1856 Last Island hurricane
| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Map of Last Island, Louisiana in 1853
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| Formed | Before August 9, 1856 |
|---|---|
| Dissipated | August 12, 1856 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 150 mph (240 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 934 mbar (hPa); 27.58 inHg |
| Fatalities | 200+ |
| Areas affected | Louisiana and southwestern Mississippi |
| Part of the 1856 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The 1856 Last Island hurricane (also known as the Great Storm of 1856) was one of the deadliest tropical cyclones recorded for Louisiana. The first known tropical cyclone of the season, it was observed first as a minimal hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico near Dry Tortugas on August 9.
Offshore, at least 183 people drowned after steamers and schooners sank in rough seas produced by the hurricane. A storm surge between 11 and 12 feet (3.4 and 3.7 m) completely submerged the island, destroying virtually every structure, including the hotels and casinos, while all crops were ruined. Additionally, Last Island itself was split in two.
Inland, heavy rainfall caused the Mermentau River to flood, destroying crops and every house in Abbeville. The storm produced as much as 13.14 inches (334 mm) of precipitation in New Orleans. In Plaquemines Parish, rice fields were under several feet of water, while many orange trees lost their fruit. The storm resulted in at least 200 fatalities.
The cyclone was first detected in the eastern Gulf of Mexico 125 miles (200 km) west-northwest of Key West, Florida, on August 8, 1856. Because it was already a hurricane when it was first observed, it probably had developed further east than here. It advanced steadily northwest, strengthening to the equivalent of a Category 3 hurricane. The hurricane gradually slowed prior to landfall on August 10, and it attained its estimated peak intensity of 150 mph (240 km/h). It was a tropical cyclone of small diameter, and its maximum sustained winds may have reached Category 5 status, but were unrecorded. During the early evening of August 10 the northeastern edge of the eye crossed over Last Island (Official name: Isle Dernière) before making landfall a few hours later south of New Iberia, Louisiana. The cyclone is believed to have struck southern Louisiana at peak intensity with an approximate central pressure of 934 mbar (27.58 inHg). A ship reported a peripheral pressure of 955 mbar (28.20 inHg), so a lower pressure was based on the small size of the hurricane. It quickly weakened over land, and it diminished to a tropical storm on August 11. It dissipated over southwestern Mississippi on August 12 with fully tropical characteristics.
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