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The 1822 Martinique–Venezuela hurricane was a unprecedented and deadly Atlantic hurricane that struck the Lesser Antilles and Venezuela during the month of December. It's the 2nd deadliest to affect South America, and one of the deadliest to occur during the off-season. It also holds the record for the latest landfall of a tropical cyclone in the Western Hemisphere, and broke many meteorological records for the month of December.
 Unofficial reconstruction of the hurricane's track, showcasing its path through the Caribbean. | |
| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | Unknown |
| Dissipated | December 22, 1822 |
| Category 1 hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | ≥75 mph (≥120 km/h) |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | ~105 |
| Injuries | Several |
| Damage | Unknown |
| Areas affected | Lesser Antilles (especially Martinique), Gran Colombia |
| [1][2][3][4] | |
Part of the 1822 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The storm likely originated from a extra-tropical low in the open Atlantic, some time in mid-December. It continued into the Lesser Antilles as a large hurricane, to then strike modern day Venezuela on the 22nd.[5] While two hurricanes - one in 1541 and another in 1954 - formed later in their respective seasons, their landfalls occurred in January the following year.[6]
Unofficially, it's the latest landfall for a hurricane in the Western Hemisphere by nearly a month. It also had one of the southernmost landfalls for a hurricane in the basin, second to the 1933 Trinidad hurricane.[note 1] Only 4 other hurricanes (1877, 1892, 1933, and 2004) have struck South America since the beginning of the 19th century.
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The hurricane of unknown origins was first noted near the Lesser Antilles on December 13, where winds began increasing on several islands.[7] The winds held steady until the 16th, where a "heavy gale" was experienced in Basse-terre.[8] On the 17th and 18th, the storm passed north of Barbados where winds peaked from the west. Gales also extended up to St. Thomas & Anguilla, and were considerably strong as far as St. Croix.[7][9] This suggest that the storm was unusually large in size; potentially the largest within the Caribbean Sea.
On the 16th, the wind shifted from west to west-northwest in Martinique. By the next day, it augmented progressively until the 19th where it peaked around sunset.[10] A landfall then occurred in or somewhere near St. Pierre that same day. Unfortunately, no barometric pressure readings from the island are known. However, the winds were reportedly almost as violent as the 1813 hurricane; a major hurricane that killed thousands in Dominica and Martinique.[10]
After passing through Martinique, the storm continued in a unusual southern trajectory. It then passed west of St. Lucia, where it "blew a complete hurricane" on the 20th.[11] In St. Vincent that same day, the winds shifted and blew from the southwest. Grenada also reported winds from the northwest, that shifted to and from the southwest.[11]
Later that day, the hurricane began to pick up forward speed towards the southwest. It then continued in that general direction until its landfall in slightly west of La Guaira, Venezuela.[7][12] It was last noted over Venezuela on the December 22.[13][note 2]
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The weather from the 16th to the 20th had a most alarming appearance, being attended with all the indications of a hurricane, except the season of the year.
Grenada - January 11th [7]
Lesser Antilles
While passing through the Lesser Antilles, damage was reported on several islands. Both St. Thomas and St. Croix suffered shipping damage.[14] Dominica saw considerable impacts to the country, where buildings and other property was injured.[7][15]
In Barbados, the hurricane did great damage. Much of the shipping was lost and three people died. It also prevented communication via boat to neighboring ports in days before.[7][15]
Some of the most severe impacts were felt in Martinique. Comparisons were made to previous major hurricanes that struck in the decades prior. Of 40 ships in St. Pierre, only 8 survived. All but 1 was blown on shore, and 2 sailors were also killed.[10]
St. Lucia experienced strong winds and torrents of rain. No damage was done to the harbor, but a drogher was lost in one of the bays. The event was said to been unique and unprecedented.[11] In St. Vincent, the winds blew strongest after daylight in which 3 small vessels were driven ashore Kingstown. The oldest inhabitants also stated that they never recalled anything like it before.[11] Shipping was disturbed in Grenada, but no damage was reported.[7]
Venezuela
In Puerto Cabello, heavy rain began around 10 pm on December 20, and continued continuously until ~10 pm the next day.[12] The wind blew with violence from the northwest, but the port remained safe.[16]
In La Guaira, the impacts were devastating. Weather conditions began to deteriorate around 11 pm on the 20th, and blew from the north during the morning hours. Around this time, Captain Biddle of USS Congress managed to escape west of the port with the loss of their anchors, cables, and 4 men.[17] By 10 pm that day, every ship was lost; with the exception of USS Congress that escaped before landfall. The weather continued into morning of December 22, and much injury was done to the port. At least 28 ships,[18] and approximately 100 lives were lost.[12][19] Only Tropical Storm Bret in 1993 caused more fatalities in the country, over 170 years later.
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- List of South America hurricanes
- List of off-season Atlantic hurricanes
- Hurricane Alice (1954/1955) – A similar tracking hurricane that went through the Lesser Antilles.
- Tropical Storm Alma (1974) – A deadly tropical storm that also made a landfall, and passed over the same areas of Venezuela.
- 1892 Hurricane Seven – The most recent hurricane to strike Venezuela.
- Hurricane Otto – Another low latitude hurricane that made a landfall extremely late into the season.
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