Wikipedia

1874 Atlantic hurricane season

The 1874 Atlantic hurricane season was a relatively inactive one, in which seven tropical cyclones developed. Four storms intensified into hurricanes, but none attained major hurricane (Category 3+) status. However, in the absence of modern satellite and other remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so 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]

1874 Atlantic hurricane season
Season summary map
Seasonal boundaries
First system formedJuly 2, 1874
Last system dissipatedNovember 4, 1874
Strongest storm
NameSeven
 • Maximum winds100 mph (155 km/h)
(1-minute sustained)
Seasonal statistics
Total depressions7
Total storms7
Hurricanes4
Total fatalities1
Total damageUnknown
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1872, 1873, 1874, 1875, 1876

The first storm of the season developed on July 2, and the final storm was last sighted on November 4, while situated just to the north of the Bahamas. Most of the systems directly impacted land. A tropical storm that developed in the Bay of Campeche during the month of September destroyed the Brazos Santiago lighthouse.[2] in the state of Texas. The sixth storm of the season, and also the third hurricane, made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane before making a second landfall in South Carolina at the same intensity. The seventh, final, and strongest system of the season developed in the Caribbean on the last day of October, and made landfall in Jamaica as a Category 2 hurricane before weakening to a tropical storm by the time it made a second landfall in Eastern Cuba. The storm was last sighted to the north of the Bahamas on November 4, as a Category 1 hurricane.

Season summary

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The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) officially recognizes seven tropical cyclones from the 1874 season. Four storms attained hurricane status, with winds of 75 miles per hour (121 km/h) or greater. The seventh hurricane of the season was the most intense, with maximum sustained winds up to 100 mph (160 km/h). The first storm of the season was a tropical storm that formed in the Gulf of Mexico during the month of July. The system made landfall near Galveston, Texas on July 5, although it is unknown whether any damages or fatalities were caused as a result of the storm. The second and third systems of the season were both hurricanes, with winds up to 80 and 90 mph (130 and 140 km/h) respectively. The first system made landfall in Newfoundland as a tropical storm. In early September, another tropical system developed in the Bay of Campeche and made landfall in Northeast Mexico with winds up to 60 mph (97 km/h). The fifth storm of the season formed northeast of the Bahamas on September 8, and moved northward before turning to the north-northeast. It was last sighted to the south of Newfoundland on September 11. The next system developed in the western Caribbean on the last day of October, before crossing over the Yucatan Peninsula and making landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane. The storm briefly weakened to a tropical storm over the state before restrengthening into a hurricane off the coast of Georgia. It made a second landfall in South Carolina on September 28, and became extratropical on September 30, while moving across the northeast. This was the first hurricane to ever be shown on a weather map. The seventh, and final, hurricane of the season was also the most intense of the year. It developed several hundred miles north of Panama on the last day of October, before striking Jamaica as a Category 2 hurricane. It weakened to a tropical storm before making landfall in Eastern Cuba, but later strengthened into a hurricane again while north of the Bahamas, where it was last sighted on November 4.

Timeline

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Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale

Systems

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Tropical Storm One

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Tropical storm (SSHWS)
DurationJuly 2 – July 5
Peak intensity60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

Based on the Monthly Weather Review,[3]: 35  a tropical storm was first noted over the east-central Gulf of Mexico on July 2 about 200 mi (320 km) west-southwest of present-day Naples, Florida. Moving westward, the tropical storm steadily strengthened to reach a peak intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h) on July 3. The system later made landfall near Port O'Connor, Texas, on July 5, likely around the same intensity, and then rapidly dissipated shortly after moving inland that same day.[4]

In the vicinity of Indianola, Texas, the storm blew down fledgling settlements and sank ships, seriously hindering coastal trade.[5] Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth proposed the removal of this storm in a 2014 study, noting there was "No evidence in land-based reports or from ships".[6]

Hurricane Two

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Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
  
DurationAugust 3 – August 7
Peak intensity80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min);

Although the no observations of this system exist prior to August 5, a 1993 reanalysis by C. J. Neumann and others began the track of cyclone two days earlier, about 700 mi (1,125 km) northeast of the Lesser Antilles.[3]: 35  Slowly gaining strength, the system reached hurricane status and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) while located just northeast of the island of Bermuda on August 5,[4] based on a ship recording sustained winds of 81 mph (130 km/h).[7] Late on August 6, the storm turned northeastward as it approached Atlantic Canada. The system then weakened back to a tropical storm on August 7, and made landfall on Newfoundland the same day, with sustained winds up to 70 mph (110 km/h). It dissipated shortly afterwards.[4]

Chenoweth theorized that this system developed as a subtropical storm offshore the Mid-Atlantic and moved mostly northeastward. The storm transitioned into a tropical storm but failed to attain hurricane status prior to becoming extratropical late on August 6, almost 24 hours before reaching Newfoundland.[6]

Hurricane Three

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Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
  
DurationAugust 29 – September 7
Peak intensity90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min);
≤980 mbar (hPa)

The bark Colchaqua encountered this storm nearly 900 mi (1,450 km) west of the Capo Verde Islands on August 29, recording sustained winds of 46 mph (74 km/h).[7] Moving towards the west-northwest, the storm steadily gained strength, and reached hurricane strength early on September 2. The storm peaked its peak intensity of September 6 with sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 980 mbar (29 inHg),[4] the former recorded by the ship Swallow and the latter by the ship State of Virginia.[7] Moving just to the west of Bermuda, the cyclone began to turn more northerly, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone later on September 7. By the following day, the system made landfall in Newfoundland as an extratropical system.[4]

On Bermuda, the hurricane generated huge swells and strong winds, causing sea spray that defoliated plants across the territory.[8] Approximately 1 in (25 mm) of rain fell in Halifax, Nova Scotia, during a 3.5 hour-period as a result of the storm.[3]: 37  The 2014 reanalysis study by Chenoweth concludes that this storm formed on September 2 and intensified more than HURDAT suggests, peaking as a strong Category 2 hurricane.[6]

Tropical Storm Four

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Tropical storm (SSHWS)
DurationSeptember 2 – September 7
Peak intensity60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

On September 2, a tropical storm developed in the Bay of Campeche. Moving generally towards the west-northwest, the storm reached a peak intensity of 60 mph (95 km/h) on September 4, while approaching northeastern Mexico. Shortly thereafter, the cyclone made landfall in northern Tamaulipas and weakened into a tropical depression on September 5, several hours after crossing into Texas. Moving northward through the state, the storm dissipated on September 7, while located to the southwest of the Dallas–Fort Worth area.[4] Chenoweth argued that this system developed as a tropical depression near the central Gulf of Mexico on September 1 and became much more intense, reaching Category 3 intensity on September 5. The system struck south Texas later that day.[6]

In Mexico, the storm demolished some homes and all huts along the coast in Bagdad. Telegraph wires in the town were also almost completely destroyed. Farther inland, towns in Nuevo León reported flooding, with several bridges swept away in the vicinity of Cerralvo.[9] The system generated rough seas along the coast of Texas, especially in Corpus Christi. Waves destroyed bathhouses and wharves and beached several schooners, some of which collided with homes and trees. Abnormally high tides also destroyed salt lakes on Padre Island, ending a salt boom. The storm was responsible for destroying the Brazos Santiago lighthouse and causing one fatality.[2]

Tropical Storm Five

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Tropical storm (SSHWS)
  
DurationSeptember 8 – September 11
Peak intensity60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

Based on a combination of the tracks created by Ivan Ray Tannehill in 1938 and a reanalysis led by C. J. Neumann in 1993,[3]: 39  HURDAT begins the path of a tropical storm about 275 mi (445 km) north of Turks and Caicos Islands on September 8. Moving towards the west-northwest, the system is estimated to maintained sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) as it passed between North Carolina and Bermuda. Turning towards the northeast, it was last observed to the south of Newfoundland on September 11.[4] Chenoweth also argued for the removal of this cyclone from HURDAT, noting there was "No evidence in land-based reports or from ships".[6] A ship known as Titan recorded sustained winds of September 12.[7] However, it could not be determined if the Titan actually encountered the storm, given that the location was not logged.[3]: 40 

Hurricane Six

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Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
DurationSeptember 25 – September 30
Peak intensity90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min);
981 mbar (hPa)

On September 25, a tropical storm was first noted in the western Caribbean, north of Honduras. Upon striking the Yucatán Peninsula shortly afterwards, the storm briefly weakened into a tropical depression. However, when the system emerged into the Gulf of Mexico, it attained tropical storm status once again. Steadily gaining strength, the cyclone reached hurricane status on September 28, after reports from the ship Emma D. Finney indicated such.[10] Moving north-northeastward, the storm made landfall near Cedar Key, Florida several hours later, with an estimated minimum central pressure of 981 mbar (29.0 inHg). The system briefly fell to tropical storm status over the state, but strengthened into a hurricane again after exiting near Jacksonville and crossing the Gulf Stream. It hit South Carolina as a hurricane that same day, with the center passing just east of Charleston and west of Wilmington.[11]: 13  The storm lost hurricane status again over eastern North Carolina. Thereafter, the system crossed the northeastern United States, becoming extratropical on September 30 over Maine. On October 1, it dissipated over eastern Canada.[4]

Few reports of damage in Florida exist.[12]: 68  Jacksonville observed sustained winds of 48 mph (77 km/h). Stronger winds impacted coastal Georgia, with a sustained wind speed of 68 mph (109 km/h) at the Tybee Island Lighthouse. Tides generated by the storm inundated portions of the island with up to 3 ft (0.91 m) of water.[13] Heavy rainfall in the Savannah area raised the height of the river to its highest height in 20 years and flooded many rice plantations, causing about $100,000 in damage.[14] Coastal flooding also occurred in South Carolina, including in Charleston, where parts of The Battery were swept away.[15] In North Carolina, Virginia, and several other states to the north, there were reports of trees being brought down, and shipping disrupted. At Smithville (present-day Southport) several houses, warehouses, telegraph lines and railroad bridges were destroyed. Additionally, about 33% of rice crops along the Cape Fear River were damaged.[11]: 13  This was also the first hurricane ever to be recorded on a weather map by the U.S. Weather Bureau.[16] The reanalysis study authored by Chenoweth proposed few changes to this system compared to HURDAT, other than some small eastward and westward along different sections of the track and a slightly earlier extratropical transition.[6]

Hurricane Seven

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Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS)
  
DurationOctober 31 – November 4
Peak intensity105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min);

The track for this storm begins about 290 mi (465 km) northwest of Barranquilla, Colombia, on October 31,[4] one day before Jamaica first observed sustained hurricane-force winds.[7] Moving towards the east-northeast, the storm attained hurricane status on November 1, while situated just south of Jamaica. Upon making landfall in the island nation near Rocky Pointon November 2, the storm strengthened into a Category 2 hurricane with 105 mph (165 km/h) winds. After crossing Jamaica, the system weakened into a Category 1 hurricane and then further into a tropical storm prior to making landfall in eastern Cuba late on November 2. The system emerged in the Bahamas on the next day, and strengthened into a hurricane once again early on November 4. Several hours later, the hurricane was last sighted to the northeast of the Bahamas.[4]

On Jamaica, Kingston reported sustained winds of 81 mph (130 km/h).[7] According to a telegraph from the city, the hurricane wrecked or destroyed 17 vessels.[3] Heavy rains led to landslides and floods that swept away some bridges and animals, while winds damaged crops, toppled many trees,[17] and severely damaged or destroyed a number of homes.[18] At least five deaths occurred and damage in the Kingston area alone reached $75,000.[19] Chenoweth's study begins the track of this storm to the southeast of Jamaica. The storm instead moves northwestward across the island and then curved north-northeastward thereafter, striking Cuba north of Manzanillo. Thereafter, the cyclone treks slightly farther west over the Bahamas.[6]

Other storms

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Chenoweth proposed two other storms not currently listed in HURDAT:[6]

  • August 23 - August 30, peaked as a Category 1 hurricane
  • September 14 - September 16, peaked as a tropical storm

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Landsea, C. W. (2004). "The Atlantic hurricane database re-analysis project: Documentation for the 1851–1910 alterations and additions to the HURDAT database". In Murname, R. J.; Liu, K.-B. (eds.). Hurricanes and Typhoons: Past, Present and Future. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 177–221. ISBN 0-231-12388-4.
  2. ^ a b Roth, David M. (February 4, 2010). Texas Hurricane History (PDF) (Report). National Weather Service Camp Springs, Maryland. Retrieved February 19, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f Fernández-Partagás, José; Diaz, Henry F. (1995). "Year 1874". A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources: 1851-1880 Part II: 1871-1880 (PDF). Climate Diagnostics Center (Report). Boulder, Colorado: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 24, 2024.{{cite report}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved November 18, 2024.   This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  5. ^ Longshore, David (2008). Encyclopedia of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones. New York City, New York: Infobase Publishing. p. 388. ISBN 978-0-8160-6295-9. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h Chenoweth, Michael (December 2014). "A New Compilation of North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1851–98". Journal of Climate. 27 (12). American Meteorological Society: 8674–8685. Bibcode:2014JCli...27.8674C. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00771.1.
  7. ^ a b c d e f "Center fix data: 1871-1880". National Hurricane Center, Hurricane Research Division. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  8. ^ Hurricanes - General Information for Bermuda (PDF) (Report). Bermuda Weather Service. August 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  9. ^ Escobar Ohmstede, Antonio (August 1, 2004). Desastres agrícolas en México: catálogo histórico (Volumen 2) (in Spanish). Centro de Investigación y Estudios Superiores en Antropología Social. pp. 113–115. ISBN 9681671880.
  10. ^ Landsea, Christopher W.; et al. (2018). Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved December 18, 2023.
  11. ^ a b Hudgins, James E. (2000). Tropical cyclones affecting North Carolina since 1586-An Historical Perspective (Report). National Weather Service Blacksburg, Virginia. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  12. ^ Barnes, Jay (1998). Florida's Hurricane History (1st ed.). Chapel Hill, North Carolina: UNC Press. ISBN 0-8078-2443-7. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^ Sandrik, Al; Landsea, Christopher W. (2003). Chronological Listing of Tropical Cyclones affecting North Florida and Coastal Georgia 1565–1899 (Report). National Weather Service Jacksonville, Florida. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  14. ^ "Rice Plantations Flooded". Harrisburg Daily Telegraph. September 29, 1874. p. 1. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  15. ^ "Destructive Storm at Charleston". Harrisburg Daily Telegraph. September 29, 1874. p. 1. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  16. ^ Roth, David M.; Cobb, Hugh (July 16, 2001). "Late Nineteenth Century Virginia Hurricanes". Virginia Hurricane History. Weather Prediction Center (Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved September 24, 2024.
  17. ^ "Terrific Storm in Jamaica". Portland Daily Press. November 16, 1874. p. 2. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  18. ^ "Destructive Hurricane in Jamaica". The Liverpool Mercury. November 30, 1874. p. 7. Retrieved September 25, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.  
  19. ^ "The Storm". The Gleaner. Kingston, Jamaica. November 3, 1874. p. 2. Retrieved September 24, 2024 – via NewspaperArchive.  
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