1878 Atlantic hurricane season
| 1878 Atlantic hurricane season |
Season summary map
|
| Seasonal boundaries |
| First system formed |
July 1, 1878 |
| Last system dissipated |
December 2, 1878 |
| Strongest storm |
|
| Name |
Seven |
| • Maximum winds |
145 mph (230 km/h)
(1-minute sustained) |
| • Lowest pressure |
935 mbar (hPa; 27.61 inHg) |
| Seasonal statistics |
| Total storms |
12 |
| Hurricanes |
10 |
Major hurricanes
(Cat. 3+) |
2 |
| Total fatalities |
108 |
| Total damage |
$2 million (1878 USD) |
|
|
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1876, 1877, 1878, 1879, 1880. |
| Tropical storm (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
July 1 – July 3 |
| Peak intensity |
45 mph (75 km/h) (1-min) 1008 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 8 – August 19 |
| Peak intensity |
80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 19 – August 20 |
| Peak intensity |
90 mph (150 km/h) (1-min) 963 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
August 25 – August 30 |
| Peak intensity |
105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min) 972 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 1 – September 13 |
| Peak intensity |
105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min) 970 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 2 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 12 – September 18 |
| Peak intensity |
105 mph (165 km/h) (1-min) |
| Category 4 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
September 24 – October 8 |
| Peak intensity |
145 mph (230 km/h) (1-min) 935 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 9 – October 14 |
| Peak intensity |
80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) 982 mbar (hPa) |
| Category 1 hurricane (SSHWS) |
|
|
| Duration |
October 9 – October 15 |
| Peak intensity |
80 mph (130 km/h) (1-min) |
The 1878 Atlantic hurricane season lasted from the summer through much of the fall. Records show that 1878 featured an relatively active hurricane season. A total of twelve storms were observed during the year. There were two tropical storms, eight 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 1878 cyclones, both Hurricane Three and Hurricane Four were first documented in 1995 by Jose Fernandez-Partagas and Henry Diaz, who also proposed large changes to the known tracks of Hurricanes Two,Seven and Eight. Further analysis,from 2000 onwards, extended the duration of Hurricane Three by one day and identified major track changes for Hurricane Five.
The Atlantic hurricane database (HURDAT) recognizes twelve tropical cyclones for 1878 in the Atlantic basin; two were tropical storms and ten were hurricanes. This season caused a total of 108 fatalities. The most notable hurricane of the 1878 Atlantic season was Hurricane Eleven or the Gale of 1878. This hurricane caused at least 72 fatalities in Cuba and the United States. Estimated damage from this storm amounted to $2 million. The first storm of 1878 was Tropical Storm One, which formed in the Gulf of Mexico on July 1. It impacted Florida and weakened to a tropical depression over land but regained some intensity when it emerged into the Atlantic. It brought high winds and heavy rainfall as far as North Carolina. Hurricane Two grew from a tropical storm near the Leeward Islands to impact Mexico as a Category 1 hurricane on August 18. Hurricane Three was a Category 1 hurricane that existed in the mid-Atlantic from August 19 to August 21, when it dissipated over the Gulf of Saint Lawrence. Hurricane Four was first seen near the Bahamas on August 25. It tracked northeast and passed within 90 miles of Bermuda before dissipating in the mid-Atlantic on August 30. Hurricane Five hit the Leeward Islands on September 2, then Haiti and passed north of Cuba. It made landfall on the Florida peninsula as a tropical storm, moved offshore, strengthened and made another landfall near Tampa before passing over St Augustine on September 11. The storm caused several ship wrecks along the east coast of Florida. Hurricane Six was a Category 2 hurricane that existed in the western Atlantic between September 12 and September 18. Hurricane Seven is the only known Category 4 hurricane of 1878. It made landfall on Haiti as a Category 1 hurricane and rapidly weakened to a tropical storm but regained hurricane strength in the Atlantic. After passing through the Bahamas it grew to a Category 2 hurricane. It continued to grow, becoming a Category 3 hurricane on September 30 and reaching Category 4 strength by October 8. Hurricane Eight grew from a tropical storm in the Gulf of Mexico on October 9. It crossed over Florida and grew to a Category 1 hurricane as it tracked north off the US east coast. Hurricane Nine was a minimal Category 1 Hurricane that existed in the Atlantic between October 9 and October 16. Hurricane Ten also remained at sea throughout its entire duration between October 13 and October 19. Hurricane Eleven, or the Gale Of 1878, was the most destructive storm of the year. It first made landfall in Cuba at hurricane strength, then weakened before passing over Florida and the Bahamas. The storm again strengthened before making landfall in North Carolina. It dissipated over New York on October 24. Tropical Storm Twelve passed over the Lesser Antilles in late November before passing close to Puerto Rico and then dissipating near Jamaica on December 2.
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Wikipedia
