1889 Atlantic hurricane season
| 1889 Atlantic hurricane season | |
|---|---|
 Season summary map | |
| Seasonal boundaries | |
| First system formed | May 16, 1889 |
| Last system dissipated | October 7, 1889 |
| Strongest storm | |
| Name | Six |
| • Maximum winds | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-minute sustained) |
| Seasonal statistics | |
| Total storms | 9 |
| Hurricanes | 6 |
| Major hurricanes (Cat. 3+) | 0 |
| Total fatalities | 40 |
| Total damage | Unknown |
 |
The 1889 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1889. In the 1889 Atlantic season there were nine tropical storms and six hurricanes. However, due to scarce technology and the fact that only storms that affected populated land or ships were recorded, the actual total could be higher.[citation needed]
Timeline[edit]
Systems[edit]
Hurricane One[edit]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | May 16 – May 21 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); |
A tropical storm formed on May 16, north of the British Virgin Islands. It strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane, over 400 miles from the coast of Georgia, on May 20. It reached a maximum wind speed of 80 mph/130 km/h that evening then curved away from the mainland and dissipated on May 21. This hurricane did not affect land, but was the first May hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin, and remains one of only four such systems known today.[citation needed]
Hurricane Two[edit]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | June 15 – June 20 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min); |
A tropical storm formed near Cuba on June 15. Later that day it grazed western Cuba as a minimal hurricane, with a maximum wind speed of 75 mph/120 km/h. The storm weakened and made landfall in Florida as a tropical storm on June 17. It then paralleled the Georgia and North and South Carolina coasts before dissipating on June 20 in the open Atlantic.[citation needed]
Hurricane Three[edit]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | August 19 – August 28 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); ≤996 mbar (hPa) |
On August 19, Hurricane Three formed to the southwest of Haiti, impacting the Caribbean with heavy rain and a five foot storm surge. Three then moved away from the south by a high pressure system and strengthened to a category 1 hurricane to the east of Virginia. The storm took a course 70 miles away from New England and dissipated on August 28. The remnants passed over New York and Maine, dropping rainfall on the area.[citation needed]
Hurricane Four[edit]
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 1 – September 12 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min); ≤981 mbar (hPa) |
Hurricane San Martín of 1889
A hurricane formed on September 1 east of Barbados. It moved northwestward, becoming a 100 mph storm while crossing near Puerto Rico on September 3-4th. Winds of 48 mph were measured on the island. From September 9 to the 12th it caused flooding and storm surge to the mid Atlantic as it stalled off the coast, causing 40 deaths.[citation needed]
Hurricane Five[edit]
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 2 – September 11 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); |
A tropical storm formed on September 2 in the mid-Atlantic. The storm travelled to the northwest and increased in strength, reaching wind speeds of 60 mph/ 95 km/h by September 4. The storm continued at that intensity on the same track for a further two days. The storm became a category 1 hurricane on September 7 and began curving eastward. Five caused the deaths of four people on a ship on September 8. The storm continued as a hurricane travelling over open ocean until September 10 and dissipated the following day. Hurricane five reached its maximum intensity over the north Atlantic at 70 knots.[citation needed]
Hurricane Six[edit]
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 12 – September 25 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min); 982 mbar (hPa) |
Guadeloupe observed stormy conditions on September 12.[1]: 33 Consequently, the track for this system begins just east of the Leeward Islands that day. After passing between Guadeloupe and Dominica later on September 12, the cyclone moved west-northwestward to westward across the Caribbean. By September 17, the storm intensified into a hurricane over the northwestward Caribbean,[2] based on conditions reported by the steamer Mascotte.[1]: 33 The system strengthened further, likely to a strong Category 2 hurricane prior to making landfall in Mexico near Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, several hours later. Late on September 18, the storm emerged into the Gulf of Mexico near Campeche after weakening to a tropical storm. However, the cyclone quickly re-gained hurricane status and curved northward on September 19.[2] The hurricane turned northeastward by September 22 and then made landfall near Buras, Louisiana, as a Category 1 hurricane with a barometric pressure of 982 mbar (29.0 inHg).[2][3] Later on September 23, the system struck near Gulf Shores, Alabama, likely as a strong tropical storm. After crossing the Southeastern United States, the storm emerged into the Atlantic from the Delmarva Peninsula early on September 25 and crossed far eastern Massachusetts before becoming extratropical over the Gulf of Maine.[2]
In Mexico, the states of Campeche and Tabasco reported a few days of heavy rains, overflowing rivers, causing mudslides, and destroying some homes. Additionally, strong winds toppled trees and damaged crops, especially bananas and corn.[4] Many of these trees fell onto dwellings, demolishing more than 100 and destroying some 250 others in Carmen. Although the storm remained far south of Florida as it headed towards the Yucatán Peninsula, a few locations observed tropical storm-force wind gusts, including up to 60 mph (95 km/h) at Key West.[1]: 34 Several communities across the northern portion of the state reported some damaged homes and downed trees.[1]: 35 Several locations across Georgia observed at least 1 in (25 mm) of rain, including 1.93 in (49 mm) in Smithville.[5] Although the storm crossed the interior portions of North Carolina, wind gusts reached as high as 70 mph (110 km/h) along the coast, likely at Frying Pan Shoals.[6] Some wind damage was reported over the western part of the state, mainly downed telegraph wires in Asheville and a hotel partially deroofed in Swannanoa.[7]
Tropical Storm Seven[edit]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 12 – September 19 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min); |
This storm formed near the Cape Verde islands and wiggled its way to the open Atlantic where the cold water and wind shear made the storm dissipate on September 19. This system had winds of 50 knots.[citation needed]
Tropical Storm Eight[edit]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 29 – October 6 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min); |
This storm never touched land and took a sharp turn from land and dissipated on October 6. The system was a borderline hurricane at 60 knots.[citation needed]
Tropical Storm Nine[edit]
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | October 5 – October 7 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min); ≤1002 mbar (hPa) |
A tropical storm formed south of Cuba on October 5 and then made landfall in both Cuba and Florida. It transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 7 just before making landfall in Nova Scotia.[citation needed]
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d Fernández-Partagás, José; Diaz, Henry F. (1996). A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources: Year 1889 (PDF) (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ a b c d "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Landsea, Christopher W.; et al. (May 2015). Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT. Hurricane Research Division (Report). National Hurricane Center. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ Jefatura Política del Partido de Huimanguillo, Tabasco (.xlsx). Periódico Oficial Gobierno del Estado de Tabasco (Report) (in Spanish). Universidad de Colima. October 2, 1889. p. 1. Retrieved April 17, 2024.
- ^ "On the Storm's Edge". The Morning News. Savannah, Georgia. September 24, 1889. p. 8. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Hudgins, James E. (April 2000). Tropical cyclones affecting North Carolina since 1586: An historical perspective. National Weather Service (Report). Blacksburg, Virginia: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. p. 19. Retrieved April 21, 2024.
- ^ "Rather Quick Work". The Daily Citizen. September 25, 1889. p. 1. Retrieved April 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
