The '1893 Atlantic hurricane season' officially began on
June 1,
1893, and lasted until
November 30,
1893. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most
tropical cyclones form in the
Atlantic basin.
The 1893 season was fairly active, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became
hurricanes. Of those, 5 became major hurricanes. This season proved to be a very deadly season, with two different hurricanes causing over two thousand (2000) deaths in the United States.
Storms
Hurricane One
The season began early with its first storm forming on
June 12 in the
Bay of Campeche. The storm moved northeastward throughout its life, and hit the
Florida Panhandle on
June 16 as a strong
tropical storm. After weakening over the Southeast United States, the storm emerged over the
Atlantic Ocean near
Norfolk, Virginia. After briefly strengthening to a hurricane, the storm succumbed to cold water and shear and became extratropical on
June 20.
Hurricane Two
July continued the season's activity, with a tropical storm forming in the western
Caribbean Sea north of
Panama on
July 4. The storm intensified to an
95 mph (153 km/h) hurricane before hitting the northeast coast of
Honduras. It mainly retained its strength until it hit the northeastern coast of
Belize on July 6. Afterwards, it rapidly weakened over the
Yucatán Peninsula and dissipated on July 7.
Hurricane Three
The '3rd storm' of the season formed in the Southern Atlantic Ocean on August 13. It steadily strengthened to a hurricane while moving over the
Leeward Islands. While approaching
Puerto Rico on the 16th, its winds increased to major hurricane status, but they soon dropped, with the storm regaining major hurricane status eventually. This hurricane was one of four active hurricanes on
August 22, an event only repeated by the
1998 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane Four
The '4th storm' of the season began its life in the Central Tropical Atlantic on
August 15. The storm moved west-northwestward for the first week of its life, while strengthening on the way. As it reached Category 3 strength, it moved more northwestward. Cooler waters weakened the storm, but it managed to hit
New York City directly as an
85 mph (137 km/h) hurricane. This storm was one of four active hurricanes on August 22.
Hurricane Five
The '5th storm' of the season started east of
Bermuda on August 15. After moving northwestward for a day, it moved northeastward and strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane. The storm hit the Burin Peninsula of
Newfoundland on the 18th as an
90 mph (145 km/h) hurricane, and dissipated the day after.
Sea Islands Hurricane
The '6th storm' of the season, known as the
1893 Sea Islands Hurricane, formed near
Cape Verde on August 15. The storm moved generally westward for the first 11 days of its life, during which it strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane. As it approached the Bahamas, it moved more northwestward, paralleling the coast of
Florida. The storm hit near
Savannah, Georgia and was responsible for the deaths of 2000 people. It moved northeastward, and underwent
extratropical transition on the 31st. This hurricane was one of four active hurricanes on August 22.
Hurricane Seven
The '7th storm' of the season started near the
Cape Verde islands on August 20. It moved northwestward, reaching Category 2 hurricane strength on the 23rd. The hurricane maintained its strength until the 28th, when cooler waters led the storm to
extratropical transition. This storm was one of four active hurricanes on August 22.
Hurricane Eight
The '8th storm' of the season formed in the western Caribbean Sea on September 4. After hitting the Yucatán Peninsula, it strengthened in the
Gulf of Mexico to a
95 mph (153 km/h) hurricane. It hit the southern coast of
Louisiana on September 7, and dissipated over northeastern
Alabama.
Hurricane Nine
The '9th storm' of the season formed southwest of
Cape Verde on
September 25. It moved westward for the first 8 days of its life when it moved more northwestward. During this time it strengthened to a major hurricane, and it maintained its strength until landfall. As it bypassed the Bahamas, it moved more northward, and struck near
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on
October 13 with winds around
120 mph (190 km/h). It moved through
North Carolina and the
Appalachian Mountains, becoming extratropical on the 14th. It caused 28 deaths.
The hurricane had an estimated
Accumulated Cyclone Energy of 63.5, one of the highest of any historical
Atlantic hurricane.
Chenier Caminanda Hurricane
The '10th storm' of the season, known as the
Chenier Caminanda Hurricane began on
September 27 in the western Caribbean Sea. After hitting the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 2 hurricane, it moved through the Gulf of Mexico. As it approached the southeast coast of Louisiana, it rapidly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, and hit land on October 2. It moved through Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas before dissipating at sea. This storm was one of the first hurricanes to receive a category for strength like the modern Saffir-Simpson scale, being rated a Category 4. It killed 2000 people and caused around $5 million (1893 dollars) in damage.
Tropical Storm Eleven
The '11th storm' of the season started just south of the
Isle of Youth on October 20. After moving through
Cuba, it strengthened to a
60 mph (97 km/h) storm before it hit the
Delmarva Peninsula on the 23rd.
Tropical Storm Twelve
The '12th' and final storm of the season formed northeast of the Bahamas on November 5. The storm moved northwestward, almost hitting North Carolina as a strong tropical storm, but went out to sea, becoming extratropical on the 10th.
See also
★
List of notable tropical cyclones
★
List of Atlantic hurricane seasons
External links
★
Monthly Weather Review