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The 1889 Atlantic hurricane season was a relatively quiet season, with nine tropical storms and six hurricanes and no major 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. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910 has been estimated.[1]
| 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 |
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Hurricane One
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | May 16 – May 21 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); |
Based on the Monthly Weather Review reporting a disturbance of "moderate intensity" to the north of the Lesser Antilles beginning on May 16,[2] the Atlantic hurricane database initiates the track for this system on that date about 190 mi (310 km) north of the British Virgin Islands. The cyclone strengthened slightly but remained a tropical storm for the next few days as it headed northwestward, until turning northeastward by May 20. Several hours later, the storm intensified into a hurricane and reached sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h),[3] based on the schooner Joseph W. Fish observing sustained winds of 58 mph (93 km/h) and another ship recording an unspecific hurricane-force sustained wind speed on the following day.[4] However, the system weakened to a tropical storm early on May 21 and soon transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about 270 mi (435 km) east of Nags Head, North Carolina.[3]
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
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | June 15 – June 20 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 75 mph (120 km/h) (1-min); |
Maritime observations indicated the presence of a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean as early as June 15.[2] Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone struck the Guanahacabibes Peninsula of Cuba several hours later, likely as a minimal hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h),[3] according to a study of wind damage conducted by historian Louis A. Pérez Jr. in 2000.[4] However, the hurricane weakened back to a tropical storm shortly after reaching the Gulf of Mexico on June 16. Gradually curving northeastward on June 17, the system made landfall near Cedar Key, Florida, with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) around 14:00 UTC. After emerging into the Atlantic from the First Coast on the following day, the system remained closely offshore Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina. The cyclone was last noted on June 20 about 115 mi (185 km) southwest of Sable Island, Nova Scotia.[3]
Hurricane Three
Land-based weather stations first reported this storm about 100 mi (160 km) south of the Dominican Republic on August 19.[2][3] Several hours later, the cyclone made landfall in the country near Baní with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h).[3] Santo Domingo observed a barometric pressure of 996 mbar (29.4 inHg). Due to moving across rugged terrain, the system likely weakened to a tropical depression, but re-intensified into a tropical storm after emerging into the Atlantic near on August 20. The storm then passed through the southeastern Bahamas and Turks and Caicos Islands early the next day while moving northwestward. By August 24, the cyclone curved northeastward while well offshore the East Coast of the United States.[3] Based on the Monthly Weather Review noting that various ships recorded hurricane-force winds, the system intensified into a hurricane on August 26 and peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Turning northward, the hurricane began weakening on August 28, falling to tropical storm intensity before being last noted approximately 160 mi (260 km) east-southeast of Atlantic City, New Jersey.[3]
On August 19, Hurricane Three formed to the southwest of Haiti, impacting the Caribbean with heavy rain and a five foot storm surge. The remnants passed over New York and Maine, dropping rainfall on the area.[citation needed] Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth could not confirm the existence of this cyclone, citing "unreliable" reports from the Dominican Republic "and absence of evidence from daily weather map series".[5]
Hurricane Four
Hurricane San Martín of 1889
A tropical storm was first reported about 300 mi (485 km) east-southeast of Barbados on September 1. Moving northwestward, the cyclone strengthened into a hurricane on the next day, shortly before striking Guadeloupe. The storm intensified into a Category 2 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale over the Anegada Passage on September 3,[3] based on Saint Thomas observing a barometric pressure of 981 mbar (29.0 inHg).[2][4] Shortly thereafter, the cyclone crossed over the Virgin Islands and re-emerged into the Atlantic. Beginning on September 5, the storm switched course a few times, before resuming its original northwestward motion by September 7. As the cyclone approached the Northeastern United States, it slowly weakened, falling to tropical storm intensity by September 11. The system then turned southwestward and was last noted late the next day about 80 mi (130 km) east-northeast of Virginia Beach, Virginia.[3]
Winds of 48 mph were measured on Puerto Rico. 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
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 2 – September 11 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); |
Meteorologist Charles J. Mitchell noted in 1924 that this system was first observed about halfway between the Cabo Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles on September 2. 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 cyclones became a Category 1 hurricane as it gradually began curving northeastward on September 7,[3] based on the Monthly Weather Review noting that ships reported a disturbance of "great violence".[2][4] By September 8, the storm turned eastward and then to the northeast on September 10. Weakening to a tropical storm on September 11, the cyclone passed through the Azores and was last noted several hours later.[3]
Five caused the deaths of four people on a ship on September 8.[citation needed]
Hurricane Six
Guadeloupe observed stormy conditions on September 12.[2]: 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,[3] based on conditions reported by the steamer Mascotte.[2]: 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.[3] 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).[3][4] 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.[3]
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.[6] 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.[2]: 34 Several communities across the northern portion of the state reported some damaged homes and downed trees.[2]: 35 Several locations across Georgia observed at least 1 in (25 mm) of rain, including 1.93 in (49 mm) in Smithville.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9]
Tropical Storm Seven
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 12 – September 19 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min); |
The 1924 report from Mitchell noted that this storm was first observed near the Cabo Verde Islands on September 12.[2]: 37 Initially moving northwestward, the storm curved north-northwestward two days later, but then resumed a northwestward course by September 16. The cyclone is estimated to have peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). By September 18, the system turned north-northeastward and was last noted on the following day about 290 mi (465 km) southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.[3]
Tropical Storm Eight
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) | |
 | |
| Duration | September 29 – October 6 |
|---|---|
| Peak intensity | 70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min); |
As meteorologist Ivan Ray Tannehill in 1938 documented this storm as far back as September 29,[2]: 37 the official Atlantic hurricane database initiates the track on that date about 425 mi (685 km) northeast of Paramaribo, Suriname. Moving northeastward, the storm struck Dominica late on October 1 with winds estimated at 50 mph (85 km/h). The storm passed through the British Virgin Islands on the following day. After re-emerging into the Atlantic, the system curved north-northwestward on October 3 and then northeastward on October 4. As the cyclone neared Bermuda on October 5, it nearly became a hurricane, peaking with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). On October 6, the storm was last noted approximately 270 mi (435 km) southeast of Sable Island, Nova Scotia.[3]
Tropical Storm Nine
Although reports suggest the presence of a tropical depression over the northwestern Caribbean starting on October 4, the official track begins on the following day, when the existence of a closed circulation could be confirmed.[4] Moving quickly northeastward, the depression struck the Zapata Swamp of Cuba and entered the Straits of Florida less than six hours later. Intensifying into a tropical storm late on October 5, the cyclone made landfall near Marathon, Florida, around 23:00 UTC. A second landfall occurred in Florida around 01:00 UTC the next day near Flamingo, about five hours before the storm emerged into the Atlantic near Stuart.[3] Because ships recorded barometric pressure as low as 1,002 mbar (29.6 inHg) on October 7,[2]: 38 the storm is estimated to have peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone later that day, just prior to striking near Northwest Cove, Nova Scotia. After crossing Nova Scotia, the extratropical remnants turned northward over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence, crossing far eastern Canada before dissipating over the Labrador Sea on October 11.[3]
Chenoweth also proposed the removal of this storm from HURDAT, finding "No evidence in land-based reports or from ships".[5]
Other storms
Chenoweth proposed four other storms not currently listed in HURDAT:[5]
- August 8 to August 9, peaked as a tropical storm
- September 8 to September 11, peaked as a tropical storm
- October 8 to October 16, peaked as a tropical storm
- October 15 to October 20, peaked as a tropical storm
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