1894 Greater Antilles hurricane
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The 1894 Greater Antilles hurricane, also known as the San Mateo storm in Puerto Rico and the Huracan de Sagua la Grande in Cuba,[1] caused significant impacts in Hispaniola, Cuba, and along the East Coast of the United States, especially in Florida. The fourth known tropical cyclone and second hurricane of the season, this system was first observed well east of the Lesser Antilles on September 18. Gradually intensifying as it headed west-northwestward, the cyclone became a hurricane on September 19 and a major hurricane on the next day while passing near Martinique. After entering the Caribbean Sea, the storm peaked with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) on September 21, but weakened to a Category 2 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale prior to making landfall in the Dominican Republic late on September 22. Although the system weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before reaching the Gulf of Gonâve, the cyclone briefly became a Category 2 hurricane again before striking Cuba near Santiago de Cuba on September 23.
Meteorological history | |
---|---|
Formed | September 18, 1894 |
Dissipated | October 1, 1894 |
Category 3 major hurricane | |
1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Highest winds | 120 mph (195 km/h) |
Lowest pressure | 975 mbar (hPa); 28.79 inHg |
Overall effects | |
Fatalities | 227 |
Damage | $4.09 million (1894 USD) |
Areas affected | Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, East Coast of the United States |
Part of the 1894 Atlantic hurricane season |
Moving west-northwestward along or near the south coast of Cuba, the hurricane turned northward over Matanzas Province on September 24 and briefly weakened to a tropical storm. The cyclone re-intensified into a hurricane as it emerged into the Straits of Florida on September 25 and then made two landfalls in Florida on that day, first on Key West and then near Punta Rassa. After turning north-northeastward and briefly weakening to a tropical storm again, the system re-attained hurricane status shortly before re-entering the Atlantic on September 26. The hurricane made another landfall near Port Royal, South Carolina, early on September 27. Thereafter, the cyclone curved north-northeastward and weakened to a tropical storm over far southeastern North Carolina early on September 28. Briefly re-emerging into the Atlantic, the cyclone made its final landfall near Atlantic Beach. After again emerging into the Atlantic, the storm became a hurricane on September 29. However, the cyclone weakened back to a tropical storm on September 30. The storm was last noted on October 1 east of New England.
The cyclone produced squalls and rough seas in the Lesser Antilles, leading to 10 deaths on Saint Kitts and 3 more fatalities on Antigua due to capsized vessels. Damage also occurred to agriculture, communications, trees, and roads in the region. Numerous structures on Hispaniola suffered some degree of damage, with 500 homes and 2 churches destroyed. In Cuba, flooding occurred across much of the island, especially in Sagua La Grande after the Sagua la Grande River overflowed, with floodwaters reaching 8 ft (2.4 m) above ground in a hotel. The storm destroyed roughly 70 homes and substantially damaged 200 others, rendering about 3,000 families homeless. Approximately 200 people died in Cuba as a result of the storm, while damage in the country totaled about $4 million. Rough seas capsized or destroyed several vessels offshore Florida, causing 14 deaths. Winds damaged a number of structures in the state, especially in Jacksonville and Tampa, while storm surge and abnormally high tides entered several buildings in St. Augustine. Damage throughout Florida totaled about $1 million. Adverse conditions produced by the storm caused some impacts farther north, primarily crop damage and coastal flooding, including more than $75,000 in damage in New York.