1919 Florida Keys Hurricane

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Atlantic Gulf Hurricane of 1919
The path of the Florida Keys Hurricane of 1919

The path of the Florida Keys Hurricane of 1919
Duration Sep. 2 - 14, 1919
Highest winds 131-155 mph (210-249 km/h) (approx.) sustained
Damages $22 million (approx.)
Fatalities 600-900 direct
Areas affected Lesser Antilles; Bahamas; Dominican Republic South Florida, Southeastern Texas
Part of the 1919 Atlantic hurricane season

The Florida Keys Hurricane or Atlantic Gulf Hurricane of 1919 was an intense Atlantic hurricane.

Contents

Storm history

The storm was first detected near the Lesser Antilles on September 2, 1919. It travelled to the west-northwest and hit the Dominican Republic and the Bahamas, where it reached peak strength.

The storm's center grazed the Florida Keys on September 9 as a Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. It then entered the Gulf of Mexico and continued its general west-northwest track. The storm made landfall near Corpus Christi, Texas on September 14 as a Category 3 hurricane. Although the instruments needed to precisely measure a hurricane's wind speed were not available at the time, it is known that this hurricane produced a 12-foot storm surge in the Corpus Christi area, causing major damage.

The barometric pressure of the hurricane was taken, by a ship near the Dry Tortugas. It recorded a level of 27.37 inches (927 mb), making this hurricane one of the most intense in U.S. recorded history. It was the most intense hurricane to strike Key West in the 20th century.

Most intense landfalling U.S. hurricanes

Intensity is measured solely by central pressure

Rank Hurricane Year Landfall pressure
1 Labor Day 1935 892 mbar (hPa)
2 Camille 1969 909 mbar (hPa)
3 Katrina 2005 918 mbar (hPa)
4 Andrew 1992 922 mbar (hPa)
5 Indianola 1886 925 mbar (hPa)
6 Florida Keys 1919 927 mbar (hPa)
7 Okeechobee 1928 929 mbar (hPa)
8 Donna 1960 930 mbar (hPa)
9 New Orleans 1915 931 mbar (hPa)
10 Carla 1961 931 mbar (hPa)
Source: U.S. National Hurricane Center

Impact

Of the approximately 600-900 people killed by the storm, roughly 500 of them were aboard ten ships lost at sea.

Trivia

One of the people forced to evacuate Corpus Christi was Bob Simpson, who would later become head of the National Hurricane Center and devise the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.

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