The 1900 Atlantic hurricane season was a below average yet incredibly devastating hurricane season which featured the Galveston hurricane, the deadliest natural disaster in the United States history. A total of 10 tropical cyclones formed, seven of which intensified into a tropical storm. Three of those made landfall in the United States. The first system was initially observed over the central Atlantic Ocean on January 17, while the final storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on October 28. These dates fall within the period with the most tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic. Every storm of the season except the seventh system existed simultaneously with another tropical cyclone.
Of the season's seven tropical storms, three reached hurricane status. Furthermore, two of those three strengthened into major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale. The strongest cyclone of the season, the first hurricane, peaked at Category 4 strength with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h). Upon striking Texas shortly after peak intensity, it produced a devastating storm surge in the Galveston area, with extensive damage and at least 8,000 fatalities. Nicknamed the "1900 Galveston hurricane", it remains the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. The hurricane overall caused about $35.5 million (1.9 billion USD) in damage. Impact from other tropical cyclones was generally minor, though the remnants of Tropical Storm Five resulted in one death and at least $100,000 in damage in Atlantic Canada. __TOC__
Season summary
Tropical cyclogenesis began with the development of a tropical depression over the central Atlantic on January 17. After the depression transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on the following day, the next system did not develop until June 9, while just north of the Lesser Antilles. This coincided with the formation of a third tropical depression over the northeastern Gulf of Mexico on the same day. The former moved generally north-northwestward for several days until becoming extratropical northeast of the Bahamas on June 17, while the latter made landfall in southeastern Louisiana on June 12, two days before dissipating over Mississippi. However, the season's first such of at least tropical storm intensity did not develop until August 27 while well west of Cape Verde. This was abnormally late, as the average date of development of the first tropical storm between 1944 and 1996 was July 11. In comparison, the latest date of the first tropical storm during the satellite era was Hurricane Anita on August 29, 1977. However, this storm, the "Galveston hurricane", was the most intense tropical cyclone of the season, peaking as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of . During the month of September, which is the climatological peak of hurricane season, three additional tropical cyclones formed, two of which were hurricanes. After the third hurricane dissipated on September 23, activity went dormant for nearly two weeks, until the fifth tropical storm formed near the Lesser Antilles on October 4. As it was becoming extratropical, a sixth tropical cyclone developed in the Bay of Campeche on October 10. The final system formed in the eastern Caribbean Sea, crossed Hispaniola, and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone between Bermuda and the East Coast of the United States on October 28.
By far, the storm that caused the most devastation was Hurricane One, nicknamed the "Galveston hurricane". Its storm surge submerged much of Galveston Island in Texas, killing between 6,000 and 12,000 people. Official estimates put the death toll at approximately 8,000. As a result, it is currently the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. At the time, it was also the second deadliest tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin, behind only the Great Hurricane of 1780, which killed at least 22,000 people in the Lesser Antilles. However, the Galveston hurricane was surpassed in 1998 by Hurricane Mitch, which caused more than 11,000 fatalities in Central America. The storm was also among the deadliest in Canada, where at least 102 people were killed. Few other tropical cyclones during the 1900 Atlantic hurricane season caused any damage or fatalities. However, the extratropical remnants of Tropical Storm Five brought moderate damage to Canada. The storm caused 1 fatality and about $100,000 in losses, mainly to railroads.
The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 81. 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 high 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 , which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
Systems
Hurricane One The Great Galveston hurricane of 1900 or Great Storm of 1900 or 1900 Storm
Early on August 27, a ship encountered the first tropical storm of the season, while located about east of the southernmost islands of Cape Verde. It slowly strengthened while moving steadily west-northwestward and entered the northeastern Caribbean on August 30. The storm moved south of Puerto Rico and made landfall in Dominican Republic as a weak tropical storm on September 2. It weakened slightly while crossing Hispaniola, before re-emerging into the Caribbean Sea later that day. On September 3, the cyclone struck modern day Santiago de Cuba Province and then slowly drifted along the southern coast of Cuba. Upon reaching the Gulf of Mexico on September 6, the storm strengthened into a hurricane, while situated near Dry Tortugas.
Significant intensification followed and the system peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with winds of 145 mph (230 km/h) on September 8. Early on the next day, it made landfall near modern-day Jamaica Beach, Texas, with winds of . Around that time, its minimum barometric pressure of was observed. It weakened quickly after moving inland and fell to tropical storm intensity late on September 9. The storm turned east-northeastward and became extratropical over Iowa on September 11. The extratropical system strengthened while accelerating across the Midwestern United States, Ontario, Quebec, northern New England, and then New Brunswick before reaching the Gulf of Saint Lawrence on September 13. Later that day, the extratropical remnants struck Newfoundland. It then reached the far North Atlantic Ocean and began to weaken, finally dissipating near Iceland on September 15.
The storm brought heavy rainfall to Cuba, with up to in a 24‑hour period in the city of Santiago de Cuba. Much of Florida experienced tropical storm force winds, though no damage occurred. Hurricane-force winds and storm surge inundated portions of southern Louisiana, though no significant damage or fatalities were reported. In Texas, strong winds were reported in the Galveston area, reaching 120 mph (195 km/h). Storm surge cresting between inundated the entirety of Galveston Island. Every house sustained damage, with at least 3,636 destroyed. In Galveston alone, approximately 10,000 were left homeless, out of a total population of 37,000. The actual death toll is unknown, though it is thought to be at least 8,000. Thus, the 1900 Galveston hurricane was the deadliest natural disaster in the history of the United States. Property damage from the storm in Galveston alone was estimated at $30 million. Farther north, the storm and its remnants continued to produce heavy rains and gusty winds across the Midwestern United States, Mid-Atlantic, and New England. The storm downed telegraph wires, signs, and trees in several states and caused 15 deaths in Ohio; 2 each in Illinois and New York; and 1 each in Massachusetts and Missouri. The remnants brought severe impact to Canada. In the province of Ontario, damage reached about $1.35 million, with about $1 million incurred to crops. There were at least 107 deaths in Canada, mostly due to sunken vessels near Newfoundland and the French territory of Saint Pierre and Miquelon.
Hurricane Two
A ship reported strong gales in the vicinity of Cape Verde on September 7. Thus, HURDAT indicates that the second tropical storm of the season formed early on September 7, while located about west of the southernmost islands of Cape Verde. It quickly strengthened to a strong tropical storm on September 8, but then maintained that intensity for nearly five days. The system was not tracked until being encountered by the steamship Hungaria on September 13, at which time it was already a hurricane. Originally, the system was listed as Hurricane Four, it was operationally believed to have developed after the next two tropical cyclones. Later on September 14, it strengthened further into a Category 2 hurricane while moving northwestward.
Re-curving northward, the system intensified into a Category 3 hurricane on September 16. At 1800 UTC, the hurricane peaked with maximum sustained winds of . However, it weakened to a Category 2 hurricane later on September 17. Shortly thereafter, the storm bypassed southeast of Bermuda, bring gusty winds but little impact. It then re-curved northeastward. The system weakened back to a Category 1 hurricane on September 18. Later that day, it weakened to a tropical storm and then to a tropical depression early on September 19. The storm persisted for several more hours, until dissipated about southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.
Hurricane Three
Ship reports indicates that a tropical storm developed on September 8 at 1200 UTC, while located about east of the Bissagos Islands, Guinea-Bissau. The storm gradually strengthened as it was heading west-northward. By late on September 9, the system strengthened into a hurricane. It passed southwest of Cape Verde on the following day. The storm then intensified slowly, becoming a Category 2 hurricane early on September 12. Around that time, the hurricane peaked with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). Later on September 12, it re-curved north-northwestward. After turning north-northeast, the storm began executing a small cyclonic loop on September 14.
A weakening trend soon occurred, with it weakening to a Category 1 hurricane early on September 15. About four days later, the hurricane completed its cyclonic loop and then headed west-northwestward. The system weakened to a tropical storm early on September 20. During the next few days, the storm decelerated and turned westward. Late on September 22, it weakened to a tropical depression. The depression continued westward, until dissipating at 1800 UTC on September 23, while located about east-southeast of Bermuda.
Tropical Storm Four
Weather maps first indicated a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean Sea on September 11. Heading northwestward, the system brushed the Yucatán Peninsula as weak tropical storm. Late on September 11, it peaked with maximum sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of , while located in the southeastern Gulf of Mexico. Early on September 13, the storm re-curved northeastward and began weakening. At 0600 UTC on September 13, it made landfall near Venice, Louisiana, at the same intensity. The storm weakened slightly and briefly moved offshore, before making another landfall near Ocean Springs, Mississippi, with winds of .