1858 San Diego Hurricane Article Index for
1858
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Information About

1858 San Diego Hurricane




  Type hurricane
  Formed September 1858
  Dissipated October 2 , 1858
  Highest Winds 75 Mph
  Lowest Pressure &le994 Mbar {Link without Title}
  Total Damages exact amount unknown, but heavy damage to San Diego
  Total Fatalities unknown
  Areas Affected Extreme Southern California and northwestern Mexico , especially San Diego
  Hurricane Season Pre-1900 Pacific Hurricane Seasons


The 1858 San Diego Hurricane was a very rare California hurricane. It is the only known Tropical Cyclone to impact California as a hurricane, although other systems impacted California as tropical storms.


STORM HISTORY

Sometime in September, a Hurricane formed in the East Pacific Ocean . Unlike most east Pacific storms, this one moved towards the north. On October 2 , it neared Southern California while weakening and being sheared. It just missed making landfall, as it turned to the northwest. It approached Santa Catalina Island in the Channel Islands and dissipated. There is some uncertainty to this reconstructed path.


IMPACT

San Diego encountered heavy winds and lots of rain. Several boats were thrown ashore, and damage was extensive. Roofs were stripped off, trees were uprooted, and fences were demolished. Some homes were totally levelled. Items left outdoors were blown around. A windmill was destroyed. It is not known if there were any fatalities.

San Pedro reported a storm surge, with boats being sunk or blown ashore. A large stockpile of lumber was carried away.

Los Angeles received heavy rain. There was some street flooding, and damage caused by leaky roofs. There was some minor crop damage caused by wind gusts.

In an estimate by Dr. Michael Chenoweth and Dr. Chris Landsea, if the storm would hit today, it would cause around $500 million dollars in damage. {Link without Title}


REDISCOVERY

Using newspaper accounts, two researchers with NOAA , Christopher Landsea and Michael Chenoweth, reconstructed this hurricane. Its strong winds were mentioned in the folklore of the region.


SEE ALSO




REFERENCE