, the storm curved northeastward. The cyclone strengthened into a hurricane by 06:00 UTC the following day, becoming one of only three May hurricanes in the 20th century, with the others being
Able
Able may refer to:
* Able (1920 automobile), a small French cyclecar
* Able (rocket stage), an upper stage for Vanguard, Atlas, and Thor rockets
* Able (surname)
* ABLE account, a savings plan for people with disabilities
* Able UK, British ship ...
in 1951 and
Alma
Alma or ALMA may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Alma'' (film), a 2009 Spanish short animated film
* ''Alma'' (Oswald de Andrade novel), 1922
* ''Alma'' (Le Clézio novel), 2017
* ''Alma'' (play), a 1996 drama by Joshua Sobol about Alma ...
in 1970. The cyclone made landfall west of Cape Hatteras,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, with winds of around 21:00 UTC on May 29. A few hours later, the cyclone re-emerged into the Atlantic Ocean. Early on May 30, the hurricane weakened to a tropical storm. Accelerating northeastward, the storm struck eastern
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
,
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
New York may also refer to:
Film and television
* '' ...
, with winds of late on May 30, just prior to making landfall near Noank, Connecticut, at the same intensity around 23:00 UTC. The storm became extratropical over southern
Maine
Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...
early on May 31. The remnants continued northeastward until dissipating over the northern portion of the state several hours later.
In North Carolina, the storm produced sustained winds up to at
Morehead City
Morehead City is a port town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast.
His ...
. Winds disrupted communications with towns along the Outer Banks. Rough seas generated by the storm in
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
swept away a significant amount of sand, especially at Long Branch. An oceanfront street in the city was closed after waves washed out approximately of the road. In
Rhode Island
Rhode Island (, like ''road'') is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is the List of U.S. states by area, smallest U.S. state by area and the List of states and territories of the United States ...
, storm surge and abnormally high tides wrecked many boats at
Narragansett Bay
Narragansett Bay is a bay and estuary on the north side of Rhode Island Sound covering , of which is in Rhode Island. The bay forms New England's largest estuary, which functions as an expansive natural harbor and includes a small archipelago. Sma ...
. One person died of exhaustion during the storm and another suffered a serious injury when a tree fell on a car. Damage in the state was estimated in the thousands of dollars.
Hurricane Three
A disturbance developed into a tropical depression about east-northeast of the
Abaco Islands
Abaco is a variant Italian form of the Biblical name "Habakkuk" (but normally Abacùc or Abacucco).
Abaco may refer to:
People
*Evaristo Felice Dall'Abaco (1675–1742), Italian composer and violinist
*Joseph Abaco (1710–1805), Belgian compose ...
around 12:00 UTC on July 24. Heading northwestward, the depression intensified into a tropical storm about 24 hours later. Thereafter, the cyclone executed a slow cyclonic loop just north of
Grand Bahama
Grand Bahama is the northernmost of the islands of the Bahamas, with the town of West End located east of Palm Beach, Florida. It is the third largest island in the Bahamas island chain of approximately 700 islands and 2,400 cays. The island is ...
island, until it turned northward on July 29. Early on the following day, the system intensified into a hurricane, shortly before peaking with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Around 11:00 UTC on July 31, the hurricane made landfall in modern day Emerald Isle, North Carolina, at the same intensity. The system then curved east-northeastward and weakened to a tropical storm just prior to re-emerging into the Atlantic late on July 31. By 18:00 UTC on August 2, the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about southeast of
Baccaro, Nova Scotia
Baccaro ( ) is a community in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, located in the Barrington Municipal District.
Baccaro Point has a weather station (Station ID WCP). It is mainland Nova Scotia's southernmost point. However, there are a few ...
. The extratropical remnants continued northeastward across
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...
before dissipating on August 3.
Hurricane warnings were issued on July 30 from Hatteras, North Carolina, to
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Be ...
. In North Carolina, the storm produced sustained winds up to at Hatteras. The storm washed away cottages and boardwalks in Wrightsville. Rainfall peaked at in
New Bern
New Bern, formerly called Newbern, is a city in Craven County, North Carolina, United States. As of the 2010 census it had a population of 29,524, which had risen to an estimated 29,994 as of 2019. It is the county seat of Craven County and t ...
, while the storm contributed to the total of of precipitation that fell in Kinston over the course of four days. Flooding submerged the main city streets in Kingston and washed out railroad bridges and tracks. Two children drowned in the town of
Roper Roper is a craftsman who makes ropes; a ropemaker.
It may also refer to:
Places
*Roper, North Carolina, USA
*Roper River, Northern Territory, Australia
People
* Roper (surname)
Other
*'' Roper v. Simmons'', a decision of the United States Sup ...
. In
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth ar ...
, the highest known sustained wind speed was at
Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia located in the northeast corner of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to the long estuary of the Chesapeake Bay.
Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Cha ...
, causing damage to some crops. The extratropical remnants of the storm caused eight deaths in
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada, also called the Atlantic provinces (french: provinces de l'Atlantique), is the region of Eastern Canada comprising the provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec. The four provinces are New Brunswick, Newfoundlan ...
after several boats capsized. In
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland".
Most of the population are native Eng ...
, the storm downed a number of trees and damaged many properties in Halifax. Heavy rainfall also washed out unpaved roads in the city and left them nearly impassable.
Tropical Storm Four
A tropical depression developed just offshore
Sabine Pass, Texas
Sabine Pass is a neighborhood in Port Arthur, Texas. It lies at Sabine Pass, on the west bank of the Sabine River, the border between Louisiana and Texas, and was incorporated in 1861. Formally annexed by Port Arthur in 1978, Sabine Pass has its ...
, around 00:00 UTC on July 29. Moving southeastward, the depression intensified into a tropical storm about 12 hours later. Early on July 30, the storm peaked with maximum sustained winds of . Eventually, it recurved to the north-northwest and headed toward
Louisiana
Louisiana , group=pronunciation (French: ''La Louisiane'') is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It is the 20th-smallest by area and the 25th most populous of the 50 U.S. states. Louisiana is borde ...
. At 22:00 UTC on July 31, the cyclone made landfall on Marsh Island, Louisiana, at the same intensity. The storm weakened to a tropical depression early on August 2, around the time it curved northeastward. By late on August 3, the system dissipated over northern
Mississippi
Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...
.
The storm dropped heavy rainfall in portions of Louisiana. The city of
Franklin
Franklin may refer to:
People
* Franklin (given name)
* Franklin (surname)
* Franklin (class), a member of a historical English social class
Places Australia
* Franklin, Tasmania, a township
* Division of Franklin, federal electoral d ...
recorded of precipitation between July 26 and August 2, including in one day. The coastal
parishes of Louisiana
The U.S. state of Louisiana is divided into 64 parishes ( French: ''paroisses'', Spanish: ''parroquias'') in the same manner that Alaska is divided into boroughs, and the remaining 48 other states are divided into counties. Louisiana's usage of ...
experienced severe flooding, with major damage to rice crops. Farther east, floodwaters inundated streets in the outskirts of
New Orleans
New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans Merriam-Webster. ; french: La Nouvelle-Orléans , es, Nuev ...
, necessitating the use of
skiff
A skiff is any of a variety of essentially unrelated styles of small boats. Traditionally, these are coastal craft or river craft used for leisure, as a utility craft, and for fishing, and have a one-person or small crew. Sailing skiffs have devel ...
s for navigation. Four coal barges carrying cargo collectively valued at $12,000 sank in the
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...
near New Orleans.
Tropical Storm Five
A ship detected a tropical storm about southeast of Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, at 12:00 UTC on August 30. The storm moved westward, until turning northeastward late on August 31. At 00:00 UTC on September 1, the system peaked with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). Eight hours later, it made landfall near
Cape Lookout, North Carolina
Cape Lookout is the southern point of the Core Banks, one of the natural barrier islands on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It delimits Onslow Bay to the west from Raleigh Bay to the east. Core Banks and Shackleford Banks have been designat ...
, at the same intensity. Shortly thereafter, the storm reemerged into the Atlantic Ocean. The system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone at 18:00 UTC on September 2, while located about southeast of
Nantucket, Massachusetts
Nantucket () is an island about south from Cape Cod. Together with the small islands of Tuckernuck and Muskeget, it constitutes the Town and County of Nantucket, a combined county/town government that is part of the U.S. state of Massachuse ...
. The storm brought strong winds to portions of North Carolina and Virginia.
Hurricane Six
Historical weather maps indicate the presence of a tropical storm about east-northeast of
Barbados
Barbados is an island country in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the Caribbean region of the Americas, and the most easterly of the Caribbean Islands. It occupies an area of and has a population of about 287,000 (2019 estimate). ...
on September 7. Moving west-northwestward, the storm passed just north of the Lesser Antilles and slowly intensified, becoming a hurricane just offshore the
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 ...
early on September 11. Thereafter, the cyclone strengthened more quickly, becoming a Category 2 hurricane just prior to striking Inagua in the Bahamas several hours later with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). Around 12:00 UTC on September 12, the system strengthened into a Category 3 hurricane and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) by early the following day. The storm curved northward and passed over or near several islands on September 13 and September 14, including
Exuma
Exuma is a district of The Bahamas, consisting of over 365 islands, also called cays.
The largest of the cays is Great Exuma, which is 37 mi (60 km) in length and joined to another island, Little Exuma, by a small bridge. The capital ...
, Cat Island, and Eleuthera. Later on September 14, the cyclone turned northeastward and exited the island chain. While traversing the open Atlantic, the system slowly weakened and remained a hurricane until falling to tropical storm intensity late on September 18 while just offshore Newfoundland. The storm soon struck the island and became extratropical near
Port Rexton
Port Rexton is a small town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is located on the East Coast of the island of Newfoundland at the north end of Robinhood Bay, about 10 minutes east of Trinity and 3 hours north of St. John ...
. The extratropical remnants continued northeastward and dissipated over the
Labrador Sea
The Labrador Sea (French: ''mer du Labrador'', Danish: ''Labradorhavet'') is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelf, continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, ...
late the following day.
The passing storm brought high winds and rough surf to the northern coast of
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 ...
between September 9–10. Winds topped out at 40 mph (65 km/h) in
San Juan San Juan, Spanish for Saint John, may refer to:
Places Argentina
* San Juan Province, Argentina
* San Juan, Argentina, the capital of that province
* San Juan, Salta, a village in Iruya, Salta Province
* San Juan (Buenos Aires Underground), ...
on July 10. In the Turks and Caicos Islands, wind gusts near 100 mph (155 km/h) uprooted many trees and partially destroyed many buildings and homes on Grand Turk Island. The
Haiti
Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...
an sloop ''Telegraph'' capsized at Hawk's Nest with the loss of all occupants. Overall, the storm killed at least 19 people in the island chain. In the Bahamas, significant damage was reported on
Acklins
Acklins is an island and district of the Bahamas.
It is one of a group of islands arranged along a large, shallow lagoon called the Bight of Acklins, of which the largest are Crooked Island () in the north and Acklins () in the southeast, and ...
Long Cay
Long Cay (formerly known as Fortune Island; pt, Caio Longo; es, Cayo Largo; french: Île de la Fortune) is an island in the Bahamas in an atoll that includes Acklins Island and Crooked Island. It is 8 square miles (21 km²) and is in the Ackl ...
,
Long Island
Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York (state), New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United Sta ...
San Salvador Island
San Salvador Island (known as Watling's Island from the 1680s until 1925) is an island and district of The Bahamas. It is widely believed that during Christopher Columbus's first expedition to the New World, this island was the first land he s ...
. In
Clarence Town
Clarence Town is a town in the Bahamas. It is located on Long Island.
Clarence Town is the capital of Long Island and has a population of 86 people as of 2010. On Inagua, the crew of the steamer ''Sibiria'' observed many wood-frame homes being destroyed in Matthew Town. The schooner ''Beulah McCabe'' sank in the vicinity of the Bahamas, causing the deaths of seven people. Wind gusts ranging from 50–60 mph (85–95 km/h) impacted
Bermuda
)
, anthem = "God Save the King"
, song_type = National song
, song = " Hail to Bermuda"
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, image_map2 =
, mapsize2 =
, map_caption2 =
, subdivision_type = Sovereign state
, subdivision_name =
, e ...
, though damage was mainly limited to some uprooted trees. In Atlantic Canada, some boats along the south coast of Nova Scotia suffered minor damage.
Tropical Storm Seven
A ship first observed this tropical storm about north-northwest of
Telchac Puerto
Telchac Puerto is a port town in the Yucatan. It is located about one hour north east of the city of Mérida (65 kilometers) and 30 minutes from Progreso.
Dining
A bakery and several seafood restaurants are in Telchac Puerto. Fried fish st ...
, Yucatán, at 12:00 UTC on September 16. The storm intensified gradually while moving northwestward, peaking with maximum sustained winds of at 00:00 UTC on September 18. However, the cyclone soon quickly weakened, falling to tropical depression intensity about 18 hours later. It then dissipated about south-southwest of the Texas–Louisiana state line.
Hurricane Eight
A tropical storm was first detected on September 21 about northeast of
French Guiana
French Guiana ( or ; french: link=no, Guyane ; gcr, label=French Guianese Creole, Lagwiyann ) is an overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department/region and single territorial collectivity of France on the northern Atlantic ...
. The storm headed west-northwestward and slowly intensified, becoming a hurricane around the time it struck
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe (; ; gcf, label=Antillean Creole, Gwadloup, ) is an archipelago and overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galante, La Désirade, and the ...
on September 25. Entering the
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea ( es, Mar Caribe; french: Mer des Caraïbes; ht, Lanmè Karayib; jam, Kiaribiyan Sii; nl, Caraïbische Zee; pap, Laman Karibe) is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean in the tropics of the Western Hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico ...
, the hurricane continued westward, until curving to the northwest while south 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 September 27. Early the next day, the storm made landfall in Haiti near Marigot, Sud-Est, with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). The system soon emerged over the Gulf of Gonâve, where it briefly weakened to a tropical storm late on September 28. Just after 12:00 UTC on September 29, the storm made another landfall near
Imías
Imías is a municipality and town in the Guantánamo Province of Cuba. It is located on the southern coast of Cuba, bordering the Caribbean Sea to the south.
Geography
The municipality of Imías borders with San Antonio del Sur, Baracoa and Mais ...
, Guantánamo Province, Cuba, as a hurricane with winds of 85 mph (140 km/h). After the cyclone re-emerged into the Atlantic, it intensified while approaching the western Bahamas, becoming a Category 2 late on September 30. The hurricane peaked with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) around the time it made landfall on Andros Island early the next day. The storm turned north-northeastward and then northeastward, causing it to strike the Abaco Islands before reaching the open Atlantic again late on October 1. The storm then executed a small cyclonic loop, before resuming a east-northeastward movement. By late on October 6, the system weakened to a tropical storm and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about east of Bermuda. The extratropical remnants continued east-northeastward and dissipated several hours later.
On Guadeloupe, the storm uprooted many trees, severely damaged sugarcane crops, and deroofed sugar factories. Communications were also disrupted. The captain of the Dutch steamer ''Prins Willem V.'' reported considerable damage in Haiti. In Cuba, the hurricane destroyed several buildings, including the custom house, which was under construction. Many fruit groves suffered substantial damage. The storm produced hurricane-force winds and heavy precipitation over the western Bahamas. At
Nassau
Nassau may refer to:
Places Bahamas
*Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence
Canada
*Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792
*Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...
, sustained winds reached 80 mph (130 km/h). Much of
New Providence
New Providence is the most populous island in the Bahamas, containing more than 70% of the total population. It is the location of the national capital city of Nassau, whose boundaries are coincident with the island; it had a population of 246 ...
was inundated due to rainfall amounts up to . Property damage was generally light, however, with only smaller dwellings and outbuildings being demolished. Several large vessels capsized in the vicinity of the island, resulting in six deaths. On the Abaco Islands, several buildings at a timber company's plant, one home, and several huts were destroyed. Eleuthera also reported extensive damage, including the destruction of a mission house, a chapel, and several other buildings. The storm toppled many coconut trees, while one plantation alone lost about 300 banana trees. Throughout the Bahamas, this storm, combined with the hurricane in mid-September, resulted in the near total loss of grapefruit, orange, and sisal crops. Additionally, the cyclone downed a number of trees and destroyed many gardens. Heavy rains and high winds also pelted Bermuda, damaging a number of structures.
Hurricane Nine
A ship indicated that a tropical depression developed about north-northeast of Nombre de Dios, Colón, on October 14 at 12:00 UTC. Moving westward, the depression became a tropical storm early the following day. The storm later curved to the west-northwest and intensified into a Category 1 hurricane around 12:00 UTC on October 16. About 24 hours later, it became a Category 2 hurricane. Late on October 17, the hurricane peaked with maximum sustained winds of . Early the next day, it made landfall in
Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the Caribbean to the east, Costa Rica to the south, and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Managua is the cou ...
near
Pearl Lagoon
Pearl Lagoon is a municipality that is often time called just Lagoon and was historically known as English Bank. It is located in the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua. It is the most important town of the largest coastal lagoon ...
,
South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region
The South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region is one of two autonomous regions in Nicaragua. It covers an area of and has a population of 420,935 (2021 estimate). The capital is Bluefields. Bordering the Caribbean Sea, it contains part of the reg ...
. The hurricane rapidly weakened after moving inland, falling to tropical storm intensity by 12:00 UTC on October 18 and weakening to a tropical depression at 00:00 UTC on October 19. Several hours later, the storm dissipated over
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. The republic of Honduras is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Oce ...
.
The hurricane caused extensive impacts along the coast of Nicaragua from Cabo Gracias a Dios to
Pearl Cays The Pearl Cays (Spanish: ''Cayos Perlas'') is a group of 18 cays located about from Pearl Lagoon (Spanish: Laguna de Perlas) off the Caribbean coast of Nicaragua. They are part of the South Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region. The Pearl Cays are cov ...
, with telegraph and telephone communications interrupted and railroads substantially damaged in that area. The towns of
Prinzapolka
Prinzapolka () is a Miskito municipality in the North Caribbean Coast Autonomous Region of Nicaragua
Nicaragua (; ), officially the Republic of Nicaragua (), is the largest country in Central America, bordered by Honduras to the north, the ...
and Rio Grande were completely destroyed. ''
The New York Times
''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...
'' reported "much loss of life," including at least two deaths in Rio Grande.
Tropical Storm Ten
An extratropical low-pressure area became a tropical storm about west of Bermuda at 12:00 UTC on October 20. The cyclone moved southeastward and failed to strengthen beyond maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). Late on October 21, the storm curved southwestward and then northwestward early the next day. Due to colder
sea surface temperature
Sea surface temperature (SST), or ocean surface temperature, is the ocean temperature close to the surface. The exact meaning of ''surface'' varies according to the measurement method used, but it is between and below the sea surface. Air mass ...
s, the system gradually lost tropical characteristics and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about east-southeast of
Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the largest city in the U.S. state of South Carolina, the county seat of Charleston County, and the principal city in the Charleston–North Charleston metropolitan area. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint o ...
, early on October 23. The extratropical low moved ashore South Carolina near
McClellanville
McClellanville is a small fishing town in rural Charleston County, South Carolina, Charleston County, South Carolina, United States. The population was 1,040 at the 2010 census. It is situated on the Atlantic coast, on land surrounded by Francis Ma ...
before dissipating several hours later. Light rainfall was observed in South Carolina, with up to of precipitation recorded in Conway on October 23.
Other systems
In addition to the ten tropical cyclones reaching at least tropical storm intensity, three others remained tropical depressions. On August 3, a tropical depression formed about southeast of Bermuda. The depression moved northeastward and later southeastward, before dissipating on August 5. Another tropical depression developed on September 12 about west-northwest of
islands before dissipating on September 15. A trough developed into a tropical depression on September 21 about northeast of French Guiana. The depression moved east-northeastward and may have intensified into a tropical storm. However, the depression was last noted on the following day.
See also
*
Atlantic hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year from June through November when tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic Ocean, referred to in North American countries as hurricanes, tropical storms, or tropical depressions. In addition ...
*
List of tropical cyclones
This is a list of tropical cyclones, subdivided by basin. See the list of tropical cyclone records for individual records set by individual tropical cyclones.
*Lists of Atlantic hurricanes – directory for Atlantic hurricanes north of the equa ...