The 1889 Atlantic hurricane season featured the first known tropical cyclone in the basin to attain hurricane status in the month of May. Of the nine known tropical storms, six intensified into hurricanes, but none of those strengthened into a major 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. Therefore, 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 over the western Atlantic Ocean on May 16, while the ninth and final storm transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
just prior to striking
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
on October 7.
Neither meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1996 nor the
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project
The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to correct and add new information about past North Atlantic hurricanes. It was started around 2000 to update HURDAT, the official hurricane ...
in the early 21st century added or removed any previously undocumented storms from the official hurricane database (
HURDAT
The Hurricane Databases (HURDAT), managed by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), are two separate databases that contain details on tropical cyclones that have occurred within the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since 1851 and 1949 resp ...
). However, both modified the tracks of several cyclones. Additionally, a damage study conducted by Cuban meteorologist Ramón Pérez Suárez in 2000 led to the second system being reclassified from a tropical storm to a Category 1 hurricane on the present-day
Saffir–Simpson scale
The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
. More recently, a 2014 reanalysis study by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth recommended the removal of the ninth storm and the addition of four cyclones not currently listed in HURDAT. However, these proposals have not yet been approved.
The most intense tropical cyclone of the season, the six system, peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) in September. Passing through the
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands () are a group of islands situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. Starting with the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico, they extend southeast to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. In Engl ...
and then striking
Mexico
Mexico, officially the United Mexican States, is a country in North America. It is the northernmost country in Latin America, and borders the United States to the north, and Guatemala and Belize to the southeast; while having maritime boundar ...
's
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula ( , ; ) is a large peninsula in southeast Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west of the peninsula from the C ...
and the
Gulf Coast of the United States
The Gulf Coast of the United States, also known as the Gulf South or the South Coast, is the coastline along the Southern United States where they meet the Gulf of Mexico. The list of U.S. states and territories by coastline, coastal states th ...
, the storm left destruction in many places, including about $40,000 (1889
USD
The United States dollar (symbol: $; currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introduced the U.S. dollar at par with the Spanish silver dollar, divided it int ...
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. Also that month, the season's fourth system, which also peaked as a Category 2 hurricane, severely impacted the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
and the
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
, despite not making landfall in the latter. The United States reported almost $2.36 million in damage and 40 deaths. In June, the second cyclone of the season may have also caused fatalities in Cuba.
__TOC__
HURDAT
The Hurricane Databases (HURDAT), managed by the National Hurricane Center (NHC), are two separate databases that contain details on tropical cyclones that have occurred within the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern Pacific Ocean since 1851 and 1949 resp ...
) officially recognizes that nine tropical cyclones formed during the 1889 season, six of which strengthened into a hurricane, while none of those intensified into a major hurricane. Neither meteorologists José Fernández-Partagás and Henry F. Diaz in 1996 nor the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in the early 21st century added or removed any previously undocumented storms from HURDAT, though both modified the tracks of several cyclones. A damage study conducted by Cuban meteorologist Ramón Pérez Suárez in 2000 led to the season's second storm being retroactively upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. However, a more recent reanalysis by climate researcher Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, adds four storms and removes one – the ninth system – for a net gain of three cyclones, although these proposed changes have yet to be approved for inclusion to HURDAT. 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.
Tropical cyclogenesis began by mid-May, with a tropical storm first detected north of the
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
on May 16. Reaching hurricane status, this storm became the first Atlantic cyclone to reach hurricane status in the month of May and one of only four on record. After it became
extratropical
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
on May 21, no further activity is known to have occurred until June 15. Striking
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
likely as a hurricane and
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
as a tropical storm, the system was last noted on June 20 south of
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
. Another lengthy period of dormancy then occurred, with the season's third system not being observed until August 19. The storm crossed the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
and the
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and no ...
and continued northward before being last noted on August 28 offshore the
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
. September featured five cyclones, three of which became hurricanes. The season's fourth system caused 40 deaths and almost $2.36 million in damage in the United States despite not making landfall there. Later that month, the sixth storm of the season peaked as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h). Passing through the
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands () are a group of islands situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean. Starting with the Virgin Islands east of Puerto Rico, they extend southeast to Guadeloupe and its dependencies. In Engl ...
and then striking the
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula ( , ; ) is a large peninsula in southeast Mexico and adjacent portions of Belize and Guatemala. The peninsula extends towards the northeast, separating the Gulf of Mexico to the north and west of the peninsula from the C ...
,
Louisiana
Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...
, and
Alabama
Alabama ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Deep South, Deep Southern regions of the United States. It borders Tennessee to the north, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gu ...
, the storm left destruction in many places, including about $40,000 in damage and one death in the
Jacksonville
Jacksonville ( ) is the most populous city proper in the U.S. state of Florida, located on the Atlantic coast of North Florida, northeastern Florida. It is the county seat of Duval County, Florida, Duval County, with which the City of Jacksonv ...
area of Florida. One additional cyclone, which peaked as a tropical storm, moved rapidly northeastward, crossing Cuba and Florida before becoming extratropical while approaching Nova Scotia on October 7, marking the end of known seasonal activity.
The season's activity was reflected with an accumulated cyclone energy (ACE) rating of 104, 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 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
Systems
Hurricane One
Based on the ''
Monthly Weather Review
The ''Monthly Weather Review'' is a peer-reviewed scientific journal published by the American Meteorological Society. It covers research related to analysis and prediction of observed and modeled circulations of the atmosphere, including technique ...
'' reporting a disturbance of "moderate intensity" to the north of the Lesser Antilles beginning on May 16, the Atlantic hurricane database initiates the track for this system on that date about north of the
British Virgin Islands
The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...
. The cyclone strengthened slightly but remained a tropical storm for the next few days as it headed northwestward, until turning northeastward by May 20. Several hours later, the storm intensified into a hurricane and reached sustained winds of 80 mph (130 km/h), based on the schooner ''Joseph W. Fish'' observing sustained winds of and another ship recording an unspecific hurricane-force sustained wind speed on the following day. However, the system weakened to a tropical storm early on May 21 and soon transitioned into an
extratropical cyclone
Extratropical cyclones, sometimes called mid-latitude cyclones or wave cyclones, are low-pressure areas which, along with the anticyclones of high-pressure areas, drive the weather over much of the Earth. Extratropical cyclones are capable of p ...
about east of
Nags Head, North Carolina
Nags Head is a town in Dare County, North Carolina, United States. It is a busy vacation spot because of its beaches and sand dunes of Jockey's Ridge. The population was 3,146 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census.
History
Early maps of ...
.
This cyclone was the first May hurricane on record in the Atlantic basin, and remains one of only four such systems known today. Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth's 2014 study indicates that this system developed as a tropical depression just north of the
Mona Passage
The Mona Passage () is a strait that separates the islands of Hispaniola and Puerto Rico. The Mona Passage connects the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea and is an important shipping route between the Atlantic and the Panama Canal.
The Mona Pas ...
on May 16. Other significant changes include that storm intensifying into a hurricane on May 21, as opposed to becoming extratropical that day, a transition that instead occurred on May 22. The extratropical remnants later struck
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is a Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada, located on its east coast. It is one of the three Maritime Canada, Maritime provinces and Population of Canada by province and territory, most populous province in Atlan ...
.
Hurricane Two
Maritime observations indicated the presence of a tropical storm over the northwestern Caribbean as early as June 15. Moving north-northwestward, the cyclone struck the
Guanahacabibes Peninsula
Guanahacabibes Peninsula is the westernmost point on the island of Cuba. It is located in Pinar del Río Province, in the municipality of Sandino, and is sparsely populated. The waters surrounding the peninsula are important spiny lobster and r ...
of
Cuba
Cuba, officially the Republic of Cuba, is an island country, comprising the island of Cuba (largest island), Isla de la Juventud, and List of islands of Cuba, 4,195 islands, islets and cays surrounding the main island. It is located where the ...
several hours later, likely as a minimal hurricane with sustained winds of 75 mph (120 km/h), according to a study of wind damage conducted by meteorologist Ramón Pérez Suárez in 2000. However, the hurricane weakened back to a tropical storm shortly after reaching the
Gulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico () is an oceanic basin and a marginal sea of the Atlantic Ocean, mostly surrounded by the North American continent. It is bounded on the northeast, north, and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States; on the southw ...
on June 16. Gradually curving northeastward on June 17, the system made landfall near
Cedar Key, Florida
Cedar Key is a city in Levy County, Florida, Levy County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, its population was 687, down from 702 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Gainesville, Florida Gainesville met ...
, with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) around 14:00
UTC
Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) is the primary time standard globally used to regulate clocks and time. It establishes a reference for the current time, forming the basis for civil time and time zones. UTC facilitates international communica ...
. After emerging into the Atlantic from the
First Coast
Florida's First Coast, or simply the First Coast, is the Atlantic coast of North Florida in the United States. It is the same general area as the directional region of Northeast Florida. It consists roughly of the counties abutting Jacksonville: ...
on the following day, the system remained closely offshore
Georgia
Georgia most commonly refers to:
* Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus
* Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States
Georgia may also refer to:
People and fictional characters
* Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
,
South Carolina
South Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders North Carolina to the north and northeast, the Atlantic Ocean to the southeast, and Georgia (U.S. state), Georg ...
, and
North Carolina
North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...
. The cyclone was last noted on June 20 about southwest of
Sable Island
Sable Island (, literally "island of sand") is a small, remote island off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Sable Island is located in the North Atlantic Ocean, about southeast of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Halifax, and about southeast of the clo ...
, Nova Scotia.
Chenoweth's study suggests that the storm did not strike Cuba and instead moved through the Yucatán Channel before striking Florida farther south, near present-day
Sarasota
Sarasota () is a city in and the county seat of Sarasota County, Florida, United States. It is located in Southwest Florida, the southern end of the Tampa Bay area, and north of Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. Its official limits include Sarasota Ba ...
. Heavy rains fell over western Cuba, inundating many streets. Walls and house collapsed, particularly in Batabanó and the
Vuelta Abajo
Vuelta Abajo (or Vueltabajo, literally: The lower roundtrip) is a geographic region in the Pinar del Río Province of Cuba. It lies in the extreme western part of the island, bordered on the north by the Sierra de los Órganos mountains. It is on ...
region. Several vessels also capsized. '' The Daily Inter Ocean'' noted that no deaths occurred, but Spanish meteorologist Simón Sarasola reported that "lives were lost". Although the highest recorded sustained wind speed in Florida reached only at Cedar Key, heavy precipitation fell across the state, causing several washouts along the
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Sanford, Florida, to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. It served as the southernmost segment of the Atlantic Coast Line's ma ...
. Additionally, a tornado in Lake Mary downed some trees and destroyed a large packinghouse.
Hurricane Three
Land-based weather stations first reported this storm about south of the
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
on August 19. Several hours later, the cyclone made landfall in the country near
Baní
Baní is a capital town of the Peravia Province, Dominican Republic. It is the commercial and manufacturing center in the southern region of Valdesia. The town is located 65 km south of the capital city Santo Domingo.
Baní is the headquart ...
with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h).
Santo Domingo
Santo Domingo, formerly known as Santo Domingo de Guzmán, is the capital and largest city of the Dominican Republic and the List of metropolitan areas in the Caribbean, largest metropolitan area in the Caribbean by population. the Distrito Na ...
observed a barometric pressure of . Due to moving across rugged terrain, the system likely weakened to a tropical depression, but re-intensified into a tropical storm after emerging into the Atlantic near on August 20. The storm then passed through the southeastern
Bahamas
The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of its population. ...
and
Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turks and Caicos Islands (abbreviated TCI; and ) are a British Overseas Territory consisting of the larger Caicos Islands and smaller Turks Islands, two groups of tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and no ...
early the next day while moving northwestward. By August 24, the cyclone curved northeastward while well offshore the East Coast of the United States. Based on the ''Monthly Weather Review'' noting that various ships recorded hurricane-force winds, the system intensified into a hurricane on August 26 and peaked with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). Turning northward, the hurricane began weakening on August 28, falling to tropical storm intensity before being last noted approximately east-southeast of
Atlantic City, New Jersey
Atlantic City, sometimes referred to by its initials A.C., is a Jersey Shore seaside resort city (New Jersey), city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, Atlantic County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey.
Atlantic City comprises the second half of ...
.
Chenoweth could not confirm the existence of this cyclone, citing "unreliable" reports from the Dominican Republic "and absence of evidence from daily weather map series". In the
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles is a grouping of the larger islands in the Caribbean Sea, including Cuba, Hispaniola, Puerto Rico, and Jamaica, together with Navassa Island and the Cayman Islands. Seven island states share the region of the Greater Antille ...
, the storm caused falling barometric pressures and increased wind speeds from the Dominican Republic to as far west as
Havana
Havana (; ) is the capital and largest city of Cuba. The heart of La Habana Province, Havana is the country's main port and commercial center. Santo Domingo in the former recorded sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The cyclone and its remnants produced gales along the coast of the Mid-Atlantic and
New England
New England is a region consisting of six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York (state), New York to the west and by the ...
. On August 29, sustained winds reached in
Asbury Park, New Jersey
Asbury Park () is a beachfront city located on the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County in the U.S. state of New Jersey. It is part of the New York metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, the city's population was 15,188, a decr ...
.
Hurricane Four
Hurricane San Martín of 1889
A tropical storm was first reported about east-southeast of
Barbados
Barbados, officially the Republic of Barbados, is an island country in the Atlantic Ocean. It is part of the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies and the easternmost island of the Caribbean region. It lies on the boundary of the South American ...
on September 1. Moving northwestward, the cyclone strengthened into a hurricane on the next day, shortly before striking
Guadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an Overseas departments and regions of France, overseas department and region of France in the Caribbean. It consists of six inhabited islands—Basse-Terre Island, Basse-Terre, Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, Grande-Terre, Marie-Galant ...
. The storm intensified into a Category 2 hurricane on the modern-day
Saffir–Simpson scale
The Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale (SSHWS) is a tropical cyclone intensity scale that classifies hurricanes—which in the Western Hemisphere are tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical sto ...
over the
Anegada Passage
The Anegada Passage , also known as the Anegada Trough, is a strait in the Caribbean that separates the British Virgin Islands and the British ruled Sombrero Island of Anguilla, and connects the Caribbean and the Atlantic Ocean. It is 2300 m d ...
on September 3, based on Saint Thomas observing a barometric pressure of . Shortly thereafter, the cyclone crossed over the
Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands () are an archipelago between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean and northeastern Caribbean Sea, geographically forming part of the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the Caribbean, Caribbean islands or West Indie ...
and re-emerged into the Atlantic. Beginning on September 5, the storm switched course a few times, before resuming its original northwestward motion by September 7. As the cyclone approached the
Northeastern United States
The Northeastern United States (also referred to as the Northeast, the East Coast, or the American Northeast) is List of regions of the United States, census regions United States Census Bureau. Located on the East Coast of the United States, ...
, it slowly weakened, falling to tropical storm intensity by September 11. The system then turned southwestward and was last noted late the next day about east-northeast of
Virginia Beach, Virginia
Virginia Beach (colloquially VB) is the most populous city in the U.S. commonwealth of Virginia. The city is located on the Atlantic Ocean at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay in southeastern Virginia. It is the sixth-most populous city in the ...
. Chenoweth proposed that this storm moved in a similar trajectory to that shown in HURDAT through September 5, when it instead turned north-northwestward. The cyclone also became more intense, holding major hurricane status from then until September 7. Chenoweth's study also indicates that the system persisted until late on September 14, hours after making landfall near present-day Sandbridge, Virginia, as a tropical storm.
Barbados,
Montserrat
Montserrat ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean. It is part of the Leeward Islands, the northern portion of the Lesser Antilles chain of the West Indies. Montserrat is about long and wide, wit ...
, and
Saint Lucia
Saint Lucia is an island country of the West Indies in the eastern Caribbean. Part of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent (Saint Vincent and the Grenadines), Saint Vincent ...
reported heavy rains but little damage. However, torrential precipitation on
Martinique
Martinique ( ; or ; Kalinago language, Kalinago: or ) is an island in the Lesser Antilles of the West Indies, in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It was previously known as Iguanacaera which translates to iguana island in Carib language, Kariʼn ...
flooded
Lamentin
Lamentin (; or ) is a commune in the French overseas department and region of Guadeloupe. It is part of the agglomeration of Pointe-à-Pitre, in the north part of Basse-Terre. Three islets are included in the commune: Christopher, Fajou, Caret ...
and
Rivière-Salée
Rivière-Salée (, literally ''Salty River''; Martinican Creole: , or ) is a town and commune in the French overseas department and region of Martinique.
Population
Notable people
* André Lesueur (born 1947), mayor of Rivière-Salée and fo ...
. Rough seas capsized a schooner and damaged two others. On Guadeloupe, floodwaters inundated
Grande-Terre Grande Terre or Grande-Terre (, French for "large land") is a generic term used in French to designate the main island of any given archipelago. As a specific toponym, it may refer to the following:
* Grande-Terre, Guadeloupe, the eastern half of ...
, carried away a few bridges, and damaged numerous roads. Several homes, plantations, and fences suffered damage on
Barbuda
Barbuda (; ) is an island and dependency located in the eastern Caribbean forming part of the twin-island state of Antigua and Barbuda as an autonomous entity. Barbuda is located approximately north of Antigua. The only settlements on the i ...
. Crops and vessels on
Saint Kitts
Saint Kitts, officially Saint Christopher, is an island in the West Indies. The west side of the island borders the Caribbean Sea, and the eastern coast faces the Atlantic Ocean. Saint Kitts and the neighbouring island of Nevis constitute one ...
were significantly impacted. The hurricane damaged many homes, plantations, and vessels in the Virgin Islands, particularly on Saint Thomas and
Tortola
Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
. Winds of were measured on Puerto Rico. In North Carolina, the northern half of the coast experienced rough seas, including cutting a new inlet at Nags Head. Winds downed communication wires to Hatteras. Farther north, abnormally high tides and severe gales were reported from Virginia to New York. In the former, the cyclone flooded low-lying areas and wharves, ruined crops, carried away bridges, and toppled telegraph wires. A steamship was beached near
Cape Henry
Cape Henry is a cape on the Atlantic shore of Virginia located in the northeast corner of Virginia Beach. It is the southern boundary of the entrance to the long estuary of the Chesapeake Bay.
Across the mouth of the bay to the north is Cape Ch ...
, causing almost $12,000 in damage. In
Delaware
Delaware ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic and South Atlantic states, South Atlantic regions of the United States. It borders Maryland to its south and west, Pennsylvania to its north, New Jersey ...
, rough seas washed away a telegraph station, damaged a marine hospital, and flooded a life-saving station above high-water at
Lewes
Lewes () is the county town of East Sussex, England. The town is the administrative centre of the wider Lewes (district), district of the same name. It lies on the River Ouse, Sussex, River Ouse at the point where the river cuts through the Sou ...
. Nearby, abnormally high tides forced 200 people to flee Hugheyville. Along the coast of Delaware, the hurricane wrecked or beached 31 vessels, leading to 40 fatalities. Severe damage occurred to crops and fruit trees in the Egg Harbor City area of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a U.S. state, state located in both the Mid-Atlantic States, Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States, Northeastern regions of the United States. Located at the geographic hub of the urban area, heavily urbanized Northeas ...
. A few cities in the Northeastern United States reported sustained tropical storm-force winds. Overall, the hurricane caused nearly $2.36 million in damage.
Hurricane Five
Meteorologist Charles J. Mitchell noted in 1924 that this system was first observed about halfway between the Cabo Verde Islands and the Lesser Antilles on September 2. The storm travelled to the northwest and increased in strength, reaching wind speeds of 60 mph (95 km/h) by September 4. The storm continued at that intensity on the same track for a further two days. The cyclones became a Category 1 hurricane as it gradually began curving northeastward on September 7, based on the ''Monthly Weather Review'' noting that ships reported a disturbance of "great violence". By September 8, the storm turned eastward and then to the northeast on September 10. Weakening to a tropical storm on September 11, the cyclone passed through the
Azores
The Azores ( , , ; , ), officially the Autonomous Region of the Azores (), is one of the two autonomous regions of Portugal (along with Madeira). It is an archipelago composed of nine volcanic islands in the Macaronesia region of the North Atl ...
and was last noted several hours later. The study by Chenoweth extended the storm's duration back to September 1. Later, Chenoweth also shifted the track to the west of the Azores and added an extratropical transition on September 10.
Hurricane Six
Guadeloupe observed stormy conditions on September 12. Consequently, the track for this system begins just east of the Leeward Islands that day. After passing between Guadeloupe and
Dominica
Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...
later on September 12, the cyclone moved west-northwestward to westward across the Caribbean. By September 17, the storm intensified into a hurricane over the northwestward Caribbean, based on conditions reported by the steamer ''Mascotte''. The system strengthened further, likely to a strong Category 2 hurricane with winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) prior striking Mexico near Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo, several hours later. Late on September 18, the storm emerged into the Gulf of Mexico near
Campeche
Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...
after weakening to a tropical storm. However, the cyclone quickly re-gained hurricane status and curved northward on September 19. The hurricane turned northeastward by September 22 and then made landfall near
Buras, Louisiana
Buras is a census-designated place (CDP) in Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana, United States. Its population was 945 at the 2010 census, and 1,109 in 2020. Prior to the 2010 census, Buras was considered to be part of the Buras-Triumph CDP.
Histor ...
, as a Category 1 hurricane with a barometric pressure of . Later on September 23, the system struck near
Gulf Shores, Alabama
Gulf Shores is a resort city in Baldwin County, Alabama, United States. As of the 2020 Census, the population was 15,014.
Geography
Gulf Shores is located on the Gulf of Mexico, and is the southernmost settlement in the state of Alabama. It ...
, likely as a strong tropical storm. After crossing the Southeastern United States, the storm emerged into the Atlantic from the
Delmarva Peninsula
The Delmarva Peninsula, or simply Delmarva, is a peninsula on the East Coast of the United States, occupied by the majority of the state of Delaware and parts of the Eastern Shore of Maryland and Eastern Shore of Virginia.
The peninsula is l ...
early on September 25 and crossed far eastern
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
before becoming extratropical over the
Gulf of Maine
The Gulf of Maine is a large gulf of the Atlantic Ocean on the east coast of North America. It is bounded by Cape Cod at the eastern tip of Massachusetts in the southwest and by Cape Sable Island at the southern tip of Nova Scotia in the northea ...
.
The 2014 study by Chenoweth proposed that this storm did not pass through the Lesser Antilles and instead formed on September 14 near
La Blanquilla Island
Blanquilla is an island, one of the Federal Dependencies of Venezuela, located in the south-eastern Caribbean Sea about 293 km (182 miles) north-east of Caracas. It is a popular location for divers, as well as famous for its white sand bea ...
. More intensification occurred than shown in HURDAT, with the cyclone holding major hurricane status for about 18 hours. The storm also underwent extratropical transition earlier, on September 24 over North Carolina.
Only minor impacts occurred in the Lesser Antilles. Heavy rains overflowed a few rivers on Martinique, causing flooding at Les Anses-d'Arlet. However, this precipitation may have been as a result of a low-pressure area unrelated to the cyclone.In Mexico, the states of
Campeche
Campeche, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Campeche, is one of the 31 states which, with Mexico City, make up the Administrative divisions of Mexico, 32 federal entities of Mexico. Located in southeast Mexico, it is bordered by the sta ...
and
Tabasco
Tabasco, officially the Free and Sovereign State of Tabasco, is one of the Political divisions of Mexico, 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. It is divided into Municipalities of Tabasco, 17 municipalities and its capital city is Villahermosa.
It i ...
reported a few days of heavy rains, overflowing rivers, causing mudslides, and destroying some homes. Additionally, strong winds toppled trees and damaged crops, especially bananas and corn. Many of these trees fell onto dwellings, demolishing more than 100 and destroying some 250 others in
Carmen
''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first performed by the O ...
. In Louisiana, the hurricane produced beneficial rainfall in the Buras area. Although the storm remained far south of Florida as it headed towards the Yucatán Peninsula, a few locations observed tropical storm-force wind gusts, including up to 60 mph (95 km/h) at
Key West
Key West is an island in the Straits of Florida, at the southern end of the U.S. state of Florida. Together with all or parts of the separate islands of Dredgers Key, Fleming Key, Sunset Key, and the northern part of Stock Island, it con ...
. Many communities across the northern portion of the state reported some damaged homes and downed trees, with damage totaling approximately $40,000 in the Jacksonville area alone. A tornado at Pablo Beach damaged or destroyed a few buildings near the Murray Hall hotel, damaged the hotel itself, and tossed a freight train car, buggy, horse, and boy, killing him after he struck the ground. Several locations across Georgia observed at least of rain, including in Smithville. Although the storm crossed the interior portions of North Carolina, wind gusts reached as high as 70 mph (110 km/h) along the coast, likely at Frying Pan Shoals. Some wind damage was reported over the western part of the state, mainly downed telegraph wires in
Asheville
Asheville ( ) is a city in Buncombe County, North Carolina, United States. Located at the confluence of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers, it is the county seat of Buncombe County. It is the most populous city in Western North Carolina a ...
The 1924 report from Mitchell noted that this storm was first observed near the Cabo Verde Islands on September 12. Initially moving northwestward, the storm curved north-northwestward two days later, but then resumed a northwestward course by September 16. The cyclone is estimated to have peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). By September 18, the system turned north-northeastward and was last noted on the following day about southeast of
Cape Race
Cape Race is a point of land located at the southeastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland, in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Its name is thought to come from the original Portuguese name for this cape, "Raso", mean ...
,
Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
. Chenoweth's study indicates that the cyclone developed as a tropical depression on September 14. An extratropical transition on September 19 has also been proposed.
Tropical Storm Eight
As meteorologist Ivan Ray Tannehill in 1938 documented this storm as far back as September 29, the official Atlantic hurricane database initiates the track on that date about northeast of
Paramaribo
Paramaribo ( , , ) is the capital city, capital and largest city of Suriname, located on the banks of the Suriname River in the Paramaribo District. Paramaribo has a population of roughly 241,000 people (2012 census), almost half of Suriname's p ...
,
Suriname
Suriname, officially the Republic of Suriname, is a country in northern South America, also considered as part of the Caribbean and the West Indies. It is a developing country with a Human Development Index, high level of human development; i ...
. Moving northeastward, the storm struck Dominica late on October 1 with winds estimated at 50 mph (85 km/h). The storm passed through the British Virgin Islands on the following day. After re-emerging into the Atlantic, the system curved north-northwestward on October 3 and then northeastward on October 4. As the cyclone neared Bermuda on October 5, it nearly became a hurricane, peaking with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h). On October 6, the storm was last noted approximately southeast of Sable Island, Nova Scotia.
The 2014 study by Chenoweth indicates that this cyclone on October 1 and did not cross the Lesser Antilles, instead moving remaining northeast of the islands. Chenoweth also proposed that further intensification occurred than shown in HURDAT, with the storm maintaining hurricane status from October 3 to October 5.
Antigua
Antigua ( ; ), also known as Waladli or Wadadli by the local population, is an island in the Lesser Antilles. It is one of the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region and the most populous island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua ...
experienced severe squalls and rough seas. The captain of a ship anchored at Parham reported winds reaching force 11 on the
Beaufort scale
The Beaufort scale ( ) is an empirical measure that relates wind speed to observed conditions at sea or on land. Its full name is the Beaufort wind force scale. It was devised in 1805 by Francis Beaufort a hydrographer in the Royal Navy. It ...
, indicating near-hurricane conditions. On Bermuda, the storm capsized a few sloops and damaged a
dinghy
A dinghy is a type of small boat, often carried or Towing, towed by a Watercraft, larger vessel for use as a Ship's tender, tender. Utility dinghies are usually rowboats or have an outboard motor. Some are rigged for sailing but they diffe ...
, unroofed one home, and downed some fences, trees, and telephone wires.
Tropical Storm Nine
Although reports suggest the presence of a tropical depression over the northwestern Caribbean starting on October 4, the official track begins on the following day, when the existence of a closed circulation could be confirmed. Moving quickly northeastward, the depression struck the
Zapata Swamp
The Zapata Swamp (, ) is a swamp area located on the Zapata Peninsula in the southern Matanzas Province of Cuba, in the municipality of Ciénaga de Zapata. It is located less than southeast of Havana.
Species and preservation
Within the Zapata S ...
of Cuba and entered the Straits of Florida less than six hours later. Intensifying into a tropical storm late on October 5, the cyclone made landfall near
Marathon, Florida
Marathon is a city in the middle of the Florida Keys, in Monroe County, Florida, Monroe County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a population of 9,689, up from 8,297 in 2010 United States ce ...
, around 23:00 UTC. A second landfall occurred in Florida around 01:00 UTC the next day near
Flamingo
Flamingos or flamingoes () are a type of wading bird in the family Phoenicopteridae, which is the only extant family in the order Phoenicopteriformes. There are four flamingo species distributed throughout the Americas (including the Caribbe ...
, about five hours before the storm emerged into the Atlantic near
Stuart
Stuart may refer to:
People
*Stuart (name), a given name and surname (and list of people with the name)
* Clan Stuart of Bute, a Scottish clan
*House of Stuart, a royal house of Scotland and England
Places Australia Generally
*Stuart Highway, ...
. Because ships recorded barometric pressure as low as on October 7, the storm is estimated to have peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone later that day, just prior to striking near Northwest Cove, Nova Scotia. After crossing Nova Scotia, the extratropical remnants turned northward over the
Gulf of Saint Lawrence
The Gulf of St. Lawrence is a gulf that fringes the shores of the provinces of Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Labrador, in Canada, plus the islands Saint-Pierre and Miquelon, possessions of France, in ...
, crossing far eastern Canada before dissipating over the
Labrador Sea
The Labrador Sea (; ) is an arm of the North Atlantic Ocean between the Labrador Peninsula and Greenland. The sea is flanked by continental shelf, continental shelves to the southwest, northwest, and northeast. It connects to the north with Baffi ...
on October 11. Chenoweth also proposed the removal of this storm from HURDAT, finding "No evidence in land-based reports or from ships".
Other storms
Chenoweth proposed four other storms not currently listed in HURDAT. The first such system existed in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico by August 8. Moving generally west-northwestward, the system struck Texas as tropical storm near Crystal Beach on the following day and dissipated several hours later. On September 8, the next proposed new system formed over the central Atlantic. The storm crossed through the Azores before becoming extratropical on September 11. Chenoweth proposed that about a month later, another system formed on October 8 over the Atlantic well east of the Lesser Antilles. The storm moved northwestward through October 12 and then continued northward until transitioning into an extratropical cyclone on October 16. A fourth and final proposed new storm formed over the Caribbean near
Honduras
Honduras, officially the Republic of Honduras, is a country in Central America. It is bordered to the west by Guatemala, to the southwest by El Salvador, to the southeast by Nicaragua, to the south by the Pacific Ocean at the Gulf of Fonseca, ...
on October 15. The cyclone trekked northwestward through October 19, at which time it curved in a generally westward direction. Early on October 20, the system struck
British Honduras
British Honduras was a Crown colony on the east coast of Central America — specifically located on the southern edge of the Yucatan Peninsula from 1783 to 1964, then a self-governing colony — renamed Belize from June 1973
(present-day
Belize
Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...
Corozal District
Corozal is the northernmost Districts of Belize, district of the nation of Belize. The population was 46,071 in 2024. The district capital is Corozal Town.
Pre-Columbian Maya civilization, Maya ruins are found in Corozal at Santa Rita ruins, Sa ...
, before dissipating several hours later.
Season effects
This is a table of all of the known storms that have formed in the 1889 Atlantic hurricane season. It includes their duration, landfall, damages, and death totals. Deaths in parentheses are additional and indirect (an example of an indirect death would be a traffic accident), but were still related to that storm. Damage and deaths include totals while the storm was extratropical, a wave, or a low, and all of the damage figures are in 1889 USD.
See also
*
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project
The Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration seeks to correct and add new information about past North Atlantic hurricanes. It was started around 2000 to update HURDAT, the official hurricane ...
*
Tropical cyclone observation
Tropical cyclone observation has been carried out over the past couple of centuries in various ways. The passage of typhoons, hurricanes, as well as other tropical cyclones have been detected by word of mouth from sailors recently coming to port ...