1916 Texas hurricane

Category 4 Atlantic hurricane August 2019 1916 Texas hurricane Texas hurricane weather map, August 18, 1916.jpg Surface weather analysis of the hurricane near peak intensity as it approaches landfall in Texas on August 18 A map of the hurricane and its isobars in the western Gulf of Mexico 1916 08 12 1916 08 20 115 932 1916 37 (Jamaica: 17, Texas: 20) 11800000 Lesser Antilles Jamaica Cayman Islands Mexico Texas 1916 Atlantic hurricane season The 1916 Texas hurricane was an intense and quick-moving tropical cyclone that caused widespread damage in Jamaica and South Texas in August 1916. A Category 4 hurricane upon landfall in Texas, it was the strongest tropical cyclone to strike the United States in three decades. Throughout its eight-day trek across the Caribbean Sea and Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane caused 37 fatalities and inflicted $11.8 million in damage.All monetary values are in 1916 United States dollars unless otherwise noted. nb Weather observations were limited for most of the storm's history, so much of its growth has been inferred from scant data analyzed by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in 2008. The precursor disturbance organized into a small tropical storm by August 12, shortly before crossing the Lesser Antilles into the Caribbean Sea. The storm skirted the southern coast of Jamaica as a hurricane on August 15, killing 17 people along the way. No banana plantation was left unscathed by the hours-long onslaught of strong winds. Coconut and cocoa trees also sustained severe losses. The southern parishes saw the severest effects, incurring extensive damage to crops and buildings; damage in Jamaica amounted to $10 million (equivalent to $US 10 1916 0 million in US). The storm then traversed the Yucatán Channel into the Gulf of Mexico and intensified further into the equivalent of a major hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale.A major hurricane is a storm that ranks as Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane scale.Goldenburg Stan A3) What is a super-typhoon? What is a major hurricane? What is an intense hurricane? FAQ Frequently Asked Questions http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/A3.html June 1, 2018 Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory August 2, 2019 4.11 https://web.archive.org/web/20060615212545/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html June 15, 2006 live "nb" On the evening of August 16, the hurricane struck southern Texas near Baffin Bay with winds of 130 mph km/h on. Buildings were razed at many coastal cities, the worst impacts being felt in Corpus Christi and surrounding communities. Beachfront structures were destroyed by a 9.2 ft m on storm surge. Strong gusts and heavy rainfall spread farther inland across mainly rural sectors of southern Texas, damaging towns and their outlying agricultural districts alike. Railroads and other public utilities were disrupted across the region, with widespread power outages. Eight locations set 24-hour rainfall records; among them was Harlingen, which recorded the storm's rainfall maximum with 6 in mm of precipitation. The deluge wrought havoc on military camps along the Mexico–United States border, forcing 30,000 garrisoned militiamen to evacuate. Aggregate property damage across Texas reached $1.8 million (equivalent to $US 1.8 1916 0 million in US), and 20 people were killed. The hurricane quickly weakened over southwestern Texas and dissipated near New Mexico by August 20. Meteorological history AL06 1916 path.png Map showing the track of the storm, beginning east of the Lesser Antilles and ending over Texas new According to the U.S. Weather Bureau, the 1916 Texas hurricane "followed an average course for the type of August hurricanes that pass through the Yucatán Channel",Weightman Richard Hanson Hurricanes of 1916 and Notes on Hurricanes of 1912–1915 Monthly Weather Review December 1916 44 12 686 10.1175/1520-0493(1916)44<686:HOANOH>2.0.CO;2 American Meteorological Society Boston, Massachusetts 1916MWRv...44..686W free but maintained an unusually brisk forward speed throughout its life.Roth David M. Texas Hurricane History https://origin.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 31, 2019 Camp Springs, Maryland 36–37 February 3, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20180721231821/http://origin.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/research/txhur.pdf July 21, 2018 live A possible precursor disturbance may have originated as early as August 8 near Africa, but observations were inconclusive in determining the formation of a tropical cyclone. The hurricane was first definitively detected as a tropical storm east of Barbados on August 12,Weather Conditions Over the North Atlantic Ocean During August, 1916 Monthly Weather Review August 1917 45 8 429–431 10.1175/1520-0493(1917)45<429:WCOTNA>2.0.CO;2 American Meteorological Society Boston, Massachusetts 1917MWRv...45..429. free based on a 40 mph km/h on wind measurement from a nearby ship.Landsea Chris Anderson Craig Bredemeyer William Carrasco Cristina Charles Noel Chenoweth Michael Clark Gil Delgado Sandy Dunion Jason Ellis Ryan Fernandez-Partagas Jose Feuer Steve Gamanche John Glenn David Hagen Andrew Hufstetler Lyle Mock Cary Neumann Charlie Perez Suarez Ramon Prieto Ricardo Sanchez-Sesma Jorge Santiago Adrian Sims Jamese Thomas Donna Lenworth Woolcock Zimmer Mark Christopher Landsea Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_master.html Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration July 31, 2019 May 2015 Miami, Florida Metadata 1916/06 – 2008 Revision https://web.archive.org/web/20110604063810/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/metadata_master.html June 4, 2011 live There were no other observations of similarly gusty winds or low air pressures over the next three days while the system traced out the southern periphery of the Azores High westward into the eastern Caribbean Sea.Schoner R. W. Molansky S. Rainfall Associated with Hurricanes (And Other Tropical Disturbances) Storms in the South Atlantic Coastal Region 3 https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/TM/NHRP_03_1956.pdf National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration June 23, 2019 Washington, D.C. 100 July 1956 https://web.archive.org/web/20170521100141/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/general/lib/TM/NHRP_03_1956.pdf May 21, 2017 live Steady intensification was inferred during this period by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in 2008, which estimated that the storm strengthened into a hurricane on August 15 while located south of Hispaniola. Concurrently, the hurricane curved slightly towards the west-northwest, bringing it just south of Jamaica that day with winds of 85 mph km/h on.Henry Alfred J. Forecasts and Warnings Monthly Weather Review August 1916 44 8 461–463 10.1175/1520-0493(1916)44<461:FAWFA>2.0.CO;2 ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/mwr/044/mwr-044-08-0461.pdf July 31, 2019 American Meteorological Society Boston, Massachusetts 1916MWRv...44..461H https://web.archive.org/web/20211223003838/ftp://ftp.library.noaa.gov/docs.lib/htdocs/rescue/mwr/044/mwr-044-08-0461.pdf 2021-12-23 dead free Near the Cayman Islands, a vessel recorded 55 mph km/h on winds, ultimately proving to be the strongest offshore winds sampled in connection with the cyclone. Continuing to intensify, the hurricane emerged into the Gulf of Mexico through the Yucatán Channel on the morning of August 17. Weather observations remained scant in the open waters of the Gulf of Mexico, the strongest observed winds being limited to marginal gales. The storm reached major hurricane intensity just north of the Yucatán Peninsula on August 17, and reports on the developing hurricane proliferated as the storm neared the Texas coast. By August 18, the hurricane reached Category 4 intensity in the western Gulf of Mexico; the first outer bands began reaching the coast near Corpus Christi, Texas, early that morning. During the evening hours, the center of the hurricane made landfall near Baffin Bay, Texas, with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph km/h on and a central pressure of 932 mbar (hPa; 27.52 inHg). These parameters made it the strongest hurricane of the 1916 Atlantic hurricane season. In terms of pressure, the 1916 Texas hurricane was stronger than any other landfalling tropical cyclone in the United States since 1886.Landsea Christopher E23) What is the complete list of U.S. continental landfalling hurricanes? FAQ Frequently Asked Questions https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E23.html 2018 Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory July 19, 2019 4.11 April 2, 2019 https://web.archive.org/web/20190402054900/https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/E23.html live It was larger than average upon landfall, with a 29 mi km on radius of maximum wind. Neither the strongest winds nor lowest pressure were directly measured, and were instead extrapolated from peripheral data by the hurricane reanalysis project using storm surge modelling and pressure to wind relationships. Several other researchers in the 20th century made similar analyses of the landfall, all concluding that Texas was impacted by a major hurricane. Weakening ensued as the storm quickly progressed farther inland and into West Texas; by August 19, the system was a weakening tropical depression, opening into a trough of low pressure the following day near the border between Texas and New Mexico within the valley of the Pecos River. Preparations and impact Caribbean Sea thumb|Surface weather map of the hurricane approaching Jamaica on August 15 Crossing the Lesser Antilles from August 12 to 13, the developing tropical cyclone produced breezy conditions; sustained winds peaked at 25 mph km/h on on Antigua and reached low-end tropical storm intensity offshore. In San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago, a station recorded 0.42 in mm on of rain from the passing disturbance.Observations for 1916 Storm #6 https://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/excelfiles_centerfix/191606.xls Raw Tropical Storm/Hurricane Observations Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory July 31, 2019 Miami, Florida XLS 2008 https://web.archive.org/web/20170711190219/http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd//hurdat/excelfiles_centerfix/191606.xls July 11, 2017 live A warning noting the likelihood of hurricane-force winds was issued for the Yucatán Channel near Cuba's Guanahacabibes Peninsula on August 16.Hurricane Headed Towards Texas https://www.newspapers.com/clip/891095/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 20, 2014 The Charlotte Observer August 16, 1916 Charlotte, North Carolina 1 Newspapers.com https://web.archive.org/web/20140823105126/http://www.newspapers.com/clip/891095/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 23, 2014 live Maritime traffic was briefly halted before being allowed to resume course to Cuban and Central American ports.Tropical Storm Expected https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34464081/ August 1, 2019 Winfield Daily Courier Associated Press 113 63 August 18, 1916 Winfield, Kansas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004729/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34464081/winfield-daily-courier/ live The hurricane dealt a heavy blow to Jamaica when the storm passed south of the Crown colony on the night of August 15,Raging Hurricane Struck Kingston After Six O'Clock Last Evening; Fate of Island Generally, Was Not Known Last Night https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-16-1916-1725768/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 189 82 August 16, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195028/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-16-1916-1725768/ live killing seventeen people and leaving thousands homeless.History of Hurricanes and Floods in Jamaica https://www.nlj.gov.jm/history-notes/History%20of%20Hurricanes%20and%20Floods%20in%20Jamaica.pdf National Library of Jamaica August 1, 2019 Kingston, Jamaica 4 n.d. https://web.archive.org/web/20190713094001/http://www.nlj.gov.jm/history-notes/History%20of%20Hurricanes%20and%20Floods%20in%20Jamaica.pdf July 13, 2019 live Although the U.S. Weather Bureau did not indicate a landfall, reporting from The Daily Gleaner suggested that the storm's calm eye passed over Kingston and at least four of the island's southern parishes. Damage was consequently heaviest in the southern half of Jamaica, though some crops across the northern parishes were also affected; the overall damage toll was estimated at $10 millionTerrific Storm in Jamaica https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34462075/ August 1, 2019 Stevens Point Daily Journal August 16, 1916 Stevens Point, Wisconsin 6 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905194916/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34462075/stevens-point-journal/ live (equivalent to $US 10 1916 0 million in US).US Among Jamaica's crops, banana cultivations were the most severely impacted; several communities and parishes documented a majority loss of their bananas, especially on the eastern half of the island.3 According to the American consulate, the entirety of Jamaica's banana crop was damaged to some extent.Jamaica Banana Crop Destroyed https://www.newspapers.com/clip/891057/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 20, 2014 The Evening Dispatch August 17, 1916 Wilmington, North Carolina 1 Newspapers.com 22 Associated Press https://web.archive.org/web/20140823105124/http://www.newspapers.com/clip/891057/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 23, 2014 live In Bath, the storm was the most devastating since the 1903 Jamaica hurricane. The eastern banana-growing belt was thoroughly ruined;Heavy Loss Sustained Around Bath District https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-18-1916-1726458/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 191 82 August 18, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195031/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-18-1916-1726458/ live five thousand mature banana trees were toppled before the storm's closest approach to Bath, accounting for a near-total loss of the fruit there.News of Storm The Daily Gleaner 188 82 August 15, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1 NewspaperArchive.com Sugar plantations also suffered greatly, as did coconut and cocoa trees in Portland Parish.Great Hurricane Struck and Devastated Every Part of the Island: Relief Steps by State https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-18-1916-1726458/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 191 82 August 18, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1, 3 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195031/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-18-1916-1726458/ live1 An estimated 30–50 percent of the cocoa crop was damaged.Damage by Hurricane in Jamaica https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34463268/ August 1, 2019 The Manchester Guardian August 21, 1916 London, England 6 Newspapers.com Winds peaked at 80 mph km/h on during the evening hours of August 15 in Bowden, cutting telegraph communications and damaging many buildings and banana trees.Jamaica Swept by a Hurricane on Tuesday, & Banana Industry is Crippled for Months to Come https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725772/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 190 82 August 17, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1, 3 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195029/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725772/ live 1 Several hours of gusty winds downed telegraph lines and fruit trees of all varieties throughout Saint Thomas Parish.Heavy Damage in St. Thomas-Ye-Vale https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725774/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 191 82 August 16, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 3 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195028/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725774/ live Homes were unroofed and displaced in Annotto Bay, constituting most of the property damage there.1 Heavy rainfall caused the Dry, Johnson, and Yallahs rivers to rise above their banks, washing over bridges and rendering them impassable.First News From Four Paths https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725774/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 190 82 August 17, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 3 NewspaperArchive.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195028/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725774/ live 3 Communications between Kingston and other parishes were cut off for 48 hours after intense winds brought down telegraph and telephone lines,Banana Crop Destroyed by Hurricane https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34463217/ August 1, 2019 The Austin American 80 5 Austin, Texas 2 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195029/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34463217/the-austin-american/ live making the dissemination of damage reports in Jamaica increasingly difficult. The strongest sustained winds reached 72 mph km/h on in Kingston, attended by higher gusts estimated at 85 mph km/h on.1 One station in Kingston measured 1.56 in mm on of precipitation. Power was lost after falling trees struck critical electric wires, halting streetcars.1 One woman was killed after being electrocuted by a falling electric wire.3 Kingston was left in darkness overnight, prompting police to warn pedestrians to vacate the city streets.1 Most of the damage inflicted on property in Kingston and lower Saint Andrew Parish was minor and confined to the most vulnerable structures.1 Homes, fences, and signs were damaged in both residential and commercial districts of the metropolis. At wharves along the coast, iron-sheet roofs were torn away from lumber sheds.Damage From Royal Mail https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725776/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 190 82 August 17, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 3 NewspaperArchive.com August 6, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200806000835/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-17-1916-1725776/ live Debris littered roads, and in one case, a house was blown onto a highway. Rough surf generated by the strong winds sank or grounded vessels and lighters on the shores of Kingston Harbour,Hurricane Strikes Jamaica https://www.newspapers.com/clip/890981/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 20, 2014 The Wilmington Morning Star August 16, 1916 Wilmington, North Carolina 1 Newspapers.com 98 147 https://web.archive.org/web/20140823105122/http://www.newspapers.com/clip/890981/1916_texas_hurricane/ August 23, 2014 live with one wreck resulting in two fatalities. Substantial losses befell crops in Saint Catherine Parish, including severe damage to banana trees between Kingston and Spanish Town. Damage was also wrought to coconut trees and other large trees in the region. In the hurricane's aftermath, the colonial government planned to assist growers in re-establishing damaged crops, and also allocated £21,000 to relief efforts.Hurricane Ruins Crops in Jamaica https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34463520/ August 1, 2019 The Van Nuys News 52 5 August 25, 1916 Van Nuys, California 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004729/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34463520/the-van-nuys-news/ live 4 Owing to the widespread damage to banana crops, the reduced demand for rail service and subsequent cuts in revenue forced the Jamaica Railway Corporation to downsize.The Railway https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-21-1916-1726503/ May 8, 2020 The Daily Gleaner 193 82 August 21, 1916 Kingston, Jamaica 1 NewspaperArchive.com August 6, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200806000926/https://newspaperarchive.com/disaster-clipping-aug-21-1916-1726503/ live Texas + Effects of the 1916 Texas hurricane by Texas communityCorpus Christi in Path https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34477085/ August 1, 2019 L'Observateur 33 4 August 26, 1916 Reserve, Louisiana 2 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004749/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34477085/lobservateur/ live Location DamageAlice100000 $100,000Aransas Pass150000 $150,000Corpus Christi500000 $500,000Kingsville100000 $100,000Rockport75000 $75,000San Diego50000 $50,000Rio Grande Valley(several towns)300000 $300,000Other areas500000 $500,000Total$1.8 million left|thumb|Storm surge damage from the hurricane General information on the hurricane's location and movement for American interests was first issued by the United States Weather Bureau on the morning of August 13, based on information from Saint Kitts.Gulf Warned That a Storm is Coming https://www.newspapers.com/clip/890887/ July 31, 2019 Arkansas City Traveler Associated Press 123 32 August 14, 1916 Arkansas City, Kansas 1 Newspapers.com Alerts to vessels in the path of the storm prompted 20 steamers to anchor in New Orleans, Louisiana. Due to the storm's initially small size and the lack of data concerning it, the Weather Bureau lamented that "the location of the center of the storm was [...] a very unsatisfactory matter", as was the case with two other tropical cyclones monitored by the agency in the same month. On August 18, as the storm neared Texas landfall, hurricane warnings were first issued, advising coastal residents from Cameron County northward to Calhoun County by telegraph and telephone of the hurricane's imminent approach. Anticipating the hurricane's effects, prices closed 7–9 points higher than the previous day at the New Orleans Cotton Exchange and advanced by 10–12 points at the New York Cotton Exchange.Cotton Market https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468520/ August 1, 2019 The Austin Statesman 227 45 August 18, 1916 Austin, Texas 6 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004730/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468520/austin-american-statesman/ live New York Cotton Market https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468997/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post Associated Press 136 31 August 18, 1916 Houston, Texas 11 Newspapers.com Galveston residents evacuated for the mainland via interurban routes and special trains as seas began to rise, filling railcars to capacity;Fearing Tropic Hurricane Galveston People Leave https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469690/ August 1, 2019 The Anniston Evening Star International News Service 251 34 August 18, 1916 Anniston, Alabama 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004811/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469690/the-anniston-star/ live in total, thousands of people evacuated the insular city.Hurricane Hits South https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469587/ August 1, 2019 La Grande Evening Observer 51 16 August 18, 1916 La Grande, Oregon 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004747/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469587/la-grande-observer/ live Another set of Southern Pacific traincars was readied at Seabrook in case more evacuations were required.Houston District Escaped the Fury of Tropical Storm https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34473345/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 137 31 August 19, 1916 Houston, Texas 1–2 Newspapers.com A hundred automobiles were used to escort women and children from vulnerable sections of Corpus Christi to the safer buildings of the business district on the afternoon of August 18, finding havens at banks, hotels, schools, and the city hall. However, many city residents did not take precautions in protecting their property, as conventional wisdom held that destructive storms did not affect Corpus Christi. Fearing a repeat of the 1915 Galveston hurricane, some visitors in Galveston headed toward Corpus Christi, only to be caught in the incoming storm. The United States Coast Guard stationed at Brazos Island evacuated summer residents of Padre Island offshore Port Isabel. Nearby ships were brought to the Port Isabel harbor.Summer Residents Leave Padre Island https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468114/ August 1, 2019 The Austin Statesman 227 45 August 18, 1916 Austin, Texas 1 Newspapers.com left vertical 220 Storm damage in Corpus Christi 1916MuchOfCityLostPower.jpg Utility poles downed by the hurricane Much of Corpus Christi was affected by power outages. Building destroyed by the 1916 Texas Hurricane.jpg = A disheveled remains of a wooden building along the coast The waterfront was the city's hardest-hit area. The coastal steamer Pilot Boy sank in the entrance to the harbor at Port Aransas after being battered by the hurricane's rough seas, killing six of her crew. Water levels along the coast of Texas rose, with storm surge heights reaching 9.2 ft m on in Corpus Christi and 4 ft m on in Galveston. Although the surge was attenuated by the hurricane's quick motion, the waves were nonetheless destructive, destroying every pier in Corpus Christi Bay and many boats. A large segment of the Corpus Christi causeway was washed away.Corpus Causeway Gone https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34474708/ August 1, 2019 The Daily Advocate 111 18 August 19, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004748/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34474708/daily-advocate/ live Outhouses and a dwelling at the Aransas Pass Light Station were undermined. Driftwood was strewn across the coast of Laguna Madre for the first time in living memory.Price W. Armstrong Hurricanes affecting the coast of Texas from Galveston to Rio Grande March 1956 United States Beach Erosion Board Washington, D.C. A-7 https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31210024971812&view=1up&seq=23 July 31, 2019 Appendix A) Hurricane Chronicle HathiTrust August 6, 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20200806001015/https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uc1.31210024971812&view=1up&seq=23 live The Category 4 hurricane moved ashore near Baffin Bay at 5:00 p.m. CST (22:00 UTC) on August 18, roughly an hour earlier than forecast.Citizens Leaving Galveston Hurriedly https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469367/ August 1, 2019 The Fort Wayne News August 18, 1916 Fort Wayne, Indiana 1 Newspapers.com Damage from the hurricane was inflicted over a wide expanse of southern Texas and maximized along the coast. The cities of Bishop, Kingsville, and Corpus Christi sustained the greatest effects. All Western Union communication lines between San Antonio and Brownsville were severed by 1:30 p.m. CST (18:30 UTC) on August 18, preventing the transmission of early reports from the region and accounting for $50,000 in damage.Storm Strikes the Lower Gulf Coast https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47017124/ March 20, 2020 The Daily Advocate 36 48 August 19, 1916 Paris, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004829/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/47017124/the-paris-morning-news/ live At Corpus Christi, approximately 45 mi km on northeast of the storm's point of landfall,Day P. C. Weather and Data for the Month Monthly Weather Review August 1916 44 8 486–487 10.1175/1520-0493(1916)44<486:TWOTM>2.0.CO;2 American Meteorological Society Boston, Massachusetts 1916MWRv...44..486D free winds reached at least 90 mph km/h on before the observing station's anemometer was knocked out of commission. Thunderstorms and squalls began affecting the city on the morning of August 18, preceding the onset of hurricane-force winds that evening; light winds prevailed by August 20. Damage was inflicted upon most buildings in the city. Summer cottages were destroyed and the business district incurred thousands of dollars in damage after it was entirely flooded.Heavy Wind Made Wreckage of the Soldiers Camps https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472732/ August 1, 2019 The Austin Statesman 228 45 August 19, 1916 Austin, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004832/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472732/austin-american-statesman/ live Many salt cedar plants were blown down. The waterfront area endured the worst effects, including the destruction of all wharves and their ancillary buildings. All bathing pavilions collapsed and a pleasure pier was left in ruins.Storm Leaves Ruin in Path as Moves Inland https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34470859/ August 1, 2019 Waxahachie Daily Light 127 24 August 19, 1916 Waxahachie, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004733/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34470859/the-waxahachie-daily-light/ live Much of a coastal apartment compound was reduced to rubble floating in the Corpus Christi Bay.1 Corpus Christi also lost electricity during the storm, putting the city lights and other services out of commission.Summer Resorts on Gulf Coast Hit by West Indies Storm Associated Press https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34473272/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 137 31 August 19, 1916 Houston, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004733/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34473272/the-houston-post/ live Conservative estimates placed financial losses for the city between $250,000–$500,000Storm Not as Bad as Feared https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34476310/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 1–2 Newspapers.com "Storm Not as Bad as Feared", p. 1 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004834/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34476310/the-houston-post/ December 23, 2021 "Not Loss of Life Reported at Texas Coast Points", p. 2 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004834/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34476354/the-houston-post/ December 23, 2021 1 (equivalent to $US 0.25 1916 c–US 0.5 1916 c million in US),US and three people drowned along the immediate coast. thumb|Debris scattered at the beaches in the wake of the hurricane The nearby communities of Aransas Pass and Rockport sustained "considerable" damage. Nearly every building was affected and many were destroyed in Rockport, including the city hall.Rockport and Aransas Pass Were Also Hard Hit by Friday's Hurricane https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34496763/ August 2, 2019 The Daily Advocate 112 18 August 21, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004734/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34496763/daily-advocate/ live Many of Port Aransas's frame buildings, piers, and other coastal structures fell victim to the rough seas.Port and Aransas Pass Badly Damaged https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34497137/ August 2, 2019 Corpus Christi Caller 224 18 August 22, 1916 Corpus Christi, Texas 2 Newspapers.com September 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210923235021/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34497137// live Small shipping interests were hurt in Port Lavaca, particularly the fish and oyster industry. Waterfront homes in the port city were destroyed.Corpus Christi Struck by Storm the Hardest; Downtown Under Water https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34474861/ August 1, 2019 The Daily Advocate 111 18 August 19, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004755/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34474861/daily-advocate/ live Port O'Connor and surrounding locales were impacted by 75 mph km/h on winds that damaged numerous homes and dislodged the roof of a hotel. Strong winds also forced the sea inland, grounding boats and submerging the nearby grounds of the Epworth League in Seadrift.Port O'Connor Damaged by High Tide and Wind; Seadrift Also Suffers https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475146/ August 1, 2019 The Daily Advocate 111 18 August 19, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004755/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475146/daily-advocate/ live A relief train was sent from Austwell to Port O'Connor to evacuate storm-stricken residents.Relief Train Up at Bloomington Because of Sixteen-Hour Law https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475286/ August 1, 2019 The Daily Advocate 111 18 August 19, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com Bay View College in Portland permanently closed following damage to its buildings.Guthrie Keith Bay View College https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/kbb03 Handbook of Texas Online Texas State Historical Association August 10, 2019 Austin, Texas June 12, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20190810201739/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/kbb03 August 10, 2019 live Intense winds in Kingsville unroofed homes and businesses.Marooned Passengers from Storm-Swept Section Arrive https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495625/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 3 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004755/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495625/the-houston-post/ live A city garage's collapse crushed several cars beneath.Allison Pat Kingsville Images of America 2011 Arcadia Publishing Charleston, South Carolina 978-0-7385-8482-9 44–46 https://books.google.com/books?id=3QBaJ720-20C&q=%221916%22+hurricane+texas+-wiki&pg=PA45 July 31, 2019 Season of Problems Google Books December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004735/https://books.google.com/books?id=3QBaJ720-20C&q=%221916%22+hurricane+texas+-wiki&pg=PA45 live Governor of Illinois Edward Fitzsimmons Dunne was caught in the storm at Kingsville; he had been inspecting army camps along the Texas–Mexico border in the days before they were ravaged by the storm.Hurricane Thrills Were Experienced by Gov. E. F. Dunne https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475741/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 1 Newspapers.com Every house was damaged and most were destroyed in Riviera, located 15 mi km on south of Kingsville.2 In the nearby resort town of Riviera Beach, the hurricane destroyed all businesses and amenities, as well as most of the residences, resulting in an exodus that led to the resort's demise.Coalson George A. Riviera Beach, TX https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrr24 Handbook of Texas Online Texas State Historical Association August 10, 2019 Austin, Texas June 15, 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20190810201736/https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/hrr24 August 10, 2019 live Farther north in Galveston, the hurricane produced 50 mph km/h on winds that destroyed two homes.Texas Again Threatened by Tropical Storm https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468883/ August 1, 2019 The Bryan Daily Eagle Associated Press 197 30 August 18, 1916 Bryan, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004756/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34468883/the-eagle/ live thumb|Storm rainfall totals in Texas|alt=Isohyet map of rainfall totals Moderate to heavy rains spread across southern Texas both ahead of the storm and to the right of the center's path. There were two foci of heavy rainfall: the first along the coast where a maximum of 6.0 in mm on was reported in Harlingen, and a second borne of orographic lifting in the mountains of southwestern Texas. Eight towns, including Harlingen, set 24-hour rainfall records. Crops were badly injured by the winds and rain, with damage to cotton accounting for most of the financial loss.Kilgore Dan E. Corpus Christi: A Quarter Century of Development, 1900–1925 The Southwestern Historical Quarterly April 1972 75 4 440 Texas State Historical Association Austin, Texas 30236738 About one-third of the cotton crop around Shiner was lost, and in some locations more than half of the pecans were blown off trees.Pecans Damaged by Wind but Cotton Not Badly Hurt https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495533/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 2 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004739/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495533/the-houston-post/ live Cotton Badly Damaged https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495555/the_houston_post/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 2 Newspapers.com https://web.archive.org/web/20190802191454/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495555/the_houston_post/ August 2, 2019 live The storm proved beneficial for cotton harvesting in Victoria County by helping to clear excess foliage.Storm Damage to Cotton is Found Small https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475379/ August 1, 2019 The Daily Advocate 111 18 August 19, 1916 Victoria, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34475379/daily-advocate/ live Many farm buildings and small structures were leveled in Beeville.Corpus Christi Believed to Have Suffered Heavily https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34471266/ August 1, 2019 Waxahachie Daily Light 127 24 August 19, 1916 Waxahachie, Texas 1 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195030/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34471266/the-waxahachie-daily-light/ live In Brownsville, plate glass windows were blown out and fences and trees were toppled.Corpus Christi Isolated From Outside World https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472035/ August 1, 2019 The Marshall Messenger 284 26 August 19, 1916 Marshall, Texas 1 Newspapers.com Some militia camps were also deluged by the heavy rainfall in the Brownsville area,Hurricane https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469891/ August 1, 2019 Santa Cruz News 94 18 August 18, 1916 Santa Cruz, California 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004823/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34469891/santa-cruz-evening-news/ live destroying thousands of dollars' worth of government equipment after perishable munitions were exposed to the elements. Four militiamen were injured after U.S. Army tents were flattened by the storm.Five Inches of Rain https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472482/ August 1, 2019 The Austin Statesman 228 45 August 19, 1916 Austin, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004816/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472482/austin-american-statesman/ live All military encampments in the area were forced to be temporarily abandoned,Destructive Tropical Storm Sweeps Texas Coast Towns https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472944/ August 1, 2019 El Paso Morning Times Associated Press El Paso, Texas 2 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195036/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472944/el-paso-times/ live with 30,000 people seeking refuge in public buildings in Mercedes and Mission.Storm Has Struck Lower Coast https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34473144/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 137 31 August 19, 1916 Houston, Texas 1 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195033/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34473144/the-houston-post/ live Similar damage occurred farther upstream along the Rio Grande Valley in Laredo, where the hurricane tore down small buildings and communication poles.Telephone and Telegraph Poles and Soldier Tents Blown Down https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495871/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 4 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004812/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34495871/the-houston-post/ live Downed wires forced the city to shut down power for most of the municipality.Gulf Storm Swept Corpus Christi Beach But No Loss of Life is Reported So Far https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34496296/ August 2, 2019 Laredo Weekly Times 10 36 August 20, 1916 Laredo, Texas 12 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195031/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34496296/laredo-weekly-times/ live Although damage was widespread, its overall magnitude along the Rio Grande remained slight.Only Slight Damage Done Along the Rio Grande https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34471600/ August 1, 2019 Waxahachie Daily Light 127 24 August 19, 1916 Waxahachie, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004800/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34471600/the-waxahachie-daily-light/ live Sections of the San Antonio and Aransas Pass Railway and International–Great Northern Railroad were put out of commission, the former left mangled and obstructed by debris.All States Troops Are Reported Safe https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34471442/ August 1, 2019 Waxahachie Daily Light 127 24 August 19, 1916 Waxahachie, Texas 1 Newspapers.com Other trains in the region were delayed by 12–18 hours, and the total cost of damage to railroads and other public utilities exceeded $300,000Railroads Were Badly Damaged by Friday's Storm https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34476037/ August 1, 2019 The Houston Post 138 31 August 20, 1916 Houston, Texas 1 Newspapers.com September 5, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20210905195031/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34476037/the-houston-post/ live (equivalent to $US 3 1916 0 c million in US).US Over a thousand workers were dispatched by the afflicted railroad companies to repair the railways. Wind damage was documented as far inland as Montell in Uvalde County where frame homes were damaged and windmills collapsed. Strong winds and intermittent rainfall extended into the Austin area,Heavy Wind Felt Throughout Austin https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472308/ August 1, 2019 Austin American International News Service 80 5 August 19, 1916 Austin, Texas 1 Newspapers.com while 68 mph km/h on winds swept through San Antonio.Mexico Gets the Storm https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472618/ August 1, 2019 The Austin Statesman 228 45 August 19, 1916 Austin, Texas 1 Newspapers.com December 23, 2021 https://web.archive.org/web/20211223004754/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/34472618/austin-american-statesman/ live In total, twenty people were killed in Texas, and damage to property was estimated at $1.8 million (equivalent to $US 1.8 1916 0 million in US).US See also Tropical cyclones List of Texas hurricanes (1900–1949) Hurricane Bret (1999) – quickly intensified in the western Gulf of Mexico before making landfall on a relatively unpopulated extent of the Texas coast 1919 Florida Keys hurricane – deadly tropical cyclone that devastated areas of the Florida Keys and Texas, particularly in the Corpus Christi area Hurricane Allen – struck southern Texas after tracking across the Caribbean Sea Hurricane Beulah – a Category 5 hurricane which moved through the Yucatán Peninsula before striking southern Texas Notes nb References External links Images of America: Corpus Christi by Scott Williams The storm's entry in the International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship https://web.archive.org/web/20201023053803/http://www.atms.unca.edu/ibtracs/ibtracs_v04r00/index.php?name=v04r00-1916225N13305 October 23, 2020 * Category:Category 4 Atlantic hurricanes Category:Hurricanes in Texas Texas Hurricane, 1916 Category:1916 in Texas Category:Meteorological events in 1916 Category:August 1916 in the United States