1916 Texas Hurricane

infobox Hurricane
Name=1916 Texas Hurricane
Type=hurricane
Year=1916
Basin=Atl
Image location=1916-6.jpg


Formed=August 12, 1916
Dissipated=August 19, 1916
1-min winds=116
Pressure=932
Da

Inflated=0
Fatalities=24 direct
Areas=Martinique, Jamaica,Cuba, Texas
Hurricane season=1916 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1916 Texas Hurricane was a Category 4 hurricane that struck the southern Texas (the landfall was south of Corpus Christi, Texas) coast in mid August 1916. The hurricane was the fourth hurricane and third major hurricane of an active 1916 Atlantic hurricane season. Forming on August 12, the storm crossed the Leeward Islands and Caribbean Sea before hitting south Texas on August 18. The 1916 storm was the strongest hurricane to hit the Texas coast since the Galveston Hurricane of 1900, and the hurricane caused 24 fatalities and left millions of dollars in damage. [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at191604.asp 1916 Weather Underground Archive] URL Accessed:June 12,2006] National Weather Service [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/1916/1916.html Report on the 1916 Hurricane] URL Accessed:June 12,2006] The hurricane was also one of three hurricane to hit the Caribbean Island of Martinique during the 1916 season. [Don Stewart [http://www.caribbeancompass.com/hurri200fin.htm Hurricane Preparations] URL Accessed:July 11,2006]

Meteorological history

On August 12, a tropical storm formed east of the Leeward Islands and moved westward. At 1800 UTC, the storm rapidly reached hurricane strength before crossing over the Leeward Islands on the same day. On August 14, the hurricane then reached Category 2 strength as it moved west-northwest through the Caribbean sea. On the evening of August 15, the hurricane made landfall in Jamaica as a 105 mph (169 km/h) hurricane. Despite the landfall, however, the storm did not weaken as it winds strengthened to 110 mph (177 km/h). As the storm moved west-northwest, the storm reached Category 3 status as it passed over the Cayman Islands on August 16. As the storm approached the western tip of Cuba, it veered slightly southwestward and brushed the north tip of the Yucatán Peninsula, thus sparing western Cuba of a direct landfall. The hurricane made landfall on August 19 south of Corpus Christi, Texas as a Category 4 hurricane.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] After making landfall, the hurricane quickly weakened to a tropical storm and later to a tropical depression before dissipating. [http://www.wunderground.com/hurricane/at191604.asp 1916 Weather Underground Archive] ]

Preparations

At 7 am (CST), local weather officials issued hurricane warnings to coastal sections. Telegraphs of the warnings were then sent out to Cameron and Calhoun counties. Over 100 vehicles were used to transport residents to storm shelters. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/1916/1916.html Report of the 1916 Hurricane] ]

Impact

The Island of Martinique was brushed by the hurricane. [Hurricane City [http://www.hurricanecity.com/city/martinique.htm Martinique Data Base] URL Accessed:July 11, 2006] In Jamaica, the hurricane left 17 people dead and 25-27 million dollars (1916 USD) in damage. [Caribbean Genealogy Research [http://www.candoo.com/genresources/hurricane.htm Caribbean Hurricane History] URL Accessed:July 11,2006]

In Texas, tropical storm force winds of 64-70 mph were felt as the hurricane neared land. A gust of convert|90|mi/h|km/h|abbr=on was reported at 6:50 pm (CST) as the hurricane made landfall. Rainfall totals from the hurricane was estimated at 1.58 inches (25.4 mm). The hurricane damaged some of the measuring equipment at the National Weather Service office. Offshore, a fishing boat sank, drowning two of its occupants. On land, five people perished during the storm, two from a house collapsing. In Corpus Christi, the hurricane destroyed several wharfs and salt cedars. In Fort Brown, the flooding from the hurricane forced United States Army solders and National Guardsmen to seek refuge in city hall after their barracks were flooded. [cite web|author=New York Times|year=1916|title=HURRICANE SWAMPS CAMPS ON BORDER|accessdate=2007-04-05|url=http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F20E13F8355B17738DDDA00994D0405B868DF1D3] The storm left $1.6 million dollars (1916 USD) in damage in Texas. [http://www.srh.noaa.gov/crp/docs/research/hurrhistory/1916/1916.html Report on the 1916 Hurricane] ] In all the hurricane left $28.6 million dollars (1916 USD, $521.7 million (2005 USD) and 24 people dead.

ee also

*Tropical cyclone

References