- 1915 Galveston Hurricane
Infobox Hurricane
name=1915 Galveston Hurricane
Type=hurricane
Year=1915
Basin=Atl
Image location=G-17713FF4.jpg
Galveston after the hurricane.
Formed=August 5, 1915
Dissipated=August 23, 1915
1-min winds=116
Pressure=940
Da
Inflated=0
Fatalities=400 direct
Areas=Leeward Islands ,Puerto Rico ,Haiti ,Cuba Texas ,Louisiana , parts of theSouth Central United States
Hurricane season=1915 Atlantic hurricane season The 1915 Galveston Hurricane was a deadly
hurricane that struckLeeward Islands ,Hispanola ,Cuba andTexas , in mid August of the1915 Atlantic hurricane season . StrikingGalveston, Texas , 15 years after the1900 Galveston Hurricane , its 21-ft (6.4-m) waves were slowed by the newGalveston Seawall but changed the beach structure: on August 17, the entire 300-ft (91.5–m) beach was eroded to become an offshore sandbar, later returning partially, but never the same. The 1915 storm caused a great deal of destruction in its path, leaving 275-400 people dead and $50 million dollars (1915 USD, $921 million 2005 USD) in damage.cite web
title=Upper Texas Coast Tropical Cyclones in the 1910s - 1915
author=NWS Houston/Galveston | publisher=NOAA
date=2007-01-30 | accessdate=2008-09-19
url=http://www.srh.noaa.gov/hgx/hurricanes/1910s.htm]Meteorological history
A Cape Verde type hurricane, the 1915 Hurricane was detected as a
tropical storm moving westward on August 5. Then it was officially observed on August 10 as a Category 1 hurricane. By that time, the storm was centered north ofBarbados . On August 11, the eye of the hurricane passed south of theVirgin Islands andPuetro Rico . A weather station in San Juan recorded a 29.60 inch (987 mbar) pressure reading and winds up to 60 mph (110 km/h). The hurricane continued to move westward between 18 and 20 mph (25-30 km/h) where it brushedHaiti and made landfall inJamaica . [http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/lib1/nhclib/mwreviews/1915.pdf 1915 Monthly Weather Review] ] A barometric pressure reading of 29.68 inch (983 mbar) was reported inJamaica . The 1915 hurricane then turned slightly west-northwest, brushingCuba as it went along. Unfazed by the landfall onJamaica , the hurricane was located near Isle of Pines, Cuba on August 14. On the 15th, the hurricane was in the centralGulf of Mexico still moving in a northeasterly direction. On August 16, the center of the storm was approaching the east coast ofTexas , where the storm reached a peak intensity of 135 mph (215 km/h).cite web
author=Hurricane Research Division
url=http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_19151920_new.html
title=HURDAT Meta-Data|publisher=NOAA|accessdate=2008-02-15] On the 17th, the hurricane made landfall southwest ofGalveston, Texas . Atmospheric pressure at landfall was at 27.76 inches (940 mbar) and 135 mph (215 km/h) winds. After leavingGalveston , the weakening storm took a turn to the northeast and passedHouston as a Category 1 hurricane before dropping totropical storm status later that day. On August 20, the dying storm passed overMissouri and theOhio Valley before finally becomingextratropical on August 23.Preparations
Forecasters began to issue advisories to weather stations in the
United States when the storm was detected on August 5. Forecasters then began to issue warnings toHaiti andCuba on August 11. Evacuation reports in both Cuba and Haiti, however, are unavailable. After the storm hitJamaica , forecasters predicted the storm might hit southern and western Cuba. Between August 12 and 13, forecasters began to issue tropical storm warnings to theFlorida Keys andMiami ,Florida ahead of the storm due to shipping interests.By August 13, the hurricane trekked westward as forecast. At 5 PM (EST), the tropical storm warnings were then changed to hurricane warnings which extended to theFlorida Panhandle . On the 14th, however, the hurricane did not recurve north and warnings forMiami and later theFlorida Keys were dropped, as the storm instead continued west-northwest. Because the 1915 hurricane was large (exact size unknown), forecasters began to issue tropical storm warnings from coastalLouisiana to the Florida Panhandle. In addition, warnings were issued inBrownsville, Texas . Since it was clear that the hurricane would make landfall inTexas , the warnings were changed for the entire Texas coastline. After the hurricane made landfall, officials continued to issue warnings until the storm dissipated on August 23.Impact
The 1915 Hurricane took a path similar to the
1900 Galveston Hurricane , but it affected a large area as it brought strong winds and heavy rains to theLeeward Islands ,Puerto Rico ,Hispaniola andCuba . When the hurricane made landfall inGalveston , it brought heavy rains and strong winds, leaving $921 million (2005 USD) in damage. However, unlike the1900 Galveston Hurricane , only 11 people were killed in the Galveston town area, due to theGalveston Seawall , built after the 1900 storm.Caribbean Sea
While crossing the
Caribbean Sea , the hurricane left moderate damage. InMartinique , the hurricane flooded docks and wrecked small boats, but damage overall was minimal. Damage in theLeeward Islands andPuetro Rico was also limited to small boats and docks. No monetary value is available. InJamaica andHaiti , there was serious crop damage but according to reports, there were no deaths.InCuba , however, the damage was severe, as the hurricane devastated the town ofCape San Antonio and destroyed a lighthouse and all of the weather equipment belonging theWeather Bureau (now calledNational Hurricane Center ). Offshore, the hurricane damaged or sank two schooners, but there was no loss of life. Because of lack of advanced reporting, the death toll in Cuba is unknown.Yucatán Channel and Gulf of Mexico
Although the hurricane did not make landfall in western
Cuba , theFlorida Keys orYucatán Peninsula , the outer rainbands of the storm still produced tropical storm force winds and scattered downpours. InKey West , gale-force winds were reported, but there were no reports of damage. Offshore, numerous ships and boats caught out in the hurricane limped home with moderate damage.In theYucatán Channel , however, the hurricane sank a U.S. steamer "Marowjine", bound fromBelize . Despite the fact that the ship was equipped with radios, the ship sank, drowning all 96 passengers and crew. In the northern Gulf of Mexico, a schooner sank several miles south ofMobile, Alabama : there were three fatalities. Several miles east, off the coast ofPensacola, Florida , there were two more fatalities when a fishing boat ran aground. In the centralGulf of Mexico , another schooner was lost, but the crewmen survived.In all, the hurricane left 101 people dead in theGulf of Mexico andYucatán Channel .Louisiana
The outerbands of the 1915 hurricane brought heavy rains and gale-force winds to
Louisiana . The damage in Louisiana was <$1 million (1915 USD), and it was limited to agriculture and marshes.There were no reports of fatalities or injuries.Texas
The 1915 Hurricane made landfall on the Texas coast as a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of 135 mph (215 km/h). The areas in
Texas hardest hit wereGalveston andHouston . InGalveston , the death toll was only eleven due to a recently built seawall. Elsewhere there were 111 fatalities (42 inGalveston Island and 62 offshore), and 102 others were reported missing and assumed dead. Total damage was $56 million (1915 USD). [http://www.stp.uh.edu/vol65/138/news/news4.html stp.un.edu] ]In
Galveston , the hurricane brought 120 mph (200 km/h) winds and tides 9-14 feet above normal and astorm surge of convert|16.2|ft|m. [ [http://www.met.tamu.edu/met/osc/tx/JulBull02.htm tamu.edu] ] Thestorm surge of the hurricane partly damaged the seawall protectingGalveston , which resulted in severe flooding. At 39th street, the 4-masted schooner "Crockett" was picked up by thestorm surge , dragging 2 anchors to snag the seawall, and the schooner was broken into pieces atop the seawall. However the seawall held up, preventing a repeat of the1900 Galveston Hurricane , but erosion behind damaged the pavement on top from 6th to 18th street. In addition, the hurricane completely washed out 300 ft (91.5 m) of beach up to the seawall, which became an offshore sandbar, but later returned partially, yet never the same.Elsewhere in the city, many businesses were flooded with 5-6 feet of water. In
Fort Crockett , the hurricane destroyed or damaged many of the dune-protected forts and military equipment leaving $1 million (1915 USD) in damage. In all, 250-300 homes outside the seawall were destroyed, and there were only a few deaths due to advanced warnings. In all, there was $6 million (1915 USD) in damage and eleven deaths in the city ofGalveston and 42 deaths elsewhere inGalveston Island .InHouston , the hurricane brought convert|80|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on winds and heavy rainfall that left $1 million (1915 USD) in damage, but there were no reports of fatalities or deaths in the city. The storm significantly damaged much of the cotton, corn and rice harvests.Rest of the United States
The dissipating remnants of the 1915 hurricane dumped heavy rains across the eastern
Midwest andOhio Valley states before fading out for good on August 23. The rains caused extensive flash flooding that left significant damage fromMissouri toNew York . Exact damage totals and reports of deaths or injuries are unknown.Aftermath
In Galveston, a series of fires broke out after the storm's passage, and relief aid was slow because the causeway that connected Galveston to mainland Texas was badly damaged. The cost of repairing the bridge was $500,000 dollars (1915 USD). The damage to the bridge and a key water main caused a significant water shortage that lasted until August 16. The damage to post offices and radio stations disrupted mail service and communication.
ee also
*
List of tropical cyclones
*List of Atlantic hurricanes
*Tropical cyclone References
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