1888 Atlantic Hurricane Season Article Index for
1888
Website Links For
Atlantic
 

Information About

1888 Atlantic Hurricane Season





Hurricane Information

  Basin Atlantic hurricane
  First Storm Formed June 16 , 1888
  Last Storm Dissipated November 25 , 1888
  Strongest Storm #3, 4 - 110 knots (130 mph)
  Total Storms 9
  Major Storms 2
  Total Damages $27+ million (1888 USD)
  Total Fatalities 924
  Five Seasons 1886 , 1887 , '''1888''', 1889 , 1890


The 1888 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1 , 1888 , and lasted until November 30 , 1888 . These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most Tropical Cyclone s form in the Atlantic Basin .


STORMS

A tropical storm was first detected near the Bahamas on August 14 . As it neared the coast of Florida , it strengthened to a Category 3 Hurricane , but weakened over land. Once over the Gulf Of Mexico , it agained strengthened, this time to a Category 2. It made landfall on Louisiana on the 19th, causing storm surge and heavy rain, New Orleans itself receiving nearly a foot of rain. The storm recurved over the Ohio Valley and brought more rain, this time to the Mid-Atlantic region where it caused 3 deaths. In all, this storm caused $2.7 million in damage.

On August 31 , a tropical storm was observed northeast of the Lesser Antilles . It moved westward, strengthening to a hurricane later that day. As it continued to strengthen, it brought heavy rain over Puerto Rico , the Turks And Caicos Islands , and Cuba . On the 3rd, it reached its peak of 130 mph but land interaction with Cuba weakened it to a minimal hurricane. It crossed the island and the Yucatan Channel , reaching the northeast coast of the Yucatán Peninsula on the 6th. After weakening to a tropical storm, it restrengthened to a Category 2 Hurricane while moving southwestward in the Bay Of Campeche , but it dissipated after its Veracruz landfall on the 8th. It caused 921 deaths.


SEE ALSO