1893 New York hurricane
Encyclopedia
The 1893 New York hurricane was a powerful and destructive tropical cyclone
that struck the New York City
area in August 1893. First identified as a tropical storm on August 15, over the central Atlantic Ocean
, the hurricane moved northwestward for most of its course, ultimately peaking with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure reading of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.11 inHg). It turned due northward as it approached the U.S. East Coast and struck western Long Island
on August 24. It moved inland and quickly deteriorated, degenerating the next day.
The storm inflicted severe damage with storm tides as high as 30 ft (9.1 m). Trees were brought down, houses were demolished, and Hog Island
was largely washed away by the cyclone. Several areas suffered extensive effects from the hurricane, and at least 34 sailors lost their lives. The storm is regarded as one of the most severe hurricanes to strike the city.
on August 15, 1893. It steadily intensified as it tracked generally towards the west and attained hurricane force. Gradually curving northwestward, the storm continued to gain power and, on August 18, it achieved wind speeds corresponding to Category 2 intensity on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
. This scale was devised in 1971 to categorize tropical cyclones based on their maximum sustained winds. The storm is estimated to have maintained winds of approximately 100 mph (155 km/h) for several days as it passed well to the north of the Lesser Antilles
. As the hurricane turned more northerly still, approaching the United States
, it strengthened to major hurricane intensity, Category 3, on August 22. At this point, it peaked in intensity with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). The lowest known barometric pressure in relation to the storm was 952 mbar (hPa; 28.11 inHg).
Less than a day later, the storm deteriorated to Category 2 strength. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina experienced the hurricane on the morning of August 23 while its center passed less than 100 mi (160.9 km) offshore. Heading nearly due northward, the cyclone skimmed the New Jersey
coastline, passing just east of Atlantic City
, and weakened further to Category 1 status. On August 23 the storm was one of four hurricanes occurring simultaneously within the Atlantic Ocean. On August 24 the storm moved ashore on western Long Island
, in the New York City
area. At 1200 UTC that day, while centered just inland, its maximum winds were estimated to have been 85 mph (140 km/h). It progressed northward through New England
, quickly growing weaker. It was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm before becoming extratropical
. It dissipated fully on August 25, near the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River
.
on August 25 as "a mighty war of winds and a great tumbling of chimneys". A 30 ft (9.1 m) storm surge
impacted the shore, demolishing structures. The storm has been cited as an example of a noteworthy New York City tropical cyclone. The cyclone is known for largely destroying Hog Island
, a developed island that existed south of the modern-day Long Island coast. The island peaked in size during the 1870s at about 1 mi (1.6 km) long.
The worst of the damage was reportedly confined to a 50 mi (80.5 km) area surrounding New York City. In a 24-hour period, 3.82 in (97 mm) of precipitation fell, breaking the daily rainfall record. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses accompanied the severe impact. Low-lying areas of the city, particularly those near the coast, were flooded. Roofs and chimneys were ripped off buildings and windows were broken in many homes and businesses. In Central Park
, "More than a hundred noble trees were torn up by the roots, and branches were twisted off everywhere." The park was devastated and thousands of dead birds fell to the ground after being washed out of, or drowned in, their nests. Groups of children gathered the birds and picked them up, with the apparent intention of selling them to restaurants. The storm took the lives of 34 sailors as vessels were blown ashore and men swept overboard. The tugboat Panther, towing two coal barges, was wrecked; 17 crew members perished and three lived.
High winds brought down telegraph wires and left the city almost entirely cut off from communication with outside locations. At Coney Island
, the storm completely destroyed many buildings, walkways, piers, and beach resorts. Brighton Beach
was hit particularly hard. The raging seas swept inland, washing out tracks of the Marine Railway. Bathing houses were moved a great distance by the cyclone. Near the Sheepshead Bay
, Emmons Avenue was heavily damaged. Further to the east, at Greenport
, numerous yachts were wrecked and scattered. Corn crops on land were ruined and fruit trees lost their fruits.
At Brooklyn
, still an independent city from New York, houses were dismantled and uprooted trees blocked streets. Damage was widespread throughout the area and flood waters reached waist-high levels. The storm was the most severe in years at Jersey City, New Jersey
, despite the fact that its damage was moderate. Trees were blown down and cellars filled with water there and in nearby areas, such as Hoboken
.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
that struck the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area in August 1893. First identified as a tropical storm on August 15, over the central Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
, the hurricane moved northwestward for most of its course, ultimately peaking with maximum sustained winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure reading of 952 mbar (hPa; 28.11 inHg). It turned due northward as it approached the U.S. East Coast and struck western Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
on August 24. It moved inland and quickly deteriorated, degenerating the next day.
The storm inflicted severe damage with storm tides as high as 30 ft (9.1 m). Trees were brought down, houses were demolished, and Hog Island
Hog Island (New York)
Hog Island was a set of two islands off Long Island, New York. One, shown on the map at right, is the present day Barnum Island, part of Island Park, New York...
was largely washed away by the cyclone. Several areas suffered extensive effects from the hurricane, and at least 34 sailors lost their lives. The storm is regarded as one of the most severe hurricanes to strike the city.
Meteorological history
The system was first classified as a tropical storm while situated in the central Atlantic OceanAtlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
on August 15, 1893. It steadily intensified as it tracked generally towards the west and attained hurricane force. Gradually curving northwestward, the storm continued to gain power and, on August 18, it achieved wind speeds corresponding to Category 2 intensity on the modern-day Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
. This scale was devised in 1971 to categorize tropical cyclones based on their maximum sustained winds. The storm is estimated to have maintained winds of approximately 100 mph (155 km/h) for several days as it passed well to the north of the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
. As the hurricane turned more northerly still, approaching the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, it strengthened to major hurricane intensity, Category 3, on August 22. At this point, it peaked in intensity with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h). The lowest known barometric pressure in relation to the storm was 952 mbar (hPa; 28.11 inHg).
Less than a day later, the storm deteriorated to Category 2 strength. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina experienced the hurricane on the morning of August 23 while its center passed less than 100 mi (160.9 km) offshore. Heading nearly due northward, the cyclone skimmed the New Jersey
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
coastline, passing just east of Atlantic City
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, United States, and a nationally renowned resort city for gambling, shopping and fine dining. The city also served as the inspiration for the American version of the board game Monopoly. Atlantic City is located on Absecon Island on the coast...
, and weakened further to Category 1 status. On August 23 the storm was one of four hurricanes occurring simultaneously within the Atlantic Ocean. On August 24 the storm moved ashore on western Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, in the New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
area. At 1200 UTC that day, while centered just inland, its maximum winds were estimated to have been 85 mph (140 km/h). It progressed northward through New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, quickly growing weaker. It was briefly downgraded to a tropical storm before becoming extratropical
Extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are a group of cyclones defined as synoptic scale low pressure weather systems that occur in the middle latitudes of the Earth having neither tropical nor polar characteristics, and are connected with fronts and...
. It dissipated fully on August 25, near the mouth of the Saint Lawrence River
Saint Lawrence River
The Saint Lawrence is a large river flowing approximately from southwest to northeast in the middle latitudes of North America, connecting the Great Lakes with the Atlantic Ocean. It is the primary drainage conveyor of the Great Lakes Basin...
.
Impact
Winds from the storm exceeded 50 mph (80.5 km/h) at Atlantic City and New York, initially blowing from the northeast before shifting southwesterly. The hurricane wrought severe destruction, described by The New York TimesThe New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
on August 25 as "a mighty war of winds and a great tumbling of chimneys". A 30 ft (9.1 m) storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
impacted the shore, demolishing structures. The storm has been cited as an example of a noteworthy New York City tropical cyclone. The cyclone is known for largely destroying Hog Island
Hog Island (New York)
Hog Island was a set of two islands off Long Island, New York. One, shown on the map at right, is the present day Barnum Island, part of Island Park, New York...
, a developed island that existed south of the modern-day Long Island coast. The island peaked in size during the 1870s at about 1 mi (1.6 km) long.
The worst of the damage was reportedly confined to a 50 mi (80.5 km) area surrounding New York City. In a 24-hour period, 3.82 in (97 mm) of precipitation fell, breaking the daily rainfall record. Hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses accompanied the severe impact. Low-lying areas of the city, particularly those near the coast, were flooded. Roofs and chimneys were ripped off buildings and windows were broken in many homes and businesses. In Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
, "More than a hundred noble trees were torn up by the roots, and branches were twisted off everywhere." The park was devastated and thousands of dead birds fell to the ground after being washed out of, or drowned in, their nests. Groups of children gathered the birds and picked them up, with the apparent intention of selling them to restaurants. The storm took the lives of 34 sailors as vessels were blown ashore and men swept overboard. The tugboat Panther, towing two coal barges, was wrecked; 17 crew members perished and three lived.
High winds brought down telegraph wires and left the city almost entirely cut off from communication with outside locations. At Coney Island
Coney Island
Coney Island is a peninsula and beach on the Atlantic Ocean in southern Brooklyn, New York, United States. The site was formerly an outer barrier island, but became partially connected to the mainland by landfill....
, the storm completely destroyed many buildings, walkways, piers, and beach resorts. Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach
Brighton Beach is an oceanside neighborhood in the New York City borough of Brooklyn. As of 2000, it has a population of 75,692 with a total of 31,228 households.-Location:...
was hit particularly hard. The raging seas swept inland, washing out tracks of the Marine Railway. Bathing houses were moved a great distance by the cyclone. Near the Sheepshead Bay
Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn
Sheepshead Bay is a bay separating the mainland of Brooklyn, New York City from the eastern portion of Coney Island, the latter originally a barrier island but now effectively an extension of the mainland with peninsulas both east and west...
, Emmons Avenue was heavily damaged. Further to the east, at Greenport
Greenport, Suffolk County, New York
Greenport is a village in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located on the north fork of Long Island. The population was 2,048 at the 2000 census....
, numerous yachts were wrecked and scattered. Corn crops on land were ruined and fruit trees lost their fruits.
At Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
, still an independent city from New York, houses were dismantled and uprooted trees blocked streets. Damage was widespread throughout the area and flood waters reached waist-high levels. The storm was the most severe in years at Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City, New Jersey
Jersey City is the seat of Hudson County, New Jersey, United States.Part of the New York metropolitan area, Jersey City lies between the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay across from Lower Manhattan and the Hackensack River and Newark Bay...
, despite the fact that its damage was moderate. Trees were blown down and cellars filled with water there and in nearby areas, such as Hoboken
Hoboken, New Jersey
Hoboken is a city in Hudson County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population was 50,005. The city is part of the New York metropolitan area and contains Hoboken Terminal, a major transportation hub for the region...
.
See also
- 1893 Atlantic hurricane season1893 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1893 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1893. The 1893 season was fairly active, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became hurricanes. Of those, 5 became major hurricanes...
- 1821 Norfolk and Long Island hurricane1821 Norfolk and Long Island HurricaneThe 1821 Norfolk and Long Island Hurricane was one of four known tropical cyclones that have made landfall in New York City. Another, even more intense hurricane struck the region in pre-Columbian times and was detected by paleotempestological research...