| Meteorological history | |
|---|---|
| Formed | September 23,1848 |
| Dissipated | September 28,1848 |
| Category 4 major hurricane | |
| 1-minute sustained (SSHWS/NWS) | |
| Highest winds | 130 mph (215 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 948 mbar (hPa);27.99 inHg |
| Overall effects | |
| Fatalities | None |
| Damage | $20,000 (1848 USD) |
| Areas affected | Central and North Florida |
Part of the 1848 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The 1848 Tampa Bay hurricane (also known as the Great Gale of 1848) was the strongest known hurricane to impact the Tampa Bay area of the U.S. state of Florida. Along with the 1921 Tampa Bay hurricane and Hurricane Milton in 2024,it is one of only three major hurricanes to make landfall along Central Florida's west coast since Florida became a United States territory in 1821.
The 1848 storm is believed to have formed in the Gulf of Mexico and made landfall near modern-day Clearwater in Pinellas County on September 24. It generated the highest storm surge ever recorded in Tampa Bay,reshaping parts of the nearby coastline and destroying many of the small settlements in the area at the time. Although precise records are unavailable,the storm's barometric pressure and storm surge are consistent with at least a Category 4 hurricane. [1] [2] [3] The storm made its way across the largely uninhabited Florida peninsula over the next two days,and although weakened by the time it emerged in the Atlantic Ocean,it caused substantial damage on the east coast as well. Early Florida pioneer William Whitaker called the storm "the granddaddy of all hurricanes." [4]
The storm appears to have formed in the central Gulf of Mexico before moving northeast to make landfall near Clearwater,Florida. It then crossed the Florida peninsula and exited near Cape Canaveral. [3] After moving into the extreme western Atlantic,the cyclone continued to the northeast just offshore of the East Coast of the United States to the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. [5]
A weather station at Fort Brooke in modern downtown Tampa measured a minimum pressure of 28.18 inches of mercury (954 mb ) and peak winds of 72 miles per hour (116 km/h) on September 23,though the anemometer ceased functioning before the height of the storm. [6] By making landfall just north of the mouth of Tampa Bay,the counter-clockwise rotation of the storm pushed the waters of the Gulf of Mexico across the barrier islands and onto the mainland of modern Pinellas County and pushed the shallow waters of Tampa Bay into Fort Brooke and the surrounding small settlement of Tampa Town,producing the highest storm surges ever recorded in the region. The water near Fort Brooke at the mouth of the Hillsborough River rose about 15 feet (4.6 m ), [7] the Interbay Peninsula where South Tampa and MacDill Air Force Base currently reside was mostly submerged as "Old Tampa Bay and Hillsborough Bay met", [8] [9] and the peninsula of modern Pinellas County was inundated "to the waist". [9] [10] The storm destroyed the fishing rancho of Antonio Máximo Hernández,reputedly lower Pinellas' first white settler,forcing him to emigrate permanently. [11] The storm almost obliterated the citrus crop and destroyed the main house at St. Helena plantation on the northwest corner of Tampa Bay —now part of Safety Harbor —forcing the residents to shelter on an elevated Tocobaga midden. Even so,they nearly drowned as the storm tide eroded part of the five-hundred-year-old mound. [11] Winds also felled almost all of the trees along what is now Indian Rocks Road in Largo. [12]
General R. D. A. Wade,commanding at Fort Brooke,reported the destruction of the wharves,public buildings,and storehouses with very few structures remaining. [9] B. P. Curry,the fort's assistant surgeon,reported the hospital destroyed. Only five houses were left standing in the town of Tampa,and they were all damaged. [9] The water rose twelve feet higher than had even been recorded,and strong winds downed many ancient live oak trees in and around the fort. [13]
The storm substantially altered the coastal geography of the Tampa Bay area,cutting new inlets,filling in others,and altering the shape of bays and keys,thereby making navigational charts useless to mariners. [13] [14] Allen's Creek was widened from less than 200 feet (61.0 m ) to about half a mile at its mouth. Passage Key,between Egmont Key and Anna Maria,was obliterated but reformed later. The storm created what would become known as "Soldier's Hole" at Mullet Key,so called because soldiers at Fort De Soto used it as a swimming hole. An inlet at John's Pass was cut by the surge but has since shifted north. The storm destroyed the lighthouse on Egmont Key,and the keeper (Marvel Edwards) rode out the hurricane in a rowboat tied to a palm tree. The end of the rope was later found 9 ft (2.74 m) off the ground,which had an elevation of about 6 ft (1.83 m).[ citation needed ]
At Englewood,Stump Pass was cut. Casey's Pass was opened at Venice. New Pass was opened between Sarasota Bay and the Gulf,splitting Palm Island into Longboat and Lido Keys. [15] Farther south,the storm significantly damaged the Charlotte Harbor area near present-day Fort Myers. [6] Elsewhere,ships also encountered the storm. A brig,sighted in the Gulf of Mexico near Cedar Key,encountered the storm while at most 80 miles (129 km ) from St. Marks,Florida;the ship lost its mast to the storm. [6]
Damage on the east coast may have been less severe,but the storm still produced significant effects and was described in the Savannah Republican as,"blowing 'great guns' –the hardest blow felt [on the St. Johns River] for several years". It blew down houses in Jacksonville and caused flooding in St. Augustine,as well as interference with shipping on the St. Johns River. [16]
Hurricane Betsy was an intense, deadly and destructive tropical cyclone that brought widespread damage to areas of Florida and the central United States Gulf Coast in September 1965. The storm's erratic nature, coupled with its intensity and minimal preparation time contributed to making Betsy the first tropical cyclone in the Atlantic basin to accrue at least $1 billion in damage. While the storm primarily affected areas of southern Florida and Louisiana, lesser effects were felt in the Bahamas and as far inland in the United States as the Ohio River Valley. Betsy began as a tropical depression north of French Guiana on August 27, and strengthened as it moved in a general northwesterly direction. After executing a slight anticyclonic loop north of the Bahamas, Betsy proceeded to move through areas of south Florida on September 8, causing extensive crop damage. After emerging into the Gulf of Mexico, the cyclone strengthened and reached its peak intensity equivalent to that of a Category 4 hurricane on September 10 before making its final landfall near Grand Isle, Louisiana, shortly thereafter. Once inland, Betsy was slow to weaken, and persisted for two more days before degenerating into an extratropical storm; these remnants lasted until September 13.
The 1928 Atlantic hurricane season was a near average hurricane season in which seven tropical cyclones developed. Of these, six intensified into a tropical storm and four further strengthened into hurricanes. One hurricane deepened into a major hurricane, which is Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale. The first system, the Fort Pierce hurricane, developed near the Lesser Antilles on August 3. The storm crossed the Bahamas and made landfall in Florida. Two fatalities and approximately $235,000 in damage was reported. A few days after the first storm developed, the Haiti hurricane, formed near the southern Windward Islands on August 7. The storm went on to strike Haiti, Cuba, and Florida. This storm left about $2 million in damage and at least 210 deaths. Impacts from the third system are unknown.
The 1921 Atlantic hurricane season was an active hurricane season, with 12 tropical cyclones forming. Among them, seven became tropical storms, of which five strengthened into hurricanes. Furthermore, two of these strengthened into a major hurricane, Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale, the most since the 1917 season. The first system, a tropical depression, developed on June 1, while the last, a tropical storm, dissipated on November 25. Of note, three tropical cyclones co-existed with another during the season.
The 1919 Florida Keys hurricane was a massive and damaging tropical cyclone that swept across areas of the northern Caribbean Sea and the United States Gulf Coast in September 1919. Remaining an intense Atlantic hurricane throughout much of its existence, the storm's slow movement and sheer size prolonged and enlarged the scope of the hurricane's effects, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes in United States history. Impacts were largely concentrated around the Florida Keys and South Texas areas, though lesser but nonetheless significant effects were felt in Cuba and other areas of the United States Gulf Coast. The hurricane's peak strength in Dry Tortugas in the lower Florida Keys made it one of the most powerful Atlantic hurricanes to make landfall in the United States.
The 1880 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and fall of 1880. This is the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. In the 1880 Atlantic season there were two tropical storms, seven hurricanes, and two major hurricanes (Category 3+). 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. 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. Of the known 1880 cyclones, Hurricane Six was first documented in 1995 by José Fernández-Partagás and Henry Díaz. They also proposed large changes to the known tracks of several other storms for this year and 're-instated' Hurricane Ten to the database. A preliminary reanalysis by Michael Chenoweth, published in 2014, found thirteen storms, nine hurricanes, and four major hurricanes.
The decade of the 1830s featured the 1830s Atlantic hurricane seasons. While data is not available for every storm that occurred, some parts of the coastline were populated enough to give data of hurricane occurrences. Each season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic basin. Most tropical cyclone formation occurs between June 1 and November 30.
This article encompasses the 1840–1849 Atlantic hurricane seasons. While data is not available for every storm that occurred, some parts of the coastline were populated enough to give data of hurricane occurrences. Each season was an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation in the Atlantic basin. Most tropical cyclone formation occurs between June 1 and November 30.
The 1944 Cuba–Florida hurricane was a large Category 4 tropical cyclone on the Saffir–Simpson hurricane wind scale that caused widespread damage across the western Caribbean Sea and Southeastern United States in October 1944. It inflicted over US$100 million in damage and caused at least 318 deaths, the majority of fatalities occurring in Cuba. One study suggested that an equivalent storm in 2018 would rank among the costliest U.S. hurricanes. The full extent of the storm's effects remains unclear due to a dearth of conclusive reports from rural areas of Cuba. The unprecedented availability of meteorological data during the hurricane marked a turning point in the United States Weather Bureau's ability to forecast tropical cyclones.
Hurricane Gordon caused minor damage in the Eastern United States. The seventh named storm and fourth hurricane of the 2000 Atlantic hurricane season, Gordon developed in the extreme western Caribbean Sea from a tropical wave on September 14. Shortly thereafter, the depression moved inland over the Yucatán Peninsula and later emerged into the Gulf of Mexico on September 15. The depression began to quickly organize, and by early on September 16, it was upgraded to Tropical Storm Gordon. After becoming a tropical storm, Gordon continued to intensify and was reclassified as a hurricane about 24 hours later; eventually, the storm peaked as an 80 mph (130 km/h) Category 1 hurricane. However, southwesterly upper-level winds caused Gordon to weaken as it approached land, and it was downgraded to a tropical storm by late on September 17. At 0300 UTC on September 18, Gordon made landfall near Cedar Key, Florida as a strong tropical storm. After moving inland, Gordon rapidly weakened and had deteriorated to tropical depression status by nine hours later. Later that day, Gordon merged with a frontal boundary while centered over Georgia.
The Tampa Bay hurricane of 1921 was a destructive and deadly major hurricane which made landfall in the Tampa Bay area of Florida in late October 1921. The eleventh tropical cyclone, sixth tropical storm, and fifth hurricane of the season, the storm developed from a trough in the southwestern Caribbean Sea on October 20. Initially a tropical storm, the system moved northwestward and intensified into a hurricane on October 22 and a major hurricane by October 23. Later that day, the hurricane peaked as a Category 4 on the modern day Saffir–Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 140 mph (230 km/h). After entering the Gulf of Mexico, the hurricane gradually curved northeastward and weakened to a Category 3 before making landfall near Tarpon Springs, Florida, late on October 25. It was the first major hurricane to make landfall in the Tampa Bay area since the hurricane of 1848. The storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane while crossing the Florida peninsula, and it reached the Atlantic Ocean early the following day. Thereafter, the system moved east-southeastward and remained fairly steady in intensity before weakening to a tropical storm late on October 29. The storm was then absorbed by a larger extratropical cyclone early the next day, with the remnants of the hurricane soon becoming indistinguishable.
Timeline of Pinellas County, Florida history.
Tropical Depression One was a tropical depression that in June 1992, produced 100-year floods in portions of southwestern Florida. The first tropical depression and second tropical cyclone of the 1992 Atlantic hurricane season, the depression developed on June 25 from a tropical wave. Located in an environment of strong wind shear, much of the convection in the system was located well to the southeast of the poorly defined center of circulation. The depression moved northeastward and made landfall near Tampa, Florida on June 26, shortly before dissipating over land.
Tropical Storm Keith struck the Continental United States later in the calendar year than any tropical cyclone since the 1925 Atlantic hurricane season. The nineteenth tropical depression and eleventh named storm of the 1988 Atlantic hurricane season, Keith developed out of a tropical wave in the Caribbean Sea on November 17. It tracked northwestward, and under generally favorable conditions, Keith reached a peak intensity of 70 mph (110 km/h) shortly before striking the northeastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula. It turned northeastward in the Gulf of Mexico, and made landfall near Sarasota, Florida, on November 23. Keith accelerated its forward motion under the influence of a cold front, and became extratropical near Bermuda on November 24. The extratropical remnant persisted for two more days.
The Tampa Bay area has a humid subtropical climate, closely bordering a tropical climate near the waterfront areas. There are two basic seasons in the Tampa Bay area, a hot and wet season from May through October, and a mild and dry season from November through April.
The 1932 Florida–Alabama hurricane was a tropical cyclone that made two separate landfalls on the United States, causing devastation in affected areas. The third named storm and hurricane of the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season, it developed from a tropical disturbance north of Hispaniola on August 26. Slowly moving towards the west-northwest, the system intensified to tropical storm strength before making landfall on South Florida early on August 30. After crossing the Florida peninsula and entering the Gulf of Mexico, the system reached peak intensity as a Category 1 hurricane, before subsequently making its final landfall near the Mississippi–Alabama border on September 1. Over land, the hurricane weakened, and after becoming an extratropical cyclone on September 2, merged with another extratropical system over Quebec on September 4.
The 1842 Atlantic hurricane season featured several maritime catastrophes in the Gulf of Mexico and along the U.S. East Coast, and produced one of the only known tropical cyclones to directly affect the Iberian Peninsula. As the season falls outside the scope of the Atlantic hurricane database, records of most storms in 1842 are scarce, and only approximate tracks are known. The first documented storm of the season battered the coast of North Carolina in mid-July, wrecking dozens of ships and destroying homes along the Outer Banks. A little over a month later, another storm impacted the same region and caused several more shipwrecks that killed at least 12 men. This storm later doused the Mid-Atlantic states with flooding rains. In early September, a powerful storm known as "Antje's Hurricane"—named after a ship that it dismasted—tracked generally westward after first being spotted over the Leeward Islands. After yielding widespread destruction across the Bahamas, the storm traversed the Florida Straits, causing severe damage in both northern Cuba and the lower Florida Keys. Many ships and their crews were lost to the storm as it crossed the Gulf of Mexico; it finally struck northern Mexico on September 8.
Tropical Storm Colin was the earliest third named storm in the Atlantic basin on record for four years, until it was surpassed by Tropical Storm Cristobal in 2020. An atypical, poorly organized tropical cyclone, Colin developed from a low pressure area over the Gulf of Mexico near the northern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula late on June 5, 2016. Moving northward, the depression strengthened into a tropical storm about eight hours after its formation. On June 6, Colin curved to the north-northeast and intensified slightly to winds of 50 mph (80 km/h). Strong wind shear prevented further strengthening and resulted in the system maintaining a disheveled appearance on satellite imagery. Later, the storm began accelerating to the northeast. Early on June 7, Colin made landfall in rural Taylor County, Florida, still at peak intensity. The system rapidly crossed northern Florida and emerged into the Atlantic Ocean several hours later. By late on June 7, Colin transitioned into an extratropical cyclone offshore North Carolina before being absorbed by a frontal boundary the following day.
