| first storm formed=June 12, 1893
| last storm dissipated=Nov. 9, 1893
| strongest storm=Chenier Caminanda Hurricane - 115 knots (135 mph)
| total storms=12
| major storms=5
| total damages=$5.2 million+ (1893 USD)
| total fatalities=4028
| basin=Atlantic hurricane
| five seasons=1891, 1892, 1893, 1894, 1895
| }}
The 1893 season was fairly active, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became hurricanes. Of those, 5 became major hurricanes. This season proved to be a very deadly season, with two different hurricanes causing over two thousand (2000) deaths in the United States.
Storms
Hurricane 1
The season began early with its first storm forming on
June 12 in the
Bay of Campeche. The storm moved northeastward throughout its life, and hit the
Florida Panhandle on
June 16 as a strong
tropical storm. After weakening over the Southeast United States, the storm emerged over the
Atlantic Ocean near
Norfolk, Virginia. After briefly strengthening to a hurricane, the storm succumbed to cold water and shear and became extratropical on
June 20.
Hurricane 2
July continued the season's activity, with a tropical storm forming in the western
Caribbean Sea north of
Panama on
July 4. The storm intensified to an 95 mph hurricane before hitting the northeast coast of
Honduras. It mainly retained its strength until it hit the northeastern coast of
Belize on July 6th. Afterwards, it rapidly weakened over the
Yucatán Peninsula and dissipated on July 7th.
Hurricane 3
The
3rd storm of the season formed in the Southern Atlantic Ocean on August 13th. It steadily strengthened to a hurricane while moving over the
Leeward Islands. While approaching
Puerto Rico on the 16th, its winds increased to major hurricane status, but they soon dropped as it passed over the island. After bypassing the
Dominican Republic to the north, the storm regained major hurricane status as it moved through the
Bahamas. The storm began to move northeastward on August 20th, and hit the southwestern coast of
Nova Scotia as a weakened hurricane. This hurricane was one of four active hurricanes on
August 22, an event only repeated by the
1998 Atlantic hurricane season.
Hurricane 4
The
4th storm of the season began its life in the Central Tropical Atlantic on
August 15th. The storm moved west-northwestward for the first week of its life, while strengthening on the way. As it reached Category 3 strength, it moved more northwestward. Cooler waters weakened the storm, but it managed to hit
New York City directly as an 85 mph hurricane. This storm was one of four active hurricanes on August 22nd.
Hurricane 5
The
5th storm of the season started east of
Bermuda on August 15th. After moving northwestward for a day, it moved northeastward and strengthened to a Category 2 hurricane. The storm hit the Burin Peninsula of
Newfoundland on the 18th as an 90 mph hurricane, and dissipated the day after.
Sea Islands Hurricane
The 6th storm of the season, known as the 1893 Sea Islands Hurricane, formed near Cape Verde on August 15th. The storm moved generally westward for the first 11 days of its life, during which it strengthened to a Category 3 hurricane. As it approached the Bahamas, it moved more northwestward, paralleling the coast of Florida. The storm hit near Savannah, Georgia and was responsible for the deaths 2000 people. It moved northeastward, and underwent extratropical transition on the 31st. This hurricane was one of four active hurricanes on August 22nd.
Hurricane 7
The
7th storm of the season started near the
Cape Verde islands on August 20th. It moved northwestward, reaching Category 2 hurricane strength on the 23rd. The hurricane maintained its strength until the 28th, when cooler waters led the storm to extratropical transition. This storm was one of four active hurricanes on August 22nd.
Hurricane 8
The
8th storm of the season formed in the western Caribbean Sea on September 4th. After hitting the Yucatán Peninsula, it strengthened in the
Gulf of Mexico to a 95 M.P.H. hurricane. It hit the southern coast of
Louisiana on September 7th, and dissipated over northeastern
Alabama.
Hurricane 9
The
9th storm of the season formed southwest of the Cape Verde islands on
September 25. It moved westward for the first 8 days of its life when it moved more northwestward. During this time it strengthened to a major hurricane, and it maintained its strength until landfall. As it bypassed the Bahamas, it moved more northward, and struck near
Myrtle Beach, South Carolina on
October 13 with winds around 120 mph. It moved through
North Carolina and the
Appalachian Mountains, becoming extratropical on the 14th. It caused 28 deaths.
The hurricane had an estimated Accumulated Cyclone Energy of 63.5, one of the highest of any historical Atlantic hurricane.
Chenier Caminanda Hurricane
The 10th storm of the season, known as the Chenier Caminanda Hurricane began on September 27 in the western Caribbean Sea. After hitting the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula as a Category 2 hurricane, it moved through the Gulf of Mexico. As it approached the southeast coast of Louisiana, it rapidly strengthened to a Category 4 hurricane, and hit land on October 2nd. It moved through Alabama, Georgia, and the Carolinas before dissipating at sea. This storm was one of the first hurricanes to receive a category for strength like the modern Saffir-Simpson scale, being rated a Category 4. It killed 2000 people and caused around $5 million (1893 dollars) in damage.
Tropical Storm 11
The
11th storm of the season started just south of the
Isle of Youth on October 20th. After moving through
Cuba, it strengthened to a 60 mph storm before it hit the
Delmarva Peninsula on the 23rd.
Tropical Storm 12
The
12th and final storm of the season formed northeast of the Bahamas on November 5th. The storm moved northwestward, almost hitting North Carolina as a strong tropical storm, but went out to sea, becoming extratropical on the 10th.
See also
External links