1917 Pinar del Río hurricane
Encyclopedia
The 1917 Nueva Gerona hurricane was the strongest Atlantic hurricane of the 1917 Atlantic hurricane season. The fourth tropical cyclone
, second hurricane
, and the second major hurricane
of the season, it developed east-southeast of Martinique
. It moved west-northwest
, passing between Saint Lucia
and Martinique. In the eastern Caribbean, it strengthened to a hurricane, and it struck the northern coast of Jamaica. It rapidly intensified
to a strong Category 4 hurricane as it made landfall
on the Isla de la Juventud and western Cuba. It turned northward in the Gulf of Mexico, and it moved ashore in Okaloosa County, Florida
with 115 mph (185 km/h) sustained winds.
Although effects were minor in the Lesser Antilles, the cyclone destroyed much of the banana crop in Jamaica. The western half of Cuba received significant damages to residences and agriculture. On the Gulf Coast of the United States, the hurricane caused timber losses, moved boats ashore, and damaged waterfront structures. The remnants of the storm also produced heavy precipitation over portions of Alabama. The cyclone was the most intense hurricane to strike the Florida Panhandle until 1995
, but loss of life was minimal.
. Originally, the cyclone was believed to have formed on September 20. On September 20, it steadily intensified, and the center moved through the northern Windward Islands
. The system produced strong winds and rough seas in the Lesser Antilles. On September 21, it attained maximum sustained wind
s of 75 mph (120 km/h), becoming the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane. It continued to strengthen as it crossed the Caribbean Sea
on September 22, attaining winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Later, it made landfall northeast of Kingston, Jamaica
with 105 mph (170 km/h) winds on September 23. On September 24, it turned northwest and strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane near Grand Cayman Island. The cyclone strengthened to an estimated peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) on September 25, and it made landfall on the Isla de la Juventud, Cuba
. The hurricane was classified as a marginal Category 3 hurricane prior to subsequent reanalysis
, which determined that the cyclone was stronger. An estimated central pressure of 928 mbar (27.40 inHg) was based on a peripheral measurement of 939 mbar (27.76 inHg) when the hurricane moved over the Isla de la Juventud.
In the Gulf of Mexico
, the cyclone turned north on September 26, and it slowly weakened. It passed 110 miles (180 km/h) southeast of New Orleans
with 120 mph (195 km/h) winds on September 28. Early on September 29, the hurricane made landfall near Fort Walton Beach
as a marginal Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Originally, the Atlantic hurricane database listed the storm as a 100 mph (160 km/h) hurricane over northwest Florida. It quickly weakened to a tropical storm over southeastern Alabama, and it merged with an extratropical
frontal system in southern Georgia on September 30.
, indicating the presence of a tropical disturbance. On September 23, northeast storm warnings were issued for the Florida
coast from West Palm Beach
to Boca Grande
. On September 25, the Weather Bureau advised marine traffic to remain alert in the Gulf of Mexico, noting that the intensity of the storm was unknown. Later, hurricane warnings were issued from Apalachicola, Florida
to Mobile on September 25. Warnings were also released from Pascagoula, Mississippi
to New Orleans on September 26. The warnings were briefly discontinued because of track uncertainties, but they were re-issued when the cyclone began to curve northeast. On September 27 and 28, scheduled vessel trips were cancelled in New Orleans. Marine traffic resumed after the storm passed east of the city. The storm struck the Gulf Coast later than anticipated because of slow forward motion.
and strong winds in the eastern Caribbean islands. In Jamaica, the hurricane caused significant damages to banana
and coconut
plantations. Communications from Holland Bay were disrupted when the station was demolished. The greatest damages were reported from the northern half of the island. In Nueva Gerona
, severe winds destroyed well constructed buildings, devastating the town. Orchards and crops were destroyed on the Pinar del Río Province.
In Burrwood, Louisiana
, rain bands
produced 6.40 inches (160 mm) of rain. Most of the heaviest rainfall occurred closer to the center. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad sent trains on alternate routes because of eroded tracks near Lake Catherine. The effects of the cyclone also damaged crops and timber stands in Louisiana
and Mississippi
. The storm surge
associated with the hurricane moved several structures from their foundations in Buras, Louisiana. In Biloxi
, warnings prevented considerable loss of shrimp boats. The hurricane severed communication from Pensacola, Florida
, though reports eventually indicated that the wireless radio plant was not destroyed. Several small watercraft washed ashore, and numerous wharves, docks, and boat storages received damage. Total damages were estimated near $170,000 in the vicinity of Pensacola. Significant destruction of timber occurred in Santa Rosa County
, and crops, structures, and livestock were affected. Minimal damage occurred in Mobile, Alabama
, where portions of roofs, trees, and other debris littered streets. No boats from the area were lost, and waterfront damage was negligible. Strong winds occurred along the southwest coast of Florida, and a wind gust of 44 mph (70 km/h) was reported in Jacksonville, Florida
. A total of five people were killed in Crestview, Florida
. More than 5 inches (125 mm) of rain was measured in Montgomery, Alabama
, prompting flood advisories for the lower Alabama River
watershed.
The minimum atmospheric pressure of 928 mbar (27.42 inHg) established the cyclone as the third most intense landfalling Cuban hurricane. Deeper pressures of 921 mbar (27.23 inHg) and 915 mbar (27.02 inHg) were measured in the 1924
and 1932
hurricanes, respectively. The cyclone (949 mbar/28.02 inHg) was also the most intense tropical cyclone in the Florida Panhandle
until Hurricane Opal
(942 mbar/27.82 inHg). At the time, it was tied with a 1882 storm
, which also had a central pressure of 949 mbar (28.02 inHg) at landfall in northwest Florida.
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...
, second hurricane
Tropical cyclone scales
Tropical systems are officially ranked on one of several tropical cyclone scales according to their maximum sustained winds and in what oceanic basin they are located...
, and the second major hurricane
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...
of the season, it developed east-southeast of Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. It moved west-northwest
Boxing the compass
Boxing the compass is the action of naming all thirty-two points of the compass in clockwise order. Such names are formed by the initials of the cardinal directions and their intermediate ordinal directions, and are very handy to refer to a heading in a general or colloquial fashion, without...
, passing between Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country in the eastern Caribbean Sea on the boundary with the Atlantic Ocean. Part of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados and south of Martinique. It covers a land area of 620 km2 and has an...
and Martinique. In the eastern Caribbean, it strengthened to a hurricane, and it struck the northern coast of Jamaica. It rapidly intensified
Rapid deepening
Rapid deepening, also known as rapid intensification, is a meteorological condition that occurs when the minimum sea-level atmospheric pressure of a tropical cyclone decreases drastically in a short period of time. The National Weather Service describes rapid deepening as a decrease of...
to a strong Category 4 hurricane as it made landfall
Landfall (meteorology)
Landfall is the event of a tropical cyclone or a waterspout coming onto land after being over water. When a waterspout makes landfall it is reclassified as a tornado, which can then cause damage inland...
on the Isla de la Juventud and western Cuba. It turned northward in the Gulf of Mexico, and it moved ashore in Okaloosa County, Florida
Okaloosa County, Florida
Okaloosa County is a county located in the state of Florida. Located in northwest Florida, it extends from the Gulf of Mexico to the Alabama state line. As of the 2000 census, the population was 170,498. The U.S. Census Bureau 2005 estimate for the county is 182,172. The 2009 estimate for the...
with 115 mph (185 km/h) sustained winds.
Although effects were minor in the Lesser Antilles, the cyclone destroyed much of the banana crop in Jamaica. The western half of Cuba received significant damages to residences and agriculture. On the Gulf Coast of the United States, the hurricane caused timber losses, moved boats ashore, and damaged waterfront structures. The remnants of the storm also produced heavy precipitation over portions of Alabama. The cyclone was the most intense hurricane to strike the Florida Panhandle until 1995
1995 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1995 Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active Atlantic hurricane season on record. It officially began on June 1, 1995, and lasted until November 30, 1995. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the north Atlantic ocean...
, but loss of life was minimal.
Meteorological history
Late on September 19, a tropical storm developed east of the Lesser AntillesLesser 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...
. Originally, the cyclone was believed to have formed on September 20. On September 20, it steadily intensified, and the center moved through the northern Windward Islands
Windward Islands
The Windward Islands are the southern islands of the Lesser Antilles, within the West Indies.-Name and geography:The Windward Islands are called such because they were more windward to sailing ships arriving in the New World than the Leeward Islands, given that the prevailing trade winds in the...
. The system produced strong winds and rough seas in the Lesser Antilles. On September 21, it attained maximum sustained wind
Maximum sustained wind
The maximum sustained winds associated with a tropical cyclone are a common indicator of the intensity of the storm. Within a mature tropical cyclone, they are found within the eyewall at a distance defined as the radius of maximum wind, or RMW. Unlike gusts, the value of these winds are...
s of 75 mph (120 km/h), becoming the equivalent of a Category 1 hurricane. It continued to strengthen as it crossed the Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
on September 22, attaining winds of 100 mph (160 km/h). Later, it made landfall northeast of Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long sand spit which connects the town of Port Royal and the Norman Manley International Airport to the rest of the island...
with 105 mph (170 km/h) winds on September 23. On September 24, it turned northwest and strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane near Grand Cayman Island. The cyclone strengthened to an estimated peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h) on September 25, and it made landfall on the Isla de la Juventud, Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The hurricane was classified as a marginal Category 3 hurricane prior to subsequent reanalysis
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis is an ongoing project within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which seeks to correct and add new information about past Atlantic tropical cyclones...
, which determined that the cyclone was stronger. An estimated central pressure of 928 mbar (27.40 inHg) was based on a peripheral measurement of 939 mbar (27.76 inHg) when the hurricane moved over the Isla de la Juventud.
In the Gulf of Mexico
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
, the cyclone turned north on September 26, and it slowly weakened. It passed 110 miles (180 km/h) southeast of New Orleans
New Orleans, Louisiana
New Orleans is a major United States port and the largest city and metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana. The New Orleans metropolitan area has a population of 1,235,650 as of 2009, the 46th largest in the USA. The New Orleans – Metairie – Bogalusa combined statistical area has a population...
with 120 mph (195 km/h) winds on September 28. Early on September 29, the hurricane made landfall near Fort Walton Beach
Fort Walton Beach, Florida
Fort Walton Beach is a city in southern Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. As of 2005, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach was 19,992, and as of 2010, the population estimate for Fort Walton Beach is 19,507 recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau...
as a marginal Category 3 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Originally, the Atlantic hurricane database listed the storm as a 100 mph (160 km/h) hurricane over northwest Florida. It quickly weakened to a tropical storm over southeastern Alabama, and it merged with an 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...
frontal system in southern Georgia on September 30.
Preparations
On September 21, the U.S. Weather Bureau issued advisories because of strong swells in the Leeward IslandsLeeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
, indicating the presence of a tropical disturbance. On September 23, northeast storm warnings were issued for the Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
coast from West Palm Beach
West Palm Beach, Florida
West Palm Beach, is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and is the most populous city in and county seat of Palm Beach County, the third most populous county in Florida with a 2010 population of 1,320,134. The city is also the oldest incorporated municipality in South Florida...
to Boca Grande
Boca Grande, Florida
Boca Grande is a small residential community on Gasparilla Island, in southwest Florida. Gasparilla Island is a part of both Charlotte and Lee Counties, while the actual village of Boca Grande, which is home to many seasonal and some year-round residents, is entirely in the Lee County portion of...
. On September 25, the Weather Bureau advised marine traffic to remain alert in the Gulf of Mexico, noting that the intensity of the storm was unknown. Later, hurricane warnings were issued from Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola, Florida
Apalachicola is a city in Franklin County, Florida, on US 98 about southwest of Tallahassee. The population was 2,334 at the 2000 census. The 2005 census estimated the city's population at 2,340...
to Mobile on September 25. Warnings were also released from Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula, Mississippi
Pascagoula is a city in Jackson County, Mississippi, United States. It is the principal city of the Pascagoula, Mississippi Metropolitan Statistical Area, as a part of the Gulfport–Biloxi–Pascagoula, Mississippi Combined Statistical Area. The population was 26,200 at the 2000 census...
to New Orleans on September 26. The warnings were briefly discontinued because of track uncertainties, but they were re-issued when the cyclone began to curve northeast. On September 27 and 28, scheduled vessel trips were cancelled in New Orleans. Marine traffic resumed after the storm passed east of the city. The storm struck the Gulf Coast later than anticipated because of slow forward motion.
Impact
The system produced heavy precipitationPrecipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
and strong winds in the eastern Caribbean islands. In Jamaica, the hurricane caused significant damages to banana
Musa (genus)
Musa is one of three genera in the family Musaceae; it includes bananas and plantains. There are over 50 species of Musa with a broad variety of uses....
and coconut
Coconut
The coconut palm, Cocos nucifera, is a member of the family Arecaceae . It is the only accepted species in the genus Cocos. The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or the fruit, which is not a botanical nut. The spelling cocoanut is an old-fashioned form of the word...
plantations. Communications from Holland Bay were disrupted when the station was demolished. The greatest damages were reported from the northern half of the island. In Nueva Gerona
Nueva Gerona
Nueva Gerona is the capital city of the Isla de la Juventud special municipality of Cuba. The city is located between the hills of Caballos and Casas, about 3 km up the Río Casas, which provides a navigable waterway to the Caribbean Sea....
, severe winds destroyed well constructed buildings, devastating the town. Orchards and crops were destroyed on the Pinar del Río Province.
In Burrwood, Louisiana
Burrwood, Louisiana
Burrwood was a community located in the parish of Plaquemines, Louisiana, United States . Burrwood is located at the far south end of the delta of the Mississippi River...
, rain bands
Squall
A squall is a sudden, sharp increase in wind speed which is usually associated with active weather, such as rain showers, thunderstorms, or heavy snow. Squalls refer to an increase in the sustained winds over a short time interval, as there may be higher gusts during a squall event...
produced 6.40 inches (160 mm) of rain. Most of the heaviest rainfall occurred closer to the center. The Louisville and Nashville Railroad sent trains on alternate routes because of eroded tracks near Lake Catherine. The effects of the cyclone also damaged crops and timber stands in Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
and Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
. The 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...
associated with the hurricane moved several structures from their foundations in Buras, Louisiana. In Biloxi
Biloxi, Mississippi
Biloxi is a city in Harrison County, Mississippi, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the population as 44,054. Along with Gulfport, Biloxi is a county seat of Harrison County....
, warnings prevented considerable loss of shrimp boats. The hurricane severed communication from Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola, Florida
Pensacola is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle and the county seat of Escambia County, Florida, United States of America. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 56,255 and as of 2009, the estimated population was 53,752...
, though reports eventually indicated that the wireless radio plant was not destroyed. Several small watercraft washed ashore, and numerous wharves, docks, and boat storages received damage. Total damages were estimated near $170,000 in the vicinity of Pensacola. Significant destruction of timber occurred in Santa Rosa County
Santa Rosa County, Florida
Santa Rosa County is a county located in the U.S. state of Florida. According to the 2000 U.S. Census, the population was 117,743, while a July 1, 2005, estimate placed the population at 143,105, an 18% increase making it the 84th fastest growing county in the United States between 2000 and 2005. ...
, and crops, structures, and livestock were affected. Minimal damage occurred in Mobile, Alabama
Mobile, Alabama
Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
, where portions of roofs, trees, and other debris littered streets. No boats from the area were lost, and waterfront damage was negligible. Strong winds occurred along the southwest coast of Florida, and a wind gust of 44 mph (70 km/h) was reported in Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Florida in terms of both population and land area, and the largest city by area in the contiguous United States. It is the county seat of Duval County, with which the city government consolidated in 1968...
. A total of five people were killed in Crestview, Florida
Crestview, Florida
Crestview is a city in Okaloosa County, Florida, United States. Crestview’s name was chosen because of its location on the peak of a long woodland range between the Yellow and Shoal rivers which flow almost parallel on the east and west side of the City....
. More than 5 inches (125 mm) of rain was measured in Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery, Alabama
Montgomery is the capital of the U.S. state of Alabama, and is the county seat of Montgomery County. It is located on the Alabama River southeast of the center of the state, in the Gulf Coastal Plain. As of the 2010 census, Montgomery had a population of 205,764 making it the second-largest city...
, prompting flood advisories for the lower Alabama River
Alabama River
The Alabama River, in the U.S. state of Alabama, is formed by the Tallapoosa and Coosa rivers, which unite about north of Montgomery.The river flows west to Selma, then southwest until, about from Mobile, it unites with the Tombigbee, forming the Mobile and Tensaw rivers, which discharge into...
watershed.
The minimum atmospheric pressure of 928 mbar (27.42 inHg) established the cyclone as the third most intense landfalling Cuban hurricane. Deeper pressures of 921 mbar (27.23 inHg) and 915 mbar (27.02 inHg) were measured in the 1924
1924 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1924 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1924. The season was average with 11 storms; three became hurricanes and two others became major hurricanes. An early season tropical storm hit Belize on June 18 and Mexico on June 21...
and 1932
1932 Cuba Hurricane
The 1932 Cuba hurricane was a powerful and deadly late-season hurricane during the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season. It was the tenth tropical storm, fifth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 1932 season...
hurricanes, respectively. The cyclone (949 mbar/28.02 inHg) was also the most intense tropical cyclone in the Florida Panhandle
Florida Panhandle
The Florida Panhandle, an informal, unofficial term for the northwestern part of Florida, is a strip of land roughly 200 miles long and 50 to 100 miles wide , lying between Alabama on the north and the west, Georgia also on the north, and the Gulf of Mexico to the south. Its eastern boundary is...
until Hurricane Opal
Hurricane Opal
Hurricane Opal was a Category 4 hurricane that formed in the Gulf of Mexico in September 1995.Opal was the ninth hurricane and the strongest of the abnormally active 1995 Atlantic hurricane season...
(942 mbar/27.82 inHg). At the time, it was tied with a 1882 storm
1882 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1882 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1882, and lasted until November 30, 1882. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.-Hurricane One:...
, which also had a central pressure of 949 mbar (28.02 inHg) at landfall in northwest Florida.