1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane
| Category 4 major hurricane (SSHWS/NWS) | |
Surface weather analysis of the hurricane
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| Formed | August 29, 1930 |
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| Dissipated | September 17, 1930 |
| Highest winds |
1-minute sustained: 155 mph (250 km/h) |
| Lowest pressure | 933 mbar (hPa); 27.55 inHg |
| Fatalities | 2,000–8,000 |
| Damage | $50 million (1930 USD) |
| Areas affected | Dominican Republic, Haiti, Cuba, Florida |
| Part of the 1930 Atlantic hurricane season | |
The 1930 Dominican Republic Hurricane, also known as Hurricane San Zenon, is the fifth deadliest Atlantic hurricane on record. The second of two known tropical cyclones in the 1930 Atlantic hurricane season, the hurricane was first observed on August 29 to the east of the Lesser Antilles. The cyclone was a small but intense Category 4 hurricane, killing as many as 8,000 people when it crossed the Dominican Republic.
The system is estimated to have formed on August 29 about halfway between the Lesser Antilles and the Cape Verde islands, although there were indications it may have formed closer to the African coast a few days earlier. Moving westward, the system slowly intensified, with its track and path based mainly on continuity. It is estimated to have become a hurricane on August 31 about 385 miles (620 km) east of Guadeloupe. Operationally, the hurricane was first observed on September 1, while the storm was passing through the Lesser Antilles as an intensifying hurricane. Based on north winds in Dominica and south winds in Barbados, the evidence of the circulation prompted an observer to report, "[there are] evidences of an approaching hurricane." Cautionary advice was immediately sent out from Barbados to Saint Lucia, and based on additional ship and island reports, the National Weather Bureau issued storm warnings for the southern coasts of Puerto Rico and Hispaniola.
After passing over or near Dominica, the hurricane entered the Caribbean Sea with winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), the equivalence of a Category 2 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale. On September 2, the hurricane passed about 60 mi (95 km) southwest of Puerto Rico as it intensified into a major hurricane. Due to the storm's small size, winds on the island were below hurricane force. Continuing slowly west-northwestward, the hurricane continued to intensify as it approached the Dominican Republic. Captain Thomas Evans of the SS Coamo of the Porto Rico Line, its crew and passengers all survived being buffeted by the storm for seven hours and passing through the eye. He reported a barometric pressure of 27.75 (lowest on their barometer) and a detailed description of its near capsizing off the coast of the Dominican Republic to the New York Times when they arrived in San Juan on 4 September. The New York Times published the story on 5 September as "Steamer Outrides Storm's Full Fury: Caught in Vortex of Hurricane, Coamo Tilts Periously as Gail Strips Decks". A steamship just offshore recorded winds of 150 mph (240 km/h), and also provided data to estimate the radius of maximum winds at 8 mi (13 km). At 1800 UTC on September 3, it made landfall near Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic with a minimum central pressure of 933 mbar (27.6 inHg). As it was still intensifying up until landfall, the peak winds were estimated at 155 mph (249 km/h), although it is possible it attained Category 5 status. The worst of the hurricane occurred in a 2-mile (3.2 km) diameter of its landfall location.
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