The 1893 Atlantic hurricane season featured the only known instance of more than one tropical cyclone causing at least 1,000 deaths in the United States. It was a fairly active season, with 12 tropical storms forming, 10 of which became hurricanes. Of those, five became major hurricanes. The season is considered hyper-active in terms of accumulated cyclone energy, achieving a total of 231 units, which was the highest ever recorded at the time and remains the third-highest ever recorded in the Atlantic basin. Additionally, 1893 became one of two seasons on record to see four Atlantic hurricanes active simultaneously, along with 1998. 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. The first system was initially observed on June 12 in the Bay of Campeche, while the twelfth and final storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on November 9 over the northwestern Atlantic.
Neither the reanalysis by meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1996 nor the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project added or removed any storms from the official hurricane database (HURDAT), though the former revised the tracks of a few systems and the latter upgraded two cyclones to major hurricane intensity. However, a study by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, lists thirteen tropical cyclones, proposing the removal of fifth, eleventh, and twelfth systems as well as the addition of four new storms, but his reanalysis has yet to be added to HURDAT.
The most intense tropical cyclone of the season, the tenth system, peaked as a Category 4 hurricane on the present-day Saffir–Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). On October 2, the hurricane struck Louisiana, causing approximately 2,000 fatalities and about $5 million (1893 USD) in damage. Another very deadly cyclone, the season's sixth system, brought devastating storm surge and high winds to the Sea Islands region of the Southeastern United States and nearby inland areas in late August, killing at least 1,000 people and inflicting damage totaling about $1 million. In mid-October, the ninth system also impacted South Carolina but caused death and devastation as far inland as Ontario, with 100 fatalities and well over $1 million in damage. The third and fourth storms caused 37 and 34 deaths, respectively, most due to maritime incidents along the coasts of the United States and Atlantic Canada. Additionally, the seventh and eighth systems killed five people each. Overall, the storms of the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season collectively caused more than $7 million in damage and more than 3,191 fatalities.
Season summary
The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) officially recognizes that twelve tropical cyclones formed during the 1893 season, ten of which strengthened into a hurricane, with five of those intensifying into a major hurricane. The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project did not add or remove any storms from the 1996 reanalysis of the season by meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz, but upgraded the third and fourth systems to major hurricane status. However, a more recent reanalysis by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, adds four storms and removes three others—the fifth, eleventh, and twelfth systems—for a net gain of one cyclone, although these proposed changes have yet to be approved for inclusion to HURDAT.
On June 12, ships initially detected the first known tropical cyclone of the season over the Bay of Campeche. After crossing the Southeastern United States, the storm intensified into a hurricane, but became extratropical on June 19. July also featured one system, which peaked as a Category 2 hurricane on the present-day Saffir–Simpson scale and made landfall in Nicaragua and Belize (then known as British Honduras). Tropical cyclogenesis increased significantly in August, with five cyclones, all of which intensified into at least a Category 2 hurricane. On August 22, the season's third, fourth, sixth, and seventh all existed at hurricane intensity. The only other instance of four active simultaneous hurricanes in the Atlantic occurred on September 25, 1998. Three storms, each also all hurricanes, are known to have developed in September. The season's tenth system, which formed on September 27, became the most intense of the season on October 2, peaking as a Category 4 with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum atmospheric pressure of . One cyclone each formed in October and November. The season's twelfth and final known system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone on November 9 over the northwestern Atlantic.
Extensive impacts and a large number of deaths occurred as a result of cyclones during the 1893 season, especially in the United States. The country experienced five hurricane landfalls, with three of those being major hurricanes, becoming one of only four seasons on record in which at least three systems achieving that intensity struck the United States, the others being 1909, 2004, and 2005. Both the sixth and tenth systems, also known as the Sea Islands and Cheniere Caminada hurricanes, respectively, caused at least 1,000 fatalities, the only known season with more than one system resulting in that many deaths in the United States. While both storms may have killed as many as 2,000 people each, the National Hurricane Center estimated the seasonal nationwide death toll at 3,000. Consequently, the 1893 hurricane season remains one of the deadliest in United States history. Throughout the basin, the cyclones of the 1893 Atlantic hurricane season collectively caused more than $7.04 million in damage and over 3,191 fatalities.
The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of approximately 231, the third-highest total ever recorded, behind only 2005 and 1933. The ninth system alone achieved an ACE rating of around 63.5, one of the highest values ever recorded for an individual storm. 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 Hurricane One
Observations from ships indicated the presence of a tropical storm in the Bay of Campeche on June 12.Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 39. The storm moved northeastward across the Gulf of Mexico and intensified into a strong tropical storm. Around 23:00 UTC on June 15, the system made landfall southwest of Perry, Florida, with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). The cyclone weakened somewhat while moving over Florida and coastal portions of Georgia and the Carolinas. After emerging into the Atlantic near the North Carolina–Virginia state line early on June 17, the storm strengthened, reaching hurricane intensity later that day. On June 19, a ship located in the vicinity of the storm recorded a barometric pressure around - the lowest in relation to the cyclone. However, the system then started losing tropical characteristics and transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about south of Saint Pierre and Miquelon by 00:00 UTC on June 20.
Several locations in the Southeastern United States observed tropical storm-force winds, with the strongest recorded sustained wind speed being in Charleston, South Carolina. In Florida, the storm prostrated many fences and trees in the Tallahassee area. One building in St. Marks was destroyed and water surrounded many other structures. Several towns in southern Georgia reported the destruction of about half of their pear crops and significant losses to corn. A 2014 renalysis study by climate scientist Michael Chenoweth created a mostly similar path, albeit showing a landfall farther west over Florida and then the storm moving east of North Carolina. Chenoweth also concluded that the system did not intensify into a hurricane.
Hurricane Two
Observations of this storm began as early as July 4 in the southwestern Caribbean Sea,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 40. with a ship encountering the cyclone about north-northeast of Colón, Panama. The system intensified steadily while moving northwestward, becoming a hurricane around 12:00 UTC on the following day. About six hours later, the storm intensified into a Category 2 hurricane and peaked with winds of 100 mph (155 km/h). The hurricane then made landfall near the Nicaragua–Honduras border. The cyclone weakened back to a Category 1 before re-emerging into the Caribbean off the north coast of Honduras early on July 6. Continuing northwestward, the system then re-strengthened slightly, reaching winds of 90 mph (150 km/h) prior to making landfall in northern Belize around 00:00 UTC on July 7. The cyclone weakened rapidly over the Yucatán Peninsula and dissipated just offshore Tabasco several hours later.
The storm sank several ships, including many steamers loaded with fruit in Honduras. About 6,000 bunches of bananas awaiting shipment were washed away at Bonito, while fruit plantations also experienced extensive damage. A number of homes on Roatán were also severely damaged. The hurricane reportedly caused a large loss of life. It has been paleotempestologically traced in sediment near Gales Point in Belize. Chenoweth's study indicated that the storm struck near the Nicaragua–Honduras but at a west-northwest angle rather than in a northwestward trajectory. The cyclone then struck southern Belize, crossed the Bay of Campeche, and moved ashore in Veracruz before dissipating on July 9.
Hurricane Three
Based on a reanalysis conducted by meteorologist Ivan Ray Tannehill in 1938,Fernández-Partagás (1996), p. 41. the Atlantic hurricane database begins the track of this storm about east of Trinidad and Tobago on August 13. Moving northwestward, the cyclone intensified into a hurricane by August 15, several hours before passing between Dominica and Guadeloupe. While approaching Puerto Rico on August 16, its winds increased to major hurricane status before landfall at Patillas. The eye remained over Puerto Rico for a period of seven hours. San Juan recorded a barometric pressure of just under . Although landfall weakened the storm to a Category 2 hurricane, it regained major hurricane status while approaching the Bahamas. On August 19, the hurricane turned northward near the Bahamas, followed by a curve to the northeast on the next day. The system then weakened and began losing tropical characteristics, becoming extratropical early on August 22. Shortly thereafter, the extratropical remnants made landfall near Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the equivalency of a Category 1 hurricane. Crossing Nova Scotia and then Newfoundland, the extratropical remnants reached the far north Atlantic and dissipated on August 25.