1885 Atlantic hurricane season

Series of hurricanes throughout 1885 Atl 1885 1885 Atlantic hurricane season summary.png August 7, 1885 October 13, 1885 Two 90 953 1 8 6 0 29 1.806 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886, 1887 The 1885 Atlantic hurricane season produced eight tropical cyclones, fifth of which made landfall in the United States. Overall, the season featured two tropical storms and six hurricanes in the Atlantic basin, none of which intensified into a major hurricane.A major hurricane is a storm that ranks as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale.Hurricane Research Division; Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration May 2024 North Atlantic Hurricane Basin (1851-2023) Comparison of Original and Revised HURDAT February 14, 2025 http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/comparison_table.html Miami, Florida "nb" However, in the absence of modern satellite monitoring and remote-sensing technologies, only storms that affected populated land areas or encountered ships at sea were recorded, so the actual total could be higher. An undercount bias of zero to six tropical cyclones per year between 1851 and 1885 and zero to four per year between 1886 and 1910 has been estimated.Hurricanes and Typhoons: Past, Present and Future The Atlantic hurricane database re-analysis project: Documentation for the 1851–1910 alterations and additions to the HURDAT database Landsea Christopher W. Murname, Richard J. Liu, Kam-biu 2004 Columbia University Press New York City, New York https://www.google.com/books/edition/Hurricanes_and_Typhoons/4jC6ljADbsIC?hl=en&gbpv=1&bsq=1851%201886%20zero 195 0-231-12388-4 February 14, 2025 Reanalysis by meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1996 and the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in the early 21st century did not add or remove any systems from the official hurricane database (HURDAT). However, both modified the tracks of some tropical cyclones. More recently, climate researcher Michael Chenoweth authored a reanalysis study, published in 2014, which concluded that the 1885 season featured a total of ten tropical cyclones. This included the removal of the sixth system and the addition of three previously undocumented storms, for a net gain of two cyclones. Chenoweth also proposed some alterations to the track and intensity of each storm, but these changes have yet to be incorporated into HURDAT. On August 7, the season's first system was initially detected to the southeast of Bermuda. Intensifying into a hurricane, the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone far north of the Azores on August 13. The season's most intense cyclone, the second system, peaked as a Category 2 hurricane on the present-day Saffir–Simpson scale. Striking South Carolina on August 15, the storm caused 25 fatalities and more than $1.806 million (1885 USD) in damage.All damage figures are in 1885 USD, unless otherwise noted "nb" Most of the other six cyclones impacted land, including the fourth system, which killed four people beaching a coal barge in Texas. The eighth and final storm produced damage from Florida to Virginia due to strong winds, heavy rains, and rough seas, before becoming extratropical over the latter on October 13. __TOC__ Season summary The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) recognizes eight tropical cyclones for 1885 in the Atlantic basin; two were tropical storms and six were hurricanes, but none of these strengthened into a major hurricane. Five of the systems made landfall in the United States. José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz did not add or remove any cyclones from their 1996 reanalysis, but modified the tracks of first, second, and eighth storms.National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1996 Fernández-Partagás, José A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources: Storms of 1884 - 1886 https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/Partagas/1884-1886/intro_84-86.pdf February 14, 2025 Furthermore, the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in the early 21st century neither adjusted the number of cyclones nor significantly revised the information uncovered by Fernández-Partagás and Diaz. A reanalysis by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, adds three storms and removes one, the sixth system. Chenoweth's study utilizes a more extensive collection of newspapers and ship logs. Additionally, the study also incorporates late 19th century weather maps, unlike previous reanalysis projects. However, Chenoweth's proposals have yet to be incorporated into HURDAT. The first cyclone was initially detected on August 7 to the southeast of Bermuda. Intensifying into a hurricane, the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone far north of the Azores on August 13. Two other storms formed in August, including the season's second, which became the most intense in the basin that year, peaking as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 105 mph (165 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of 953 mbar inHg on on. Striking South Carolina on August 15, the storm led to 25 fatalities and more than $1.806 million in damage, before re-entering the Atlantic and becoming extratropical on August 27 east of Newfoundland. September featured four cyclones, all of which peaked as a Category 1 hurricane. The first of the four, the season's fourth system, killed four people after beaching a coal barge along the coast of Texas, while the sixth cyclone caused flooding in New Orleans, Louisiana, and in Florida at Jacksonville and Pensacola. In October, the eighth and final known storm of the season produced damage from Florida to Virginia due to strong winds, heavy rains, and rough seas. The system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 13 over Virginia. The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 58, the lowest total since 1876. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have higher values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included in the metric. Systems Hurricane One Atl 1885 Atlantic hurricane 1 track.png August 7 August 13 80 ≤ 975 A brig known as Lilian first encountered this storm to the southeast of Bermuda on August 7.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 22. Consequently, the Atlantic hurricane database begins the track on that date about 500 mi km on 5 northeast of the Leeward Islands. Initially a tropical storm, it moved north-northeastward and strengthened into a hurricane on August 8, based on ships recording barometric pressures around 990 mbar inHg on.Landsea, Christopher W. etal May 2015 Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT National Hurricane Center Hurricane Research Division http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_master.html#1885_1 December 3, 2024 The system turned to the northeast by August 10, passing to the south of Newfoundland and likely peaking with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h), as the bark King County observed barometric pressures as low as 975 mbar inHg on.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 23. The hurricane weakened over the north Atlantic Ocean, falling to tropical storm intensity on August 13 and becoming extratropical on the following day. Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth's 2014 study argued that this system developed on July 30 to the south of the Cabo Verde Islands as a tropical depression. Additionally, the storm reached hurricane status about 30 hours earlier than HURDAT indicates. Hurricane Two Atl Hurricane Two weather map, August 25, 1885.jpg August 21 August 27 90 ≤ 953 1885 Atlantic hurricane 2 track.png Although observations prior to August 23 could not be located,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 28. HURDAT begins the track of this storm approximately 185 mi km on 5 north of Puerto Rico on August 21, based on a 1993 reanalysis led by C. J. Neumann. The tropical storm moved generally westward and crossed the southern Bahamas, until curving north-northwestward while passing just west of Andros between August 22 and August 23. After intensifying into a hurricane early on August 24, the cyclone passed very close to Florida, including just over 10 mi km on 5 east of Jupiter Island at 06:00 UTC. The storm then curved northeastward early the next day, hours prior to making landfall on Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Based on a pressure observation of 974 mbar inHg on on, the cyclone was likely a Category 2 hurricane with winds of 105 mph (165 km/h). The hurricane passed across North Carolina just west of Wilmington and Hatteras, near where it re-emerged into the Atlantic early on August 26. Although the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane, it re-intensified into a 105 mph (165 km/h) Category 2 hurricane, based on the bark Harold recording a barometric pressure of 958 mbar inHg on.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 27. Late on August 27, the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about 290 mi km on east of Newfoundland, and continued northeastward until dissipating late the next day. Chenoweth argued that this storm actually developed on August 22 and moved northwestward, mostly avoiding the Bahamas but passing close to the Abaco Islands. The study also suggested that the cyclone attained hurricane on August 24, but weakened to a Category 2 hurricane before making landfall in North Carolina. In Florida, abnormally high tides and "high winds pummeled the coast" according to Jay Barnes,Barnes (1998), p. 72. with a sustained wind speed of 60 mph (95 km/h) and hurricane-force wind gusts in Jacksonville.https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/history/index.html Sandrik, Al Landsea, Christopher W. May 2003 Chronological Listing of Tropical Cyclones affecting North Florida and Coastal Georgia 1565-1899 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Weather Service Jacksonville, Florida October 2, 2024 Nearby, winds destroyed a hotel, while many buildings and boats suffered significant damage in Fernandina Beach.https://www.newspapers.com/article/york-democratic-press/156401974/ The Storm in Florida August 28, 1885 York Press October 2, 2024 Newspapers.com The storm disrupted attempts to settle present-day Cocoa Beach, with waves flooding many homesteads. Nearby, severe erosion occurred in the vicinity of the Cape Canaveral Lighthouse, prompting an effort to move the lighthouse about 1 mi km on farther inland. Sustained winds in Georgia reached 56 mph km/h on on Tybee Island. About $1.69 million in damage occurred in Charleston, South Carolina. In North Carolina, an anemometer at Smithville (modern-day Southport) measured a 5-minute sustained wind speed of 98 mph km/h on before being destroyed. The storm caused considerable damage at Wilmington, Smithville, and Morehead City. The value of this damage was estimated at $100,000.Hudgins, James E. 2000 Tropical cyclones affecting North Carolina since 1586 - An Historical Perspective National Weather Service Blacksburg, Virginia National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 15 https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/6403 October 2, 2024 Heavy rain and flooding were also seen across Maryland. At Ellicott City, lightning set fire to a residence, causing about $16,000 in damage.July 16, 2001 Roth, David M. Cobb, Hugh Virginia Hurricane History National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration October 2, 2024 http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/valate19hur.htm https://web.archive.org/web/20080108155833/http://www.hpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/roth/valate19hur.htm January 8, 2008 live In total, the hurricane caused 25 deaths,Rappaport, Edward N. Fernández-Partagás, José The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492–1996: Cyclones with 25+ deaths National Hurricane Center 1996 http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastdeadlyapp1.shtml? October 2, 2024 with 21 of those occurring in South Carolina.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 26. Tropical Storm Three Atl Tropical Storm Three weather map, August 29, 1885.jpg August 29 August 31 50 1885 Atlantic tropical storm 3 track.png The Monthly Weather Review noted that this cyclone was first observed over the western Gulf of Mexico on August 29 but notes that "the center could not be definitely placed until the morning of Aug. 30". Nevertheless, the official track begins on the former date approximately 245 mi km on east-southeast of the mouth of the Rio Grande. After initially moving northwestward, it moved quickly to the northeast and made landfall on extreme southeastern Louisiana shortly before 12:00 UTC on August 30 as a 60 mph (95 km/h) tropical storm. Approximately 11 hours later, the cyclone made another landfall near Panama City Beach, Florida. The cyclone emerged into the Atlantic near Brunswick, Georgia, on August 31 and was last noted later that day. Parts of the Gulf Coast and Southeastern United States regions experienced high winds and heavy rains, though the Monthly Weather Review that "the storm would have been thought quite severe if it had not been brought into such close contact with its predecessor." The 2014 study by Chenoweth argued that the cyclone did not strike Louisiana and dissipated over coastal South Carolina on August 31, rather than offshore. Hurricane Four Atl Hurricane Four weather map, September 22, 1885.jpg September 17 September 23 80 973 1885 Atlantic hurricane 4 track.png With Galveston, Texas, experiencing abnormally high tides as early as September 17,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 30. the official track for this cyclone starts approximately 120 mi km on 5 east-northeast of Tuxpan, Veracruz. The storm moved parallel to the coasts of Mexico and Texas, turning northward that day and northeastward on September 19. By the following day, the cyclone accelerated east-northeastward. The system then made landfall near Port Eads, Louisiana, at 03:00 UTC on September 21 and then near Panama City Beach, Florida, about nine hours later, likely possessing sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) at both locations. After emerging into the Atlantic near Kingsland, Georgia, late on September 21, the storm curved northeastward on the following day and intensified into a hurricane. Due to ships recording barometric pressures as low as 973 mbar inHg on, the system is estimated to have peaked with winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) on September 23. Later that day, however, the storm became extratropical just prior to making landfall in southeastern Maine. Chenoweth's 2014 study concluded that this system struck neither Louisiana nor Florida, instead making landfall in Alabama and then turning eastward, dissipating over Georgia on September 30. As the storm moved parallel to Gulf of Mexico coastline, it flooded coastal towns, especially in Texas. Galveston observed more than 6 in mm on of precipitation and coastal flooding. A coal barge Orient washed ashore, causing four deaths. The town of Indianola also experienced coastal flooding and sustained winds up to 45 mi/h km/h on.Roth, David M. National Weather Service Camp Springs, Maryland 23 February 4, 2010 Texas Hurricane History January 22, 2025 http://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf PDF Several coastal cities of Gulf Coast and Southeastern United States regions reported heavy precipitation. The storm produced gales in Massachusetts, damaging many telegraph wires.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-boston-globe/163644084/ Gales on The Coast September 23, 1885 1 The Boston Daily Globe January 22, 2025 Newspapers.com Damage to vessels and shipping occurred along the coast of Nova Scotia, including in Halifax and Lunenburg. Additionally, the cyclone prostrated telegraph wires and destroyed many bridges.https://www.newspapers.com/article/telegraph-journal/163644328/ September 24, 1885 Gale in Nova Scotia 3 The Daily Telegraph Saint John, New Brunswick January 22, 2025 Newspapers.com Hurricane Five Atl 1885 Atlantic hurricane 5 track.png September 18 September 21 70 ≤ 999 The steamship Sirius recorded a barometric pressure of 999 mbar inHg on in a storm east of the Leeward Islands on September 18,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 31. leading to the official track beginning about 400 mi km on 5 east-northeast of Barbados. Moving slowly northwestward, the tropical storm intensified into a hurricane on September 19 and peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h), based on the Sirius reporting winds "blowing a hurricane", according to the Monthly Weather Review. Thereafter, the cyclone moved generally northward and was last noted on September 21 about 610 mi km on 5 southeast of Bermuda. Chenoweth's study indicated that this storm moved northwestward until September 23, when it began moving northeastward. After becoming extratropical offshore Massachusetts early that day, the remnants crossed Atlantic Canada before dissipating over Labrador on September 24. Hurricane Six Atl Hurricane Six weather map, September 27, 1885.jpg September 24 October 2 70 1885 Atlantic hurricane 6 track.png The Monthly Weather Review reported the existence of this storm beginning on September 24.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 32. Drifting north-northwestward, the cyclone struck Louisiana's Chandeleur Islands late on September 26 as a strong tropical storm. Early the next day, the system struck near Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and then turned eastward. Using a model created by meteorologists John Kaplan and Mark DeMaria, the storm is estimated to have weakened to a tropical depression over the Florida Panhandle on September 29. Early on October 1, the depression emerged into the Atlantic near Jacksonville and quickly re-intensified into a tropical storm as it turned northeastward. Observations from the ship Lone Star indicate that the storm strengthened into a hurricane on October 2, peaking with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). However, the storm was last noted that day roughly 75 mi km on 5 east of Salvo, North Carolina. Chenoweth's 2014 study argued that the Gulf of Mexico portion of the track of this storm should be deleted from HURDAT and the remaining path to be reclassified as extratropical.Chenoweth Michael https://journals.ametsoc.org/view/journals/clim/27/23/jcli-d-13-00771.1.xml?tab_body=supplementary-materials A New Compilation of North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1851–98 Journal of Climate December 2014 27 12 10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00771.1 American Meteorological Society 2014JCli...27.8674C free April 29, 2024 subscription The storm dropped heavy rainfall over the Gulf Coast of the United States, especially between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Pensacola, Florida. Parts of the former flooded, while a section of the Louisville and Nashville Railroad was closed.https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-globe-democrat/163882605/ The New Orleans Floods September 28, 1885 St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat 4 January 25, 2025 Newspapers.com Farther east, Jacksonville, Florida, recorded at least 13 in mm on of precipitation during a 96-hour period. Consequently, floods occurred across the First Coast region, disrupting traffic along five out of six railroads and damaging numerous bridges, country roads, and docks, as well as some private property.https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-savannah-morning-news/163882753/ Deluges Far and Near September 30, 1885 Savannah Morning News 1 January 25, 2025 Newspapers.com Strong winds impacted the coasts of the Carolinas, including gusts of 70 mph (110 km/h) at Charleston, South Carolina.https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/excelfiles_centerfix/1885/STORM6.XLS 1885 Storm 6 Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration .XLS January 25, 2025 Hurricane Seven Atl 1885 Atlantic hurricane 7 track.png September 26 September 29 80 982 Although no observations for this storm exist prior to September 28,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 33. the official track begins about 600 mi km on 5 northeast of the Leeward Islands, based on the 1993 reanalysis led by C. J. Neumann. Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone intensified into a hurricane by September 29 and peaked with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) at 12:00 UTC, with the ship Mistletoe observing a barometric pressure of 982 mbar inHg on. However, the system was last noted later that day about 190 mi km on 5 south of Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Chenoweth's 2014 study theorized that the cyclone formed on September 23 but moved much slower. The storm also held hurricane status from September 26 to September 28, weakening instead of strengthening on September 29 and dissipating that day. Tropical Storm Eight Atl Tropical Storm Eight weather map, October 12, 1885.jpg October 10 October 14 60 988 1885 Atlantic tropical storm 8 track.png Despite no record of this storm in Cuba, the Atlantic hurricane database initiated the track on October 10 in the far southeastern Gulf of Mexico, matching Neumann's 1993 reanalysis.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 35. After moving north-northwestward for about 24 hours, the cyclone turned northeastward on the following day and made landfall between Horseshoe Beach and Suwannee, Florida, around 22:00 UTC, with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). Cedar Key recorded a barometric pressure of 988 mbar inHg on. By October 13, the storm transitioned into an extratropical over central Virginia and persisted until dissipating over western New York early the next day. The 2014 study by Chenoweth suggested that this cyclone instead developed north of the Yucatán Channel as a tropical depression and dissipated over northern Virginia. In Florida, Cedar Key reported sustained winds of 48 mph km/h on. Abnormally high tides generated by these winds flooded wharves and roads.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 34. A washout occurred along a branch of the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway between Jacksonville, Florida, and Waycross, Georgia.https://www.newspapers.com/article/st-louis-globe-democrat/163962317/ Florida Storm-Swept October 13, 1885 St. Louis Daily Globe-Democrat 8 January 26, 2025 Newspapers.com Heavy rains over eastern Georgia caused the Savannah River to rise significantly at Savannah, damaging railroads in that part of the state.Atmospheric Pressure Monthly Weather Review October 1885 13 10 248 10.1175/1520-0493(1885)13[245b:AP]2.0.CO;2 https://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/013/mwr-013-10-0245b.pdf January 26, 2025 1885MWRv...13R.245. free https://web.archive.org/web/20170429155217/https://docs.lib.noaa.gov/rescue/mwr/013/mwr-013-10-0245b.pdf April 29, 2017 Gales of 44-56 mph km/h on occurred along the North Carolina coast. High tides coincided with the storm's passage, inundating parts of New Bern and Smithville (present-day Southport), with floodwaters entering a few stores in the latter. The cyclone also wrecked a schooner at Hatteras Inlet. In Virginia, high winds damaged structures in Norfolk, especially unfinished buildings. Observers in Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut also reported elevated winds and tides. Other storms Chenoweth proposed three other storms not currently listed in HURDAT. The first such system formed over the eastern Caribbean on October 7. Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone crossed the Virgin Islands as a tropical depression. On October 12, the system intensified into a tropical storm and turned eastward. Thereafter, the storm executed a cyclonic loop and then moved northeastward before dissipating on October 18. That same day, an extratropical cyclone transitioned into a tropical storm over the eastern Atlantic south of the Azores. For approximately nine days, the storm moved erratically and fluctuated between tropical storm and tropical depression status before dissipating on October 27. Chenoweth's third and final proposed cyclone developed on November 8 just east of the Windward Islands. Moving northwestward, the system turned north-northeastward on November 10, before dissipating that day. Season effects This is a table of all of the known storms that have formed in the 1885 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, landfall, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1885 USD. 1885 North Atlantic tropical cyclone center cat1 One August 7–13 90 (150) ≤975 None None None cat2 Two August 21–27 105 (165) ≤953 Bahamas, Southeastern United States (South Carolina) >$1.806 million 25 storm Three August 29–31 60 (95) Unknown Southeastern United States (Louisiana and Florida) Unknown None cat1 Four September 17–23 90 (150) 973 Gulf Coast of Mexico, Gulf Coast of the United States (Louisiana and Florida), East Coast of the United States, Atlantic Canada Unknown 4 cat1 Five September 18–21 80 (130) ≤999 None None None cat1 Six September 24 – October 2 80 (130) Unknown Southeastern United States (Louisiana and Mississippi) Unknown None cat1 Seven September 26–29 90 (150) 982 None None None storm Eight October 10–13 70 (110) 988 East Coast of the United States (Florida) Unknown None 8 August 7 – October 13 105 (165) ≤953 >$1.806 million 29 Notes 30em nb See also Tropical cyclones Atlantic hurricane season Tropical cyclone observation Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project References General Barnes Jay 1998 Florida's Hurricane History University of North Carolina Press Chapel Hill, North Carolina 978-0-8078-4748-0 https://books.google.com/books?id=e0JRAAAAMAAJ October 1, 2024 Barnes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 1996 Fernández-Partagás, José Diaz, Henry F. A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources: Year 1885 October 1, 2024 https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/Landsea/Partagas/1884-1886/1885.pdf Fernández-Partagás External links Monthly Weather Review Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project page for 1885 HURDAT Data for the 1885 Atlantic hurricane season 1880 Atlantic hurricane 1885 Atlantic Hurricane Season, 1885 Category:Articles which contain graphical timelines Category:1880s natural disasters