The 1894 Atlantic hurricane season included four major hurricanes, one of the highest totals in the second half of the 19th century and behind only the previous year. Additionally, the season featured a total of seven tropical storms, five of which strengthened into a hurricane. However, in the absence of modern satellite and other 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.
Meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz added one new storm, the first cyclone, to the Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) as part of their 1996 reanalysis. Later, the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project upgraded the fourth system to major hurricane status but did not increase or decrease the overall number of cyclones. A study by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, concluded that eight cyclones formed in the Atlantic in 1894, recommending the removal of the cyclone first documented by Fernández-Partagás and Diaz and the addition of two new systems. However, the proposals suggested in Chenoweth's study have yet to be included in HURDAT.
The first storm of the season existed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea by June 6. Passing between Cuba and Jamaica, the cyclone dropped heavy rain in the former before dissipating three days later. One person drowned after being swept overboard due to rough seas generated by the third system. In the second half of September, the fourth storm of the season caused at least 227 deaths and more than $5.09 million (1894 USD) in damage across the Lesser Antilles, Greater Antilles, and the East Coast of the United States. The following system primarily impacted the Eastern United States in early October, inflicting more than $200,000 in damage and at least 28 fatalities. That same month, the season's most intense cyclone, the sixth system, which peaked as a Category 4 hurricane on the present-day Saffir–Simpson scale, killed at least 13 people in the Lesser Antilles. By October 29, the seventh and final storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone well east of Atlantic Canada. Collectively, the cyclones of the 1894 season caused more than $5.29 million in damage and more than 269 deaths.
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Season summary
The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) officially recognizes that seven tropical cyclones formed during the 1894 season, five of which strengthened into a hurricane. Four of those intensified into a major hurricane, one of the most recorded during a season in the second half of the nineteenth century, tied with 1886 and behind only the previous season, which had five. Meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz added a new storm, the first system, during their reanalysis of the season in 1996. Although the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project did not add or remove any storms, it upgraded the fourth cyclone to major hurricane status in accordance with a 2003 study led by meteorologist Emery R. Boose. However, a more recent reanalysis by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, adds two storms and removes one – the first system – for a net gain of one cyclone; Chenoweth's study utilizes a more extensive collection of newspapers and ship logs, as well as late 19th century weather maps for the first time, in comparison to previous reanalysis projects. The proposals by Chenoweth have yet to be incorporated into HURDAT, however.
The first storm of the season existed over the northwestern Caribbean Sea by June 6. After passing between Cuba and Jamaica, the cyclone continued generally westward until dissipating three days later. No tropical cyclogenesis has been confirmed to have occurred again for nearly two months, with a tropical storm appearing over the central Gulf of Mexico by August 5. One other system existed that month, being first observed on August 30 west of the Cabo Verde Islands. Only one cyclone is known to have formed in September. October was the most active month, featuring three systems, all of which became hurricanes. Additionally, the sixth cyclone became the season's most intense, peaking on October 16 as a Category 4 hurricane on the present-day Saffir–Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of . By October 29, the seventh and final storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone well east of Atlantic Canada. Collectively, the cyclones of the 1894 season caused more than $5.29 million in damage and over 269 deaths.
The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 135, the fourth highest total of the decade. 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 , which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
Systems
Tropical Storm One
According to reanalysis by José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1996, this system may have formed as early as June 4. However, Fernández-Partagás and Diaz elected to retain Simón Sarasola's 1928 narrative on this cyclone, indicating development about halfway between Cuba and Jamaica early on June 6.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 8. The cyclone remained weak, peaking with maximum sustained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h) as it headed generally west-northwestward. Late on June 9, the storm was last noted near northeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. Flooding occurred in Cuba between Havana and Oriente Province, with the worst impacts in Santa Clara. Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth proposed the exclusion of this storm from HURDAT, arguing that ship records instead were more likely related to a tropical wave and strong high-pressure system.
Tropical Storm Two
Observations from the eastern Gulf of Mexico during the early hours of August 4 "indicated the presence of a cyclonic whirl", as noted by the Monthly Weather Review. However, due to conflicting reports,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 9. the official track for this storm begins in the central Gulf of Mexico at 06:00 UTC on August 5. The cyclone moved northeastward and strengthened to reach sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) about 24 hours later. By August 7, the system curved north-northwestward and made landfall near Orange Beach, Alabama, at the same intensity around 18:00 UTC. It turned to the west-northwest after moving inland, and dissipated late on August 9 over Louisiana.
Chenoweth extends the track back to August 3, with the storm forming over the northwestern Caribbean instead. The storm strikes the Yucatán Peninsula and then moves northward over the Gulf of Mexico, eventually following a similar path to that listed in HURDAT. In the Gulf of Mexico, the schooner Violin was dismasted during the storm and towed to shore by another schooner, the Henry Southers. Additionally, the ship Catherine wrecked at the reef of Santa Rosa Island and the crew required rescuing. The storm produced sustained winds up to at Pensacola, Florida, while heavy rains fell in areas along the Gulf Coast.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 8-9. Precipitation generated by the storm flooded several homes in Pensacola and winds downed a number of fences and trees.
Hurricane Three
A tropical storm was first observed on August 30 near , which is approximately west-southwest of Cape Verde.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 10. The system slowly intensified while moving generally west-northwestward and then northwestward by September 1. Early on the following day, the storm strengthened into a hurricane. Around 18:00 UTC on September 3, the cyclone intensified into a Category 2 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale and soon turned north-northwestward. The hurricane re-curved again by early on September 6 and reached Category 3 hurricane intensity later that day, peaking with winds of . Several steamships encountered the hurricane on September 8 and September 9, including the Othello, which observed a barometric pressure of , the lowest known pressure in relation to the storm. Additionally, the schooner Origin became caught in the storm, which damaged several parts of the ship and threw one person overboard, who drowned. The hurricane weakened and lost tropical characteristics as it accelerated northeastward, transitioning into an extratropical cyclone about southeast of Greenland late on September 9.
In his 2014 study, Chenoweth proposed a mostly similar path to that listed in HURDAT, other than slightly farther west and east at certain points. The study also adds a tropical depression stage on August 30 and August 31.
Hurricane Four
This system was first observed well east of the Lesser Antilles on September 18. Gradually intensifying as it headed west-northwestward, the cyclone became a hurricane on September 19 and a major hurricane on the next day while passing near Martinique. After entering the Caribbean, the storm peaked with winds of 120 mph (195 km/h) on September 21, but weakened to a Category 2 hurricane before striking the Dominican Republic on September 22. The system weakened to a Category 1 hurricane before reaching the Gulf of Gonâve, but briefly became a Category 2 hurricane again before striking Cuba near Santiago de Cuba on September 23. Moving west-northwestward along or near the south coast of Cuba, the hurricane turned northward over Matanzas Province on September 24 and briefly weakened to a tropical storm.
The cyclone re-intensified into a hurricane over the Straits of Florida on September 25. It then struck Key West, Florida, and later near Punta Rassa, the latter at its secondary peak of 105 mph (165 km/h). After turning north-northeastward and weakening to a tropical storm, the system re-attained hurricane status shortly before entering the Atlantic on September 26. The hurricane struck near Port Royal, South Carolina, early on September 27. Thereafter, the cyclone curved east-northeastward and weakened to a tropical storm over southeastern North Carolina early on September 28. Briefly re-emerging into the Atlantic, the cyclone made its final landfall near Atlantic Beach. After again emerging into the Atlantic, the storm became a hurricane on September 29. However, the cyclone weakened back to a tropical storm on September 30 and was last noted on October 1 east of New England. Chenoweth's study made little adjustments to the track of this storm, although it became extratropical on September 30. Additionally, Chenoweth proposed that the cyclone became a major hurricane as it approached and then struck Florida.