September 1948 Florida hurricane
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The September 1948
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
hurricane also known as (Easy) was the most intense
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 ...
to make landfall in the state since the
1935 Labor Day hurricane The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
. The fourth hurricane and third major hurricane of the
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 ...
, this storm developed from a
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
over 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 ...
on September 18. Early the next day, the system strengthened into a hurricane while moving westward passing close to Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
. Thereafter, it curved northwestward and continued to deepen. By September 20, the system turned northward and later that day made landfall in
Zapata Peninsula Zapata Peninsula ( es, Península de Zapata) is a large peninsula in Matanzas Province, southern Cuba, at . Ciénaga de Zapata National Park is located on the peninsula. It is located south of Ensenada de la Broa, east of the gulf of Batabano an ...
,
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
as a Category 3 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. Another landfall occurred in Cuba early the next day to the south of Güines. Severe destruction was reported on the island, with winds up to observed in
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
. Over 700 buildings were destroyed. Ten deaths occurred and damage totaled at least $2 million (1948  USD), while other sources estimate "several million dollars." After emerging into the Straits of Florida on September 21, the storm resumed intensification, before striking near
Boca Chica Key Boca Chica Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys, about a mile () east of the island of Key West at its closest point. Its name is Spanish for "small mouth". It is mostly covered by salt marshes and mangrove trees, and is the home of the la ...
, Florida with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). By early on September 22, the system peaked as a Category 4 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 130 mph (215 km/h). Shortly thereafter, another landfall occurred near
Chokoloskee, Florida Chokoloskee is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located at the edge of the Ten Thousand Islands in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 359 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco ...
at the same intensity. Severe damage was reported in the state due to strong winds. The storm was considered the worst in
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
since the
1919 Florida Keys hurricane The 1919 Florida Keys hurricane (also known as the 1919 Key West hurricane) was a massive and damaging tropical cyclone that swept across areas of the northern Caribbean Sea and the United States Gulf Coast in September 1919. Remaining ...
. Throughout the state, 1,200 homes were severely damaged or destroyed, while 40 businesses were demolished and 237 suffered impact. Throughout Florida, there were three fatalities and approximately $12 million (1948  USD) in damage, over half of which was inflicted on crops. The storm rapidly weakened while crossing the state and emerged into the
Atlantic Ocean The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...
as only a Category 1 hurricane later on September 22. Slight fluctuations in intensity occurred before the hurricane became extratropical early on September 24, while located northwest of
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 ...
.


Meteorological history

A
tropical wave A tropical wave (also called easterly wave, tropical easterly wave, and African easterly wave), in and around the Atlantic Ocean, is a type of atmospheric trough, an elongated area of relatively low air pressure, oriented north to south, which ...
– an elongated
trough Trough may refer to: In science * Trough (geology), a long depression less steep than a trench * Trough (meteorology), an elongated region of low atmospheric pressure * Trough (physics), the lowest point on a wave * Trough level (medicine), the l ...
of low pressure – was detected moving through the
Leeward Islands french: Îles-Sous-le-Vent , image_name = , image_caption = ''Political'' Leeward Islands. Clockwise: Antigua and Barbuda, Guadeloupe, Saint kitts and Nevis. , image_alt = , locator_map = , location = Caribbean SeaNorth Atlantic Ocean , coor ...
on September 14. The system acquired a circulation while situated between Grand Cayman and
Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...
on September 18. Thus, a tropical storm developed at 06:00  UTC. With initial sustained winds of 45 mph (75 km/h), the storm quickly intensified while heading westward, and became a Category 1 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale early on September 19 while passing near Grand Cayman,
Cayman Islands The Cayman Islands () is a self-governing British Overseas Territory—the largest by population in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac and Little Cayman, which are located to the ...
. Later that day, the storm strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane and then a Category 3 hurricane only six hours after. The hurricane turned northward on September 20 and made landfall on the
Zapata Peninsula Zapata Peninsula ( es, Península de Zapata) is a large peninsula in Matanzas Province, southern Cuba, at . Ciénaga de Zapata National Park is located on the peninsula. It is located south of Ensenada de la Broa, east of the gulf of Batabano an ...
of
Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...
with winds of 125 mph (205 km/h) at 22:00 UTC. With the storm continuing to move northward, it made another landfall in Cuba at 01:00 UTC the following day near Güines, Mayabeque Province. Emerging into the Straits of Florida early on September 21, the hurricane weakened somewhat to a minimal Category 3 hurricane while moving across Cuba. The hurricane restrengthened slightly on September 21, before making landfall near
Boca Chica Key Boca Chica Key is an island in the lower Florida Keys, about a mile () east of the island of Key West at its closest point. Its name is Spanish for "small mouth". It is mostly covered by salt marshes and mangrove trees, and is the home of the la ...
,
Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...
at 17:00 UTC, with sustained winds of 120 mph (195 km/h). Around that time, the storm's
eye Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
was only in diameter. However, it deepened further and became a Category 4 hurricane early on September 22. At 05:00 UTC, the system attained its peak intensity with a
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 ...
speed of 130 mph (215 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 . Simultaneously, it struck near
Chokoloskee, Florida Chokoloskee is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) located at the edge of the Ten Thousand Islands in Collier County, Florida, United States. The population was 359 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Naples–Marco ...
. Due to the storm's barometric pressure at the time, it was the most intense tropical cyclone landfall in Florida since the
1935 Labor Day hurricane The Great Labor Day Hurricane of 1935 was the most intense Atlantic hurricane to make landfall on record by pressure, with winds of up to 185 mph (297 km/h). The fourth tropical cyclone, third tropical storm, second hurricane, and se ...
. Several locations reported an "
eye Eyes are organs of the visual system. They provide living organisms with vision, the ability to receive and process visual detail, as well as enabling several photo response functions that are independent of vision. Eyes detect light and conv ...
", leading some meteorologists at the time to suggest that the storm had multiple circulations, though others theorized that dry air pockets existed between the
rainband A rainband is a cloud and precipitation structure associated with an area of rainfall which is significantly elongated. Rainbands can be stratiform or convective, and are generated by differences in temperature. When noted on weather radar ima ...
s. The hurricane rapidly weakened while moving northeastward across the state and was only a Category 1 hurricane upon emerging into the Atlantic Ocean near
Jensen Beach Jensen Beach is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Martin County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,652 at the 2020 census. It is part of the Port St. Lucie, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. Histo ...
late on September 22. Slight re-intensification occurred the following day, with the storm becoming a moderate Category 2 hurricane by 12:00 UTC. Nonetheless, it began losing tropical characteristics and transitioning 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 ...
early on September 24, while located about northwest of
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 ...
. The remnants accelerated to the east-northeastward and continued to weaken, before dissipating hundreds of miles east of
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 ...
on September 26.


Preparations and impact

Offshore Grand Cayman, the British steamer ''Lochmonar'', with 72 people aboard, encountered the hurricane on September 19. The ship ran aground in seas that were "as rough as hell". They were safely rescued by a
United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mult ...
tugboat on September 20. Strong winds were reported on Cuba, with sustained winds up to observed in
Havana Havana (; Spanish: ''La Habana'' ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of the La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center.
. Damage was particularly severe in that city and
Matanzas Matanzas (Cuban ) is the capital of the Cuban province of Matanzas. Known for its poets, culture, and Afro-Cuban folklore, it is located on the northern shore of the island of Cuba, on the Bay of Matanzas (Spanish ''Bahia de Matanzas''), east ...
. Almost 700 buildings were destroyed. Damage on the island totaled "several million dollars", with some sources reporting at least $2 million. There were ten deaths and at least 200 injuries in Cuba. In preparation for the storm, the
American Red Cross The American Red Cross (ARC), also known as the American National Red Cross, is a non-profit humanitarian organization that provides emergency assistance, disaster relief, and disaster preparedness education in the United States. It is the desi ...
opened 213 shelters, which were collectively occupied by 38,323 people. Officials prepared two trains at
Fort Pierce Fort Pierce is a city in and the county seat of St. Lucie County, Florida, United States. The city is part of the Treasure Coast region of Atlantic Coast Florida. It is also known as the Sunrise City, sister to San Francisco, California, the Suns ...
to evacuate residents living along Lake Okeechobee. Many residents in the area sought higher ground, but most refused to evacuate via the trains. Strong winds lashed Florida, with a sustained wind speed of observed at the Naval Air Station Key West, before the anemometer blew away. There, 30 commercial and private aircraft were destroyed. Winds de-roofed some homes and businesses nearby. Tides reached about above mean low water. The hurricane was considered the worst in
Key West Key West ( es, Cayo Hueso) is an island in the Straits of Florida, within the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it cons ...
since
1919 Events January * January 1 ** The Czechoslovak Legions occupy much of the self-proclaimed "free city" of Pressburg (now Bratislava), enforcing its incorporation into the new republic of Czechoslovakia. ** HMY ''Iolaire'' sinks off the c ...
. About of rain fell on the
Florida Keys The Florida Keys are a coral cay archipelago located off the southern coast of Florida, forming the southernmost part of the continental United States. They begin at the southeastern coast of the Florida peninsula, about south of Miami, and e ...
. In
Homestead Homestead may refer to: *Homestead (buildings), a farmhouse and its adjacent outbuildings; by extension, it can mean any small cluster of houses *Homestead (unit), a unit of measurement equal to 160 acres *Homestead principle, a legal concept th ...
, a tornado destroyed a farmhouse and overturned a truck. Two deaths occurred in Miami; a woman was electrocuted by a broken wire, while a man was presumably blown off a 5-story building. Tides in the city reached above mean low water, causing inundation of the bayfront and smashing large breakers and small crafts against the shore and piers. In the
neighborhood A neighbourhood (British English, Irish English, Australian English and Canadian English) or neighborhood (American English; see spelling differences) is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town, suburb or rural area, ...
of Coconut Grove, docking facilities, piers, and houseboats were severely damaged. Strong winds downed palm trees, which littered the streets of Lummus Park. The road to the Haulover Bridge in
Miami Beach Miami Beach is a coastal resort city in Miami-Dade County, Florida. It was incorporated on March 26, 1915. The municipality is located on natural and man-made barrier islands between the Atlantic Ocean and Biscayne Bay, the latter of which sep ...
was washed away. Additionally, heavy rainfall caused flooding, with of precipitation in some areas. Around Lake Okeechobee, an average of of rainfall was observed. Clewiston was inundated with of water, while LaBelle was submerged for several days. Pasture lands were flooded, drowning some cattle and prompting a massive evacuation of herds to higher ground. Widespread damage to crops, particularly citrus and tropical fruits, was also reported along east coast of Florida as far north as the Indian River. Throughout Florida, a total of 39 homes were destroyed, while 1,161 others were severely damaged. Further, 40 buildings were demolished and 237 suffered impact. Three deaths were reported in Florida. Additionally, there were 45 injuries requiring hospitalization. Overall, damage in the state totaled about $12 million, with $5 million inflicted to property, $6.5 million to crops, $300,000  to electrical services, and $200,000 to roadway infrastructure, including bridges.


See also

* List of Florida hurricanes *
Hurricane Charley Hurricane Charley was the first of four separate hurricanes to impact or strike Florida during 2004, along with Hurricane Frances, Frances, Hurricane Ivan, Ivan and Hurricane Jeanne, Jeanne, as well as one of the strongest hurricanes ever to ...
*
Hurricane Irene (1999) Hurricane Irene produced somewhat heavy damage across southern Florida in October 1999. The ninth named storm and the sixth hurricane of the season, Irene developed in the western Caribbean Sea on October 13 from a tropical wave. It moved north ...
*
Hurricane Ian Hurricane Ian was a large and destructive Category 4 Atlantic hurricane that was the deadliest hurricane to strike the state of Florida since the 1935 Labor Day hurricane. Ian caused widespread damage across western Cuba and the southeast Unit ...
- Made landfall at the same intensity.


Notes


References


External links


Monthly Weather Review
{{1948 Atlantic hurricane season buttons 1940s Atlantic hurricane seasons 1948 in Cuba 1948 in Florida
1948 Events January * January 1 ** The General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT) is inaugurated. ** The Constitution of New Jersey (later subject to amendment) goes into effect. ** The railways of Britain are nationalized, to form British ...
Hurricanes in Cuba Hurricanes in Florida 1948 natural disasters in the United States 1948 meteorology Florida hurricane Florida hurricane