Sanibel Island Hurricane of 1944
Encyclopedia
The 1944 Cuba–Florida hurricane (also known as the Pinar del Río Hurricane of 1944 and 1944 Havana Hurricane) was a large, intense Category 3 hurricane
that affected western Cuba
and Florida
. The eleventh tropical cyclone, seventh hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season developed over the southern Caribbean Sea on October 12. It intensified to a hurricane on October 13, attained its peak on October 17, and struck Pinar del Río
with gusts in excess of 160 mph (260 km/h). The hurricane accelerated, and it struck southwest Florida near Sarasota
on October 19. It diminished to a tropical storm, briefly exited over water off southeast Georgia
, and moved inland near Savannah
on October 20. It became extratropical
over southeastern Virginia on October 21. The late-season October storm was eventually responsible for very heavy rains, a wide swath of destruction, and over 300 deaths, especially in rural areas of Cuba
.
. It was originally detected by the motorship Silver Arrow, while rough seas were reported near the Swan Islands
. The tropical storm moved slowly northward, and it quickly attained hurricane intensity. On October 13, heavy rainfall
was reported through the afternoon at Grand Cayman
, with sustained winds near 25 mph (40 km/h). The hurricane gradually intensified, and its forward motion slowed to a near stall 60 miles (100 km) southeast of George Town, Grand Cayman
on October 14. As the hurricane began to drift westward, conditions grew more severe on the Swan Islands, although maximum gusts remained below 60 mph (95 km/h). On October 16, the hurricane strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane
with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph (160 km/h). Grand Cayman remained north of center, though the island recorded gusts near 118 mph (190 km/h) on October 15.
The hurricane slowly turned to the north along 83°W Longitude
, and it steadily intensified on October 17. The hurricane strengthened to the equivalent of a major hurricane
shortly prior to its landfall on the Isles of Pines with winds near 115 mph (185 km/h). Later, the hurricane reached its peak of 120 mph (195 km/h) as it made landfall on Pinar del Río Province
. The hurricane passed 15 miles (25 km) west of La Habana Province, and its forward motion gradually increased when it entered the southern Gulf of Mexico
on October 18. The cyclone maintained its intensity when it passed to the west of the Dry Tortugas
, though its large size spread hurricane force winds over the islands for several hours. Early on October 19, the hurricane weakened significantly, and it struck the mainland of southwest Florida near Sarasota
as a minimal hurricane with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). The minimum pressure, 962 mbar (28.42 inHg), was measured in Sarasota.
The hurricane weakened as it moved inland, passing 20 miles (30 km) east of Tampa
. Its forward motion increased to 20 mph (30 km/h), and it passed over the central Florida communities of Dade City
and Ocala
. The cyclone diminished to a tropical storm, and it moved into the western Atlantic waters 10 miles (15 km) east of Jacksonville
. On October 20, the diminishing tropical storm moved ashore north of Savannah
with winds near 50 mph (80 km/h). It moved inland over eastern South Carolina and North Carolina. On October 21, it became extratropical
, and it passed into the Atlantic Ocean near Norfolk
. Its forward motion increased off the eastern shore of Maryland
, and the extratropical remnants moved inland over Nova Scotia
. It produced gale force winds of Force 8
over Newfoundland
, and it merged with a low pressure area
off southern Greenland.
, while operational Army and Navy planes were transferred from Florida to safer airfields. In Cuba, communications were severed on the Isles of Pines, though Havana
received ample warnings and was well prepared for the storm.
. Much of Havana
harbor was strewn with wrecked and sunken ships. About 300 people were killed in Cuba
.
coast, and much of the citrus harvest was ruined by the storm. Nine people died when their boat capsized during the storm.
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...
that affected western 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...
and 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...
. The eleventh tropical cyclone, seventh hurricane, and third major hurricane of the season developed over the southern Caribbean Sea on October 12. It intensified to a hurricane on October 13, attained its peak on October 17, and struck Pinar del Río
Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
with gusts in excess of 160 mph (260 km/h). The hurricane accelerated, and it struck southwest Florida near Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
on October 19. It diminished to a tropical storm, briefly exited over water off southeast Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
, and moved inland near Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
on October 20. It became 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...
over southeastern Virginia on October 21. The late-season October storm was eventually responsible for very heavy rains, a wide swath of destruction, and over 300 deaths, especially in rural areas of 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...
.
Meteorological history
On the late afternoon of October 12, an area of disturbed weather organized to a tropical storm 190 miles (310 km) east of Cape Gracias a Dios, NicaraguaNicaragua
Nicaragua is the largest country in the Central American American isthmus, bordered by Honduras to the north and Costa Rica to the south. The country is situated between 11 and 14 degrees north of the Equator in the Northern Hemisphere, which places it entirely within the tropics. The Pacific Ocean...
. It was originally detected by the motorship Silver Arrow, while rough seas were reported near the Swan Islands
Swan Islands, Honduras
The Swan Islands, or Islas Santanilla, are a chain of three islands located in the northwestern Caribbean Sea, approximately ninety miles off the coastline of Honduras, with a land area of .-Detailed location and features:...
. The tropical storm moved slowly northward, and it quickly attained hurricane intensity. On October 13, heavy rainfall
Precipitation (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...
was reported through the afternoon at Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
, with sustained winds near 25 mph (40 km/h). The hurricane gradually intensified, and its forward motion slowed to a near stall 60 miles (100 km) southeast of George Town, Grand Cayman
George Town, Cayman Islands
George Town, Grand Cayman, is the capital of the Cayman Islands, in the British West Indies. The city has a population of 35,600 and is the largest city on Grand Cayman....
on October 14. As the hurricane began to drift westward, conditions grew more severe on the Swan Islands, although maximum gusts remained below 60 mph (95 km/h). On October 16, the hurricane strengthened to the equivalent of a Category 2 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...
with maximum sustained winds near 100 mph (160 km/h). Grand Cayman remained north of center, though the island recorded gusts near 118 mph (190 km/h) on October 15.
The hurricane slowly turned to the north along 83°W Longitude
Longitude
Longitude is a geographic coordinate that specifies the east-west position of a point on the Earth's surface. It is an angular measurement, usually expressed in degrees, minutes and seconds, and denoted by the Greek letter lambda ....
, and it steadily intensified on October 17. The hurricane strengthened to the equivalent of a 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...
shortly prior to its landfall on the Isles of Pines with winds near 115 mph (185 km/h). Later, the hurricane reached its peak of 120 mph (195 km/h) as it made landfall on Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
. The hurricane passed 15 miles (25 km) west of La Habana Province, and its forward motion gradually increased when it entered the southern 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...
on October 18. The cyclone maintained its intensity when it passed to the west of the Dry Tortugas
Dry Tortugas
The Dry Tortugas are a small group of islands, located at the end of the Florida Keys, USA, about west of Key West, and west of the Marquesas Keys, the closest islands. Still further west is the Tortugas Bank, which is completely submerged. The first Europeans to discover the islands were the...
, though its large size spread hurricane force winds over the islands for several hours. Early on October 19, the hurricane weakened significantly, and it struck the mainland of southwest Florida near Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
as a minimal hurricane with winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). The minimum pressure, 962 mbar (28.42 inHg), was measured in Sarasota.
The hurricane weakened as it moved inland, passing 20 miles (30 km) east of Tampa
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
. Its forward motion increased to 20 mph (30 km/h), and it passed over the central Florida communities of Dade City
Dade City, Florida
Dade City is a city in Pasco County, Florida. The population was 6,188 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Pasco County. Dade City is a suburb of the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S...
and Ocala
Ocala, Florida
Ocala is a city in Marion County, Florida. As of 2007, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau was 53,491. It is the county seat of Marion County, and the principal city of the Ocala, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated 2007 population of 324,857.-History:Ocala...
. The cyclone diminished to a tropical storm, and it moved into the western Atlantic waters 10 miles (15 km) east of Jacksonville
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...
. On October 20, the diminishing tropical storm moved ashore north of Savannah
Savannah, Georgia
Savannah is the largest city and the county seat of Chatham County, in the U.S. state of Georgia. Established in 1733, the city of Savannah was the colonial capital of the Province of Georgia and later the first state capital of Georgia. Today Savannah is an industrial center and an important...
with winds near 50 mph (80 km/h). It moved inland over eastern South Carolina and North Carolina. On October 21, it became 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...
, and it passed into the Atlantic Ocean near Norfolk
Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. With a population of 242,803 as of the 2010 Census, it is Virginia's second-largest city behind neighboring Virginia Beach....
. Its forward motion increased off the eastern shore of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
, and the extratropical remnants moved inland over Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
. It produced gale force winds of Force 8
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort Scale is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort Wind Force Scale.-History:...
over Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, and it merged with a low pressure area
Low pressure area
A low-pressure area, or "low", is a region where the atmospheric pressure at sea level is below that of surrounding locations. Low-pressure systems form under areas of wind divergence which occur in upper levels of the troposphere. The formation process of a low-pressure area is known as...
off southern Greenland.
Preparations
58 warnings and advisories were issued by the U.S. Weather Bureau during the nine day period when the storm impacted the western Caribbean islands and United States. In Miami, watches and warnings were broadcast via microphones at two to three-hour intervals when the hurricane threatened the state. The Red Cross reported 35,000 people were sheltered during the storm, which accounted for a small portion of those whom evacuated. 150 small vessels were secured in Key WestKey West, Florida
Key West is a city in Monroe County, Florida, United States. The city encompasses the island of Key West, the part of Stock Island north of U.S. 1 , Sigsbee Park , Fleming Key , and Sunset Key...
, while operational Army and Navy planes were transferred from Florida to safer airfields. In Cuba, communications were severed on the Isles of Pines, though Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
received ample warnings and was well prepared for the storm.
Impact
The storm killed 300 people and left $10 million (1944 USD, $107 million 2005 USD) in damage. It is estimated that, if a similar hurricane struck here in the year 2005, it would cause $38.7 billion (2005 USD) in damage, making this one of the worst-case storms for western Florida.Cayman Islands
Damage was minor and limited to docks and warehouses; however, severe flooding resulted from over 30 inches of rainfall on Grand Cayman Island. A 24-hour rainfall record of 16 inches was reportedly set. http://www.ibiblio.org/uncpress/hurricanes/fl_book.htmlCuba
There was severe damage, mostly in the eastern and northern regions of Pinar del Río ProvincePinar del Río Province
Pinar del Río is one of the provinces of Cuba. It is at the western end of the island of Cuba.-Geography:The Pinar del Río province is Cuba's westernmost province and contains one of Cuba's three main mountain ranges, the Cordillera de Guaniguanico, divided into the easterly Sierra del Rosario and...
. Much of Havana
Havana
Havana is the capital city, province, major port, and leading commercial centre of Cuba. The city proper has a population of 2.1 million inhabitants, and it spans a total of — making it the largest city in the Caribbean region, and the most populous...
harbor was strewn with wrecked and sunken ships. About 300 people were killed in 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...
.
Florida
There was serious tide damage along the southwest FloridaFlorida
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, and much of the citrus harvest was ruined by the storm. Nine people died when their boat capsized during the storm.
See also
- List of tropical cyclones
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
