1898 Atlantic hurricane season

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	August 2 – August 3
Peak intensity	80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min); 982 mbar (hPa)

According to the Weather Bureau, a "feeble disturbance" developed into a tropical storm near West End in the Bahamas early on August 2.[1] Three hours later, the storm made landfall in Hobe Sound, Florida, with winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). The system briefly weakened to a tropical depression on August 2, before re-strengthening into a tropical storm and emerging into the Gulf of Mexico near Tarpon Springs. Later that day, the cyclone intensified quickly, becoming a Category 1 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale at 23:00 UTC. Simultaneously, the hurricane made a second Florida landfall on St. George Island with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h). After moving inland, it rapidly weakened and dissipated over southwestern Alabama late on August 3.[2]

About 24 hours of heavy rainfall was observed in the Tampa area, which the Morning Tribune noted caused "great damage ... in many places." In the Florida Panhandle, considerable impact was inflicted to crops, turpentine farms, and property. Offshore, three barges, four tugboats, and many sailing crafts sank. Among the capsized vessels was the tugboat Nimrod, with 12 people aboard, all of whom drowned.[1] Four additional deaths occurred offshore, three after the Keyser wrecked and another one after the Herndon floundered.[3]

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	August 30 – September 1
Peak intensity	85 mph (140 km/h) (1-min); 980 mbar (hPa)

The next storm formed off the northern coast of Florida on August 30 causing significant damage to coastland communities when it made landfall. It hit around the border usually between South Carolina and Georgia with 85 mph (137 km/h) winds, and dissipated on September 1, causing $400,000 in damage (1898 dollars).

At Port Royal, South Carolina, this storm caused 10.82 in (275 mm) of rain over the course of a day, breaking the previous one-day record by 5.89 in (150 mm).,[4] with a storm total of 12.4 inches (310 mm).[5]

Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 3 – September 5
Peak intensity	80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min);

On September 3, the ship America encountered this storm,[1] a Category 1 hurricane with winds of 80 mph (130 km/h) about 675 mi (1,085 km) southeast of Cape Race, Newfoundland.[2] Waves waterlogged the ship and eventually caused it to capsized, but the Marengo rescued the crew. The storm moved northeastward and was last encountered by the brig Iddesleigh on September 5,[1] on the same day the Atlantic hurricane best track indicated that the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone approximately 870 mi (1,400 km) west-southwest of Ireland. The extratropical storm dissipated several hours later.[2]

Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 5 – September 19
Peak intensity	110 mph (175 km/h) (1-min); 965 mbar (hPa)

The Windward Islands Hurricane of 1898

Ships first indicated the presence of a tropical storm southwest of Cabo Verde on September 5.[1] The system moved generally westward and intensified into a hurricane late the next day. Early on September 11, the storm peaked as a strong Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph (175 km/h) as it began passing through the Lesser Antilles, first near Barbados and then between Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent several hours later. Thereafter, the hurricane turned northwestward and entered the Caribbean. Around 18:00 UTC on September 12, the cyclone passed just west of Anguilla while traversing the Anegada Passage and re-emerged into the Atlantic. The storm continued northwestward until curving northeastward on September 17. Late on September 19, the system transitioned into an extratropical cyclone about 95 mi (155 km) of the eastern tip of Nova Scotia. The remnants crossed Newfoundland before dissipating over the Labrador Sea on the following day.[2]

Extensive impacts occurred in the Windward Islands. On Barbados, the storm rendered many streets impassable and substantially damaged two stone bridges. Winds downed many trees and thousands of telephone poles. Across the island, 5,062 homes were destroyed and another 2,359 suffered some degree of damage, rendering an estimated 40,000 people homeless. A total of 83 deaths occurred on Barbados and property damage alone reached about $2.5 million.[6] Saint Vincent also experienced significant impact, especially on the westside of the island. Windward Islands governor Cornelius Alfred Moloney noted that "From Buccamont to Kingstown ... everything is destroyed." In towns farther north, such as in Barrouallie, few buildings remained standing. The hurricane destroyed about 2,000 dwellings and damaged numerous others, leaving roughly 15,000 people homeless.[7] Between 200 and 300 fatalities were reported on Saint Vincent.[1] Thus, the National Hurricane Center estimates that this hurricane caused 283 to 383 fatalities,[8] although an additional 18 deaths occurred at Guadeloupe, 9 of them after the Marie Stella capsized and the others due to a landslide burying two residences at Trois-Rivières.[1]

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 12 – September 22
Peak intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

The fifth storm formed over the western Caribbean Sea on September 12. It tracked northwestward, and hit the Yucatán Peninsula with 60 mph (97 km/h) winds. Later, the storm traveled north. It hit Louisiana on September 20 with 60 mph (97 km/h) winds and dissipated over Illinois on September 22.

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 20 – September 28
Peak intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

The sixth storm formed over the western Caribbean Sea on September 20. It followed a path similar to the fifth storm, tracking northwestward and hitting the Yucatán Peninsula with 60 mph (97 km/h) winds. Later, it traveled north. The system hit the United States near the Texas/Louisiana border on September 28, and dissipated shortly thereafter. Heavy rainfall fell across the central Gulf coast and up the Mississippi Valley, with the highest totals recorded at Pensacola, Florida with 12.61 inches (320 mm) and Sikeston, Missouri where 11.67 inches (296 mm) fell.[9]

Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS)
Duration	September 25 – October 6
Peak intensity	130 mph (215 km/h) (1-min); 938 mbar (hPa)

The Georgia Hurricane of 1898

Although the steamship Philadelphia first encountered this storm north of Puerto Rico on September 27, reanalysis by meteorologist C. J. Neumann, et al. in 1993 began the track for this system about 200 mi (320 km) east of Guadeloupe two days earlier.[10][2] Traveling northwest, the storm intensified into a hurricane on September 26 and then into a Category 2 hurricane on September 27. While nearing the coast of the Southeastern United States, the cyclone became a Category 3 hurricane early on October 1 and then a Category 4 hurricane the next day. Around 12:00 UTC on October 2, the storm peaked with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h) and a minimum barometric pressure of 938 mbar (27.7 inHg). The hurricane then made landfall on Cumberland Island, Georgia, four hours later at the same intensity. Early on October 3, the system weakened to a tropical storm over west-central Georgia and a tropical depression over northeastern Alabama several hours later. The cyclone turned northeastward over Indiana and then east-northeastward over Ontario. After emerging into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, the storm struck Newfoundland on October 6 and promptly dissipated.[2]

The First Coast of Florida experienced strong winds and storm surge.[11] Though only minor impacts occurred in Jacksonville, the city lost communications with areas farther north. Nearby, Jacksonville Beach (then known as Pablo Beach) and Mayport reported damage due to storm surge. Farther north, storm surge may have reached 12 ft (3.7 m) in height in Fernandina Beach, flooding much of the town. Damage in Florida was conservatively estimated at $500,000.[11] In Georgia, the storm produced tides up to 18 ft (5.5 m) above mean high water mark at the Sapelo Island Lighthouse. A total of 32 people died in Darien. Storm surge inundated much of Brunswick, with at least 20 streets flooded with 4 to 8 ft (1.2 to 2.4 m) of water, damaging nearly all businesses, warehouses, and docks.[10] Tides and storm surge also caused flooding in the Savannah area, drowning 97 people at one plantation and numerous livestock while ruining about 5,000 barrels of rosin and 60,000 bushels of rice. High tides caused some damage to rice and cotton crops in South Carolina.[11] The cyclone produced heavy rainfall in other areas of the Southeastern United States, especially in western North Carolina.[12] Overall, the storm caused significant damage amounting to around $1.5 million,[11] and 179 fatalities in Georgia.[13]

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	September 25 – September 28
Peak intensity	50 mph (85 km/h) (1-min); 1008 mbar (hPa)

The eighth storm formed in the Western Caribbean, crossing to the northeast across Cuba, and dissipated over the Bahamas. It formed on September 25 and dissipated on September 28.

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 2 – October 14
Peak intensity	70 mph (110 km/h) (1-min);

A tropical wave forms into a tropical depression on October 2 with winds of 45 MPH. The storm moved across Cuba causing minor flooding and crop damage killing 2, then nearly struck Florida. It then moved to the North Eastern sea and dissipated October 14.

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 21 – October 23
Peak intensity	45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min);

The 10th storm of the season followed a path similar to the 8th storm, forming in the West Caribbean, crossing Cuba, and dissipating over the Bahamas. This storm lasted from October 21 to October 23

Tropical storm (SSHWS)
Duration	October 27 – November 4
Peak intensity	60 mph (95 km/h) (1-min);

A tropical storm with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) was first observed near Barbuda early on October 27.[10][2] The storm moved almost due west, passing through the northern Leeward Islands and then just south of Puerto Rico, Hispaniola, and Jamaica before making landfall at Ambergris Caye, British Honduras, with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) on November 3. The system weakened as it continued westward over Mexico and dissipated on the following day near Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz.[2] Partagás and Diaz noted that "Very little information was found about this storm" and expressed "skepticism regarding the existence and evolution of this storm".[10]