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List of Texas hurricanes (Pre-1900)
Encyclopedia
The list of Texas hurricanes prior to 1900 extends back to 1527 and encompasses all known Atlantic tropical cyclones to have affected Texas
before 1900.
.
The first storm of the 1854 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall in Texas, while the fourth storm of the season, another hurricane, moved inland near Galveston, Texas, causing 2 deaths from nearly 6 inches of rainfall, as well as $20,000 in damage.
The fourth storm of the 1857 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall near Brownsville.
The second storm of 1865 hurricane season made landfall in Texas near Brownsville the day it formed.
The fourth storm of 1865 hurricane season made landfall in the Texas/Louisiana border.
The first hurricane of the 1866 hurricane seasonseason made landfall in Texas on July 15th.
The seventh storm of 1867 hurricane season paralleled the Texas coastline.
The second storm of 1869 hurricane season was a Category 2 hurricane moved across the Gulf of Mexico, hitting the lower Texas coast on August 17. Most of the damage that occurred came from storm surge.
From September 30-October 2, 1871, The third hurricane affect Texas that season moved just offshore the length of the coast. A ship named the S.S.. Hall sunk during the storm; all hands were lost. On Mustang Island, it was the severest gale in 16 years. Tides at Indianola were the highest since 1844; most of the town flooded. The jail at Lavaca was washed away. Many people died in the tempest.
The first and fourth storms of the 1874 season made landfall in Texas. On September 5, 1874 the barometer dropped to 29:51 at 6:30 pm in Corpus Christi. The city suffered flooding and heavy wind damage. Numerous ships in the harbor were damaged. At least one death was reported from drowning.
The third storm of 1875 hit Indianola, Texas
at that intensity on the September 16. It turned northeastward, dissipating over Mississippi. The storm brought strong storm surge to the Texas coast, causing heavy damage and a total of 800 deaths. The storm was the first of two hurricanes to devastate Indianola, the other being the Indianola Hurricane of 1886
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From September 15-17 1877: Hurricane affected the entire Texas coast. In Galveston, winds were noted out of the east during the night of September 15. By September 17, tides had increased to 5.2 feet above mean low water. Winds increased to 60 mph at that time. High tides, though, were the main villain. A "fresh gale" at Mustang Island destroyed their wharf.
The third storm of 1879 hit the northeast Texas coast on August 23. Damage was heavy, but there were no reported deaths.
made landfall near Brownsville, Texas on the 13th , and dissipated rapidly over land on the 14th. It caused 30 deaths near the Yucatán Peninsula, and 5 deaths in Texas.
The second storm of the 1881 Atlantic hurricane season
was a tropical storm hit Corpus Christi, Texas in the middle of August, but caused no reported deaths. Signals were blown down at the harbor, and one boat was lost.
The third storm of the 1882 Atlantic hurricane season
was a Category 2 hurricane was first observed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14. Its prior track is unknown, but it moved to the west-northwest, and hit near the Texas/Louisiana border on September 15. The storm brought a 3 foot storm surge, caused moderate damage, and killed one person.
The first hurricane of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall near the Texas/Louisiana border.
August 20, 1886: the Indianola Hurricane
made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. It destroyed the town of Indianola, then the largest and most economically important port city in the state of Texas. With an estimated central pressure of 925 mb, this hurricane is on record as the most intense ever to strike the state of Texas. The hurricane also caused at least 25 deaths.
The 8th storm of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
took a west track through Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico. It turned northward in the western gulf, and hit near Brownsville, Texas as a 100 mph hurricane on September 23.
The 10th storm of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall near the border between Louisiana
and Texas. It caused 175-200 deaths due to the heavy rainfall and storm surge, with $250,000 in damage occurring.
The ninth storm of the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall near Brownsville.
The first two storms of the 1888 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall in the same area of Texas.
made landfall near Galveston, Texas.
The second storm of the 1895 Atlantic hurricane season
season made landfall in the southernmost part of Texas.
The second storm of 1897 Atlantic hurricane season
had effects on parts of Texas.
The sixth storm of 1898 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall near the Texas/Louisiana
border.
The first storm of 1899 Atlantic hurricane season
made landfall in Texas.
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
before 1900.
Pre-1800
- November 1527 – One of only two known tropical cyclones to have made landfall in the state in November, a tropical cyclones destroys a merchant fleet on Galveston IslandGalveston IslandGalveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
, killing at least 162 people and possibly up to 200. - 1553 – During the year, a hurricane affects a Spanish treasure fleetSpanish treasure fleetThe Spanish treasure fleets was a convoy system adopted by the Spanish Empire from 1566 to 1790...
near the coastline, quickly capsizing three vessels and displacing or wrecking thirteen others. - 1554 – Another Spanish treasure fleet is affected by a hurricane, with three ships lost during the storm near South Padre IslandSouth Padre Island, TexasSouth Padre Island is a town in Cameron County, Texas, United States. It is part of the Brownsville–Harlingen Metropolitan Statistical Area. It may be included as part of the Brownsville–Harlingen–Raymondville and the Matamoros–Brownsville metropolitan areas. The population was 2,816 at the...
. - November 1590 – Thousands aboard ships are killed by a hurricane in the Gulf of MexicoGulf of MexicoThe 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...
; it is unknown if the storm affected Texas, though meteorologist David RothDavid M. RothDavid M. Roth is an American meteorologist who has done studies focusing on hydrometeorology, hurricanes, and subtropical cyclones. He graduated Florida State University with a Bachelors of Science degree in Meteorology in 1994...
included the storm in his publication on Texas Hurricane History. - September 12, 1600 – An offshore hurricane causes 60 fatalities.
- August 30, 1615 – A storm capsizes a ship offshore, killing all passengers aboard.
- October 21, 1631 – More than 300 lives are lost during a hurricane that moves through the Gulf of Mexico; it is unknown if the storm affected Texas, though meteorologist David Roth included the storm in his publication on Texas Hurricane History.
- September 4, 1766 – GalvestonGalveston, TexasGalveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
is struck by a hurricane which washes five treasure ships ashore. The storm produces a storm surgeStorm surgeA 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...
of around 7 feet (2.1 m), which causes flooding near the coastline. A mission on the lower Trinity RiverTrinity River (Texas)The Trinity River is a long river that flows entirely within the U.S. state of Texas. It rises in extreme north Texas, a few miles south of the Red River. The headwaters are separated by the high bluffs on the south side of the Red River....
is destroyed. - 1791 – Moving ashore along the southern Texas coastline, a hurricane floods South Padre Island and other surrounding areas. About 50,000 cattle are killed due to the flooding.
1800–1849
- September 12, 1818 – A hurricane floods Galveston IslandGalveston IslandGalveston Island is a barrier island on the Texas Gulf coast in the United States, about 50 miles southeast of Houston. The entire island, with the exception of Jamaica Beach, is within the city limits of the City of Galveston....
up to 4 feet (1.2 m) deep, and also severely damages all but six buildings on the island. All ships near the island are seriously damaged or destroyed. The hurricane is the first known storm to affect the region in 21 years; the majority of the Texas coastline is uninhabited, until 1817 when privateer Jean LafitteJean LafitteJean Lafitte was a pirate and privateer in the Gulf of Mexico in the early 19th century. He and his elder brother, Pierre, spelled their last name Laffite, but English-language documents of the time used "Lafitte", and this is the commonly seen spelling in the United States, including for places...
settles near Galveston for about five years. - September 10, 1829 – The southern coastline of Texas experiences heavy damage and flooding when a hurricane strikes near the mouth of the Rio GrandeRio GrandeThe Rio Grande is a river that flows from southwestern Colorado in the United States to the Gulf of Mexico. Along the way it forms part of the Mexico – United States border. Its length varies as its course changes...
. This is the first tropical cyclone to affect the state in 11 years; throughout much of the 1820s, the region near the coastline becomes more populated, though most settlements are inland. None of the locations report a destructive storm during the time period. - August 18, 1831 – A hurricane hits near the mouth of the Rio Grande, causing further damage to areas affected by the storm two years prior.
- September, 1834 – Another tropical cyclone affects the region near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
- August 18, 1835 – Considered among the severest storms on record in the region, a hurricane moves ashore in extreme southern Texas, which washes all ships ashore along Brazos IslandBrazos IslandBrazos Island is a barrier island on the Gulf Coast of Texas in the United States, south of the town of South Padre Island.-History:The island is also known as Brazos Santiago Island, a reference to the port of Brazos Santiago, the first Spanish settlement on the island. Later it became the Port...
. A ship in Matagorda BayMatagorda BayMatagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
capsized during the storm, causing 14 deaths. - October 1837 – The Racer's Storm1837 Racer's StormThe 1837 Racer's Storm was one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes in the 19th century, causing heavy damage to many cities on its 2,000+ mile path...
becomes the first hurricane on record to affect the entire Texas coastline. It first strikes near BrownsvilleBrownsville, TexasBrownsville is a city in the southernmost tip of the state of Texas, in the United States. It is located on the northern bank of the Rio Grande, directly north and across the border from Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico. Brownsville is the 16th largest city in the state of Texas with a population of...
on October 1, where it destroys most of the ships on Brazos Island. Turning northeastward into the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane approaches GalvestonGalveston, TexasGalveston is a coastal city located on Galveston Island in the U.S. state of Texas. , the city had a total population of 47,743 within an area of...
on October 6, bringing a storm tideStorm tideA storm tide is a tide with a high flood period caused by a storm. Storm tides can be a severe danger to the coast and the people living along the coast. The water level can rise to more than 5 meters above the normal tide....
of at least 6 ft (1.8 m) which floods all of Galveston Island. The storm destroys most of the buildings in Galveston, and across the coast, ships are washed ashore up to 3 miles (5 km) inland. It continues northeastward and leaves the state near Sabine PassSabine PassSabine Pass is the natural outlet of Sabine Lake into the Gulf of Mexico. It borders Jefferson County, Texas, and Cameron Parish, Louisiana.Two major battles occurred here during the American Civil War, known as the First and Second Battles of Sabine Pass....
, after causing at least two deaths in the state. - 1838 – A tropical cyclone is accompanied with high tides as it moves ashore near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
- November 5, 1839 – A hurricane makes landfall near Galveston, becoming one of only two hurricanes in November to hit the state.
- 1840 – A tropical cyclone produces flooding and destroys buildings near the mouth of the Rio Grande.
- September 8, 1842 – After moving across the Gulf of Mexico, a storm moving ashore near the mouth of the Rio Grande brings heavy rainfall along its path.
- September 17, 1842 – A strong tropical storm hits near Galveston, which wrecks several buildings and houses from storm surge flooding. The storm kills 40 cattle when a house blows down. Damage is estimated at $10,000 (1842 USDUnited States dollarThe United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
, $220,000 2008 USD). - October 5, 1842 – Galveston is struck by another hurricane, with several buildings damaged or destroyed. The storm floods most of the island, though no lives are lost.
- August 6, 1844 – Moving ashore in the extreme southern portion of the state, a hurricane causes heavy damage, destroying most of the buildings near the coastline. On Brazos Island, the storm kills 70 people.
- October 17, 1848 – Another hurricane makes landfall near the mouth of the Rio Grande, which floods Brazos Island and causes above normal tides.
- September 13, 1849 – Southern Texas is struck by a hurricane, with some ships damaged by the storm.
1850–1859
The first storm of the 1851 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall near Corpus ChristiCorpus Christi, Texas
Corpus Christi is a coastal city in the South Texas region of the U.S. state of Texas. The county seat of Nueces County, it also extends into Aransas, Kleberg, and San Patricio counties. The MSA population in 2008 was 416,376. The population was 305,215 at the 2010 census making it the...
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The first storm of the 1854 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall in Texas, while the fourth storm of the season, another hurricane, moved inland near Galveston, Texas, causing 2 deaths from nearly 6 inches of rainfall, as well as $20,000 in damage.
The fourth storm of the 1857 Atlantic hurricane season made landfall near Brownsville.
1860–1869
The final storm of the 1863 hurricane season paralleled the Texas coastline.The second storm of 1865 hurricane season made landfall in Texas near Brownsville the day it formed.
The fourth storm of 1865 hurricane season made landfall in the Texas/Louisiana border.
The first hurricane of the 1866 hurricane seasonseason made landfall in Texas on July 15th.
The seventh storm of 1867 hurricane season paralleled the Texas coastline.
The second storm of 1869 hurricane season was a Category 2 hurricane moved across the Gulf of Mexico, hitting the lower Texas coast on August 17. Most of the damage that occurred came from storm surge.
1870–1879
Two June tropical storms in 1871 began the hurricane season by hitting Texas on June 2 and June 9. The two caused light damage and one death.From September 30-October 2, 1871, The third hurricane affect Texas that season moved just offshore the length of the coast. A ship named the S.S.. Hall sunk during the storm; all hands were lost. On Mustang Island, it was the severest gale in 16 years. Tides at Indianola were the highest since 1844; most of the town flooded. The jail at Lavaca was washed away. Many people died in the tempest.
The first and fourth storms of the 1874 season made landfall in Texas. On September 5, 1874 the barometer dropped to 29:51 at 6:30 pm in Corpus Christi. The city suffered flooding and heavy wind damage. Numerous ships in the harbor were damaged. At least one death was reported from drowning.
The third storm of 1875 hit Indianola, Texas
Indianola, Texas
Indianola is a ghost town located on Matagorda Bay in Calhoun County, Texas, United States. The community, once the county seat of Calhoun County, is a part of the Victoria, Texas, Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 1875, the city had a population of 5,000, but on September 15 of that year, a...
at that intensity on the September 16. It turned northeastward, dissipating over Mississippi. The storm brought strong storm surge to the Texas coast, causing heavy damage and a total of 800 deaths. The storm was the first of two hurricanes to devastate Indianola, the other being the Indianola Hurricane of 1886
Indianola Hurricane of 1886
The Indianola Hurricane of 1886 destroyed the town of Indianola, Texas. It was one of the most intense hurricanes ever to hit the United States.-Meteorological history:...
.
From September 15-17 1877: Hurricane affected the entire Texas coast. In Galveston, winds were noted out of the east during the night of September 15. By September 17, tides had increased to 5.2 feet above mean low water. Winds increased to 60 mph at that time. High tides, though, were the main villain. A "fresh gale" at Mustang Island destroyed their wharf.
The third storm of 1879 hit the northeast Texas coast on August 23. Damage was heavy, but there were no reported deaths.
1880–1889
The second storm of the 1880 Atlantic hurricane season1880 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1880 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1880, and lasted until November 30, 1880. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.-Tropical Storm One:...
made landfall near Brownsville, Texas on the 13th , and dissipated rapidly over land on the 14th. It caused 30 deaths near the Yucatán Peninsula, and 5 deaths in Texas.
The second storm of the 1881 Atlantic hurricane season
1881 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1881 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1881, and lasted until November 30, 1881. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. There are very few records about this season. The records that do exist show...
was a tropical storm hit Corpus Christi, Texas in the middle of August, but caused no reported deaths. Signals were blown down at the harbor, and one boat was lost.
The third storm of the 1882 Atlantic hurricane season
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:...
was a Category 2 hurricane was first observed in the Gulf of Mexico on September 14. Its prior track is unknown, but it moved to the west-northwest, and hit near the Texas/Louisiana border on September 15. The storm brought a 3 foot storm surge, caused moderate damage, and killed one person.
The first hurricane of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
1886 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1886.-Storms:The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season began with 3 U.S. landfalling hurricanes in June...
made landfall near the Texas/Louisiana border.
August 20, 1886: the Indianola Hurricane
Indianola Hurricane of 1886
The Indianola Hurricane of 1886 destroyed the town of Indianola, Texas. It was one of the most intense hurricanes ever to hit the United States.-Meteorological history:...
made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane. It destroyed the town of Indianola, then the largest and most economically important port city in the state of Texas. With an estimated central pressure of 925 mb, this hurricane is on record as the most intense ever to strike the state of Texas. The hurricane also caused at least 25 deaths.
The 8th storm of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
1886 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1886.-Storms:The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season began with 3 U.S. landfalling hurricanes in June...
took a west track through Cuba and the Gulf of Mexico. It turned northward in the western gulf, and hit near Brownsville, Texas as a 100 mph hurricane on September 23.
The 10th storm of the 1886 Atlantic hurricane season
1886 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1886.-Storms:The 1886 Atlantic hurricane season began with 3 U.S. landfalling hurricanes in June...
made landfall near the border between 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 Texas. It caused 175-200 deaths due to the heavy rainfall and storm surge, with $250,000 in damage occurring.
The ninth storm of the 1887 Atlantic hurricane season
1887 Atlantic hurricane season
Another May storm formed south of Jamaica on May 17, way outside of the season and moved generally northward. It crossed Cuba on the 19th as a tropical storm, and moved out to sea. Two peaked at twice, once on May 18 and May 20. Two dissipated on the 21st in the Atlantic Ocean...
made landfall near Brownsville.
The first two storms of the 1888 Atlantic hurricane season
1888 Atlantic hurricane season
Hurricane one formed into a depression on June 16 to the east of the upper Texas coast. It quickly strengthened to around 70 knots, while making landfall on June 18.-Tropical Storm Two:Tropical storm two was yet another Texas tropical cyclone for 1888...
made landfall in the same area of Texas.
1890–1899
The first storm of 1891 Atlantic hurricane season1891 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1891 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1891. The season had 10 tropical storms, 7 of which became hurricanes...
made landfall near Galveston, Texas.
The second storm of the 1895 Atlantic hurricane season
1895 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1895 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1895. The season was a fairly inactive one, with 6 storms forming, only 2 of which became hurricanes.-Tropical Storm One:...
season made landfall in the southernmost part of Texas.
The second storm of 1897 Atlantic hurricane season
1897 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1897 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1897. The season was a fairly inactive one, with six storms forming, only three of which became hurricanes.-Hurricane One:...
had effects on parts of Texas.
The sixth storm of 1898 Atlantic hurricane season
1898 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1898 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1898. The season was a fairly active one, with 11 storms forming, 5 of which became hurricanes.-Hurricane One:...
made landfall near the Texas/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...
border.
The first storm of 1899 Atlantic hurricane season
1899 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1899 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1899. The season was average, with 9 tropical storms, of which 5 became hurricanes and only two became major hurricanes....
made landfall in Texas.
Deadly storms
The following is a list of hurricanes with known deaths in the state. Several other hurricanes killed an unknown number of people in Texas, and multiple others left several missing.| Year | Number of deaths |
|---|---|
| 1527 | 162 |
| 1844 | 70 |
| 1600 | 60 |
| 1835 | 14 |
| 1837 1837 Racer's Storm The 1837 Racer's Storm was one of the most powerful and destructive hurricanes in the 19th century, causing heavy damage to many cities on its 2,000+ mile path... |
2 |