1906 Florida Keys hurricane

Category 3 Atlantic hurricane in 1906 February 2025 Hurricane Eight1906 Florida Keys hurricane Florida keys hurricane map 10-18-1906 (63290).jpg Weather map of the hurricane nearing landfall in the Florida Keys on October 18 October 8, 1906 October 23, 1906 105 953 1906 At least 240 4135000 > Central America, Cuba, southeastern United States 1906 Atlantic hurricane season The 1906 Florida Keys hurricane was a powerful and deadly hurricane that had a major impact on Cuba and southern Florida. The fifth hurricane and third major hurricane of the season, the storm formed from a system near Barbados on October 4. By October 8, it had intensified into a tropical storm, and made landfall as a hurricane in Central America. The hurricane traveled towards Cuba, making landfall and wreaking havoc on the island. The storm then made a third landfall in the Florida Keys during the evening of October 18. At least 240 people were killed as a result of the hurricane,The hurricane killed at least 240 people: 135 died on the Florida East Coast Railway, 104 of them on Houseboat No. 4; at least 70 drowned on the steamers St. Lucia and Peerless; 20 died in Havana; 9 were killed in Batabano; and 6 people died in plantations in the Florida Keys. "note" and damages totaled at least $4,135,000.Damages caused by the hurricane totaled to at least $4,135,000: Miami suffered $160,000 in damages; the Florida East Coast Railway had $200,000 in damages; Houseboat No. 4 had at least $50,000 in damages; Havana suffered $2,000,000 in damages; Puerto Limon suffered $125,000 in damages to its rubber and banana crops; several fruit plantations' losses in Central America amounted to $1,000,000; and the wrecks of Peerless and Sara totaled $600,000 in damage. "note" Of the 240 people killed during the storm, 135 were workers on the Florida East Coast Railway. The hurricane eventually led to the end of pineapple production in the Florida Keys for commercial purposes in 1915, although this was amplified by two further hurricanes in the following years. Meteorological history AL08 1906 path.png new The hurricane originated from a "cyclonic perturbation" near Barbados on October 4, as reported by local newspapers. On October 5, no closed circulation was evident in the system. In Colón, Panama, a report was sent to the Weather Bureau, reporting sinking barometric pressures on October 6.Fernández-Partagás José Diaz Henry F. A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/Partagas/1905-1908/1906_2.pdf Climate Diagnostics Center, NOAA Boulder, Colorado 1997 41–48 2011-10-05 It was recognized as a tropical storm early on October 8, with winds of 40 mph km/h on 5, while located in the southwestern Caribbean.http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/easyread-2011.html Easy to Read HURDAT 2011 2011 HURDAT Re-Analysis Project National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 2011-10-05 As the system continued to move west on October 9, it strengthened into a hurricane, and while it began to curve toward the west-northwest, further strengthening occurred, as it intensified into a Category 2 hurricane. The hurricane made landfall in Nicaragua on October 10 as a Category 3 hurricane. The system quickly weakened to a tropical storm as it traveled west-northwestward on October 11, later passing over the Gulf of Honduras. It later struck Belize on October 13 as a strong Category 1 hurricane on October 13, tracking north-northwestward. The system weakened into a tropical storm by October 14 but restrengthened into a Category 1 hurricane by October 16. As the hurricane began to turn northeastward, it continued to intensify, attaining Category 3 status by early October 17. The hurricane continued to approach Havana during the day, and the hurricane's center passed east of Havana during the evening. The hurricane passed over southern Florida on the morning of October 18 moving northeastward, and over the next few days turned north and slowed down to the east of South Carolina.http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/mwr_pdf/1906.pdf Monthly Weather Review 1906 American Meteorological Society National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 479–480 2011-10-05 The hurricane began to weaken as it was forced to curve south-southwestward, striking Florida again as the result of a high-pressure area. The system eventually weakened to a tropical depression over Florida, and traced southwestward into the Gulf of Mexico. On October 23, the remnants of the hurricane struck Central America and dissipated on October 23. Preparations and impact +Deaths and damage by region Region Deaths Damage Florida 211+ $420,000+ Cuba 29+ $2,000,000+ Costa Rica None $1,000,000+ Honduras None $1,000,000+ Other — $600,000+ Total 240+ $4,135,000+ Central America left|thumb|Surface weather analysis of the hurricane nearing landfall in Nicaragua on October 10 The town of Bluefields suffered moderate damage during the hurricane, including downed trees and damage to roofs. In western Nicaragua, widespread flooding damaged roads and disrupted the construction of a port in Corinto. In Matagalpa, many plantations were severely damaged, in addition to the destruction of bridges and roads in the city. Several landslides occurred, leading to the destruction of many hills. In addition, local crops suffered much damage, including much of the local banana and rubber crops.U.S. consular reports, Issues 33-40 United States Bureau of Manufactures https://books.google.com/books?id=Noc8AQAAIAAJ&q=1906%20hurricane%20Nicaragua&pg=RA1-PA36 2011-10-10 1908 A large wave measuring 15 ft m caused by the storm was described off Nicaragua, and caused brief disappearances of the Seal Cays. Along the Mosquito Coast, the town of Prinzapolka was nearly wiped out by the hurricane.The American journal of tropical diseases and preventive medicine American Society of Tropical Medicine July 1914 2 https://books.google.com/books?id=2ZpXAAAAMAAJ&q=1906%20hurricane%20Nicaragua&pg=PA651 2011-10-10 Damage to fruit plantations in Costa Rica totaled $1,000,000. Cuba thumb|Weather map of the hurricane intensifying as it approaches Cuba on October 16 Havana sustained major damage from the hurricane, with 50 houses destroyed, and cable operators in Miami, Santiago, and Jamaica were unable to reach telegraph services in the city.Havana Cut Off; Havoc at Miami 1906-10-19 The New York Times The wall of the American legation was blown down. Vedado's sea baths were severely damaged. Havana's streetcar service was temporarily disrupted by the storm. Trees were blown down in the parks of Havana.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hidfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1614%2C3455436 Hundreds Perish in Hurricane in Florida and Cuba 1906-10-20 Providence News-Democrat 2011-10-09 Twenty people were killed in the city,Twenty Dead in Havana 1906-10-20 The New York Times while in Batabanó, nine people were killed, with many others missing. In Matanzas, the location of the United States' 28th Infantry, tents were destroyed and there was widespread damage. However, nobody was killed or injured in the city. In San Luis, tobacco crops were ruined, and 150 tobacco barns in the Alquízar municipality were destroyed. The sugar crop in Pinar del Río Province survived well during the hurricane. In the La Guria section of Cuba, the banana crops were completely destroyed. Rivers topped their banks throughout the country.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=Zs8gAAAAIBAJ&pg=842%2C4901852 Story of the Storm 1906-10-20 Lewiston Evening Journal 2011-10-09 Florida thumb|190px|The remains of the steamer St. Lucia after the hurricane In Miami, over 100 houses were destroyed, and the Episcopal and Methodist churches were completely destroyed. The jail in Miami was nearly completely dismantled, and the prisoners were evacuated. In Fort Pierce, the Peninsula and Occidental railcar sheds collapsed, with the roofs blown away. A two-story brick saloon was destroyed during the hurricane. The Miami telegraph office reported street flooding in the city, and that the telegraph office was flooded. Damage in Miami amounted to $160,000. In Key West, houses and trees were knocked down.Front Page 5 1906-10-19 The New York Times St. Augustine, Florida In St. Augustine, the tide was described as the "highest in ten years," where streets were flooded throughout the city.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=ZLUgAAAAIBAJ&pg=1534%2C4359317 Terrific Hurricane Sweeps Southern Coast 1906-10-19 Lewiston Daily Sun 2011-10-08 At least 70 passengers on the steamers St. Lucia and Peerless drowned during the storm near Elliott Key.The Chicago daily news almanac and year book for 1907 1907 23 https://books.google.com/books?id=DW4TAAAAYAAJ&q=Chicago%20almanac%20hurricane%201906&pg=PA267 2011-10-07 Plumbe George Edward Langland James Pike Claude Othello The steamers Campbell and the Sara were destroyed near the Isle of Pines,https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=MHM6AAAAIBAJ&pg=3668%2C4409483 Hundreds of Persons Homeless and Destitute; Crops are Ruined 1906-10-20 The St. John Sun 2011-10-08 Havana, Cuba and the Elmora sank.Barnes Jay Iyons, Steve (foreword) Florida's hurricane history University of North Carolina Press 2007 2nd https://archive.org/details/floridashurrican00barn registration 89 Florida's hurricane history October 17 18 1906. 2011-10-09 978-0-8078-5809-7 Telegraph lines were also down south of Jupiter.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=hSdfAAAAIBAJ&pg=1110%2C3375280 Tropical Hurricane Sweeps Cuba and Florida 1906-10-19 Providence News-Democrat 2011-10-08 thumb|About 135 workers on the Florida East Coast Railway were killed from the hurricane The effects of the hurricane were most severe on the Florida East Coast Railway, where at least 135 people died, 104 of them on Houseboat No. 4, one of the railway's boats.104 Men Drowned on Florida Houseboat 1906-10-23 The New York Times Mobile, Alabama Many of the workers were swept to sea on barges and flatboats;Longshore David Encyclopedia of hurricanes, typhoons, and cyclones Facts on File, Inc. 2008 3rd 978-0-8160-6295-9 https://books.google.com/books?id=8kXwskQHBLoC&q=hurricane%201906&pg=PA191 2011-10-09 however, the steamer Jenny rescued 42 workers, who were dropped off at Key West, while another 24 were sent to Savannah, Georgia. The railway's losses totaled about $200,000. Construction was disrupted for a whole year by the storm, as equipment was reassembled and repaired.Norcross Bryan Hurricane Almanac: The Essential Guide to Storms Past, Present, and Future St. Martin's Press June 2007 978-0-312-37152-4 https://books.google.com/books?id=8KWS6NgGLksC&q=hurricane%201906&pg=PA44 2011-10-09 Many farmers on the Florida Keys suffered large losses; orange groves and fields of pineapples were devastated by the storm. Six people died on plantations in the Keys. At the government wharf, the Fessenden was damaged during the hurricane.https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=3PhCAAAAIBAJ&pg=4008%2C6989632 The Hurricane in Havana 1906-10-21 The Telegraph-Herald 2011-10-09 Aftermath Following the hurricane, all workers of the Florida East Coast Railway were provided with wooden barracks on land,Bramson Seth Speedway to sunshine: the story of the Florida East Coast Railway Boston Mills Press 2003 3rd 1-55046-358-6 https://books.google.com/books?id=S_l2TR6eyYMC&q=hurricane%201906&pg=PA70 2011-10-09Williams Joy Carawan Robert The Florida Keys: a history & guide Random House Trade Paperbacks 2003 978-0-307-76381-5 https://books.google.com/books?id=o-oWuOV8PkAC&q=1906%20hurricane%20florida&pg=PT60 2011-10-10 and several additional safety measures were enforced.Homan Lynn M. Reilly Thomas Key West and the Florida Keys Arcadia Publishing 2006 Postcard History 0-7385-4296-2 https://books.google.com/books?id=97yO0yKHxuQC&q=1906%20hurricane&pg=PA14 2011-10-09 The hurricane eventually led to the end of the commercial production of pineapples in the Florida Keys.Viele John The Florida Keys: A History of the Pioneers Pineapple Press, Inc. 1996 1st 1-56164-101-4 https://books.google.com/books?id=aQ_6HvnB3rkC&q=1906%20hurricane%20florida&pg=PA100 2011-10-10 In 1947, Project Cirrus attempted to use the method of cloud seeding in a hurricane. Approximately 180 lb kg of crushed dry ice were seeded into the 1947 hurricane.Davies Pete Inside the Hurricane: Face to Face with Nature's Deadliest Storms https://archive.org/details/insidehurricanef00davi registration Henry Holt and Company 2000 0-8050-6574-1 The system was successfully seeded; however, soon after the seeding, the hurricane changed course and traced toward Charleston, South Carolina. Following the seeding, the project was cancelled and numerous lawsuits were filed as the result of the sudden change of the path in the storm. However, the similar path of this hurricane prevented the success of the lawsuits.Whipple A.B.C. Storm https://archive.org/details/storm00whip registration Time-Life Books 1982 0-8094-4312-0 See also Tropical cyclones List of Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes List of Florida hurricanes (1900–1949) Florida East Coast Railway Footnotes "note" References External links Monthly Weather Review Atlantic Hurricane Database 24.5658 -81.7618 type:event_globe:earth_region:US-FL title Category:1900s Atlantic hurricane seasons Category:Category 3 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Hurricanes in Barbados Category:Hurricanes in Costa Rica Category:Hurricanes in Cuba Category:Hurricanes in Florida Category:Hurricanes in Nicaragua Florida Keys hurricane Category:1906 natural disasters in the United States Category:Meteorological events in 1906