1948 Miami hurricane
Bahamas, Bermuda | |
IBTrACS | |
Part of the 1948 Atlantic hurricane season |
The 1948 Miami hurricane (
In Cuba, homes and cattle were swept away by flash flooding. Eleven deaths and about 300 injuries were attributed to the tropical cyclone. Damage in the country reached about $6 million. The storm brought strong winds to Florida, with a sustained wind speed of 122 mph (196 km/h) at Naval Air Station Key West. Heavy rainfall exceeding 9.5 in (240 mm) in Miami and three tornadoes also contributed to the damage in South Florida. Throughout the state, 674 homes were severely damaged or destroyed, while 45 other buildings were demolished. Overall, damage in Florida reached $5.5 million and there were no deaths, but 36 injuries, none of which were serious. In Bermuda, buildings were unroofed and the sides of some structures were knocked down. Electrical light wires and telephone lines were toppled across the island. Damage totaled over $1 million.
Meteorological history
A very large but weak and elongated
Fox weakened while moving northeastward and fell to Category 2 hurricane intensity by 18:00 UTC, at which time it made landfall on
Impact
The storm brought strong winds to Cuba, with a wind gust of 132 mph (212 km/h) in Havana. The city suffered considerable damage,[3] forcing police to patrol for looters.[5] Nearly all of the city was left without electricity.[6] In some portions of the neighborhood of Miramar, flooding was reported. Trees were felled onto Paseo del Prado, a famous street in Havana.[7] In other parts of the city, falling trees and rubble also disrupted transportation.[6] There were heavy crop losses in Havana and Pinar Del Rio provinces,[3] where several rivers overflowed their banks.[5] Homes and cattle were swept away by flash flooding.[8] Overall, the hurricane left eleven fatalities,[3] three of them due to houses collapsing on their occupants.[7] Additionally, there were about 300 injuries and an estimated $6 million in damage.[3] After the storm, Cuban President Ramón Grau, President-elect Carlos Prío Socarrás, and Major General Genovevo Pérez Dámera – Chief of Staff of the Army – assessed damage in the Havana area and developed plans for recovery.[9]
The Hurricane Warning Service, operated by the
The hurricane, reminiscent of
Another tornado touched down just south of Pompano Beach demolished 25 homes and left $100,000 in damage and seven injuries.[17][18] Forty-four minutes later, a third tornado struck homes west of Fort Lauderdale. One building, containing two stories, lost its roof, while five homes incurred damage. Barns were damaged or destroyed. Losses reached $15,000.[17] West Palm Beach observed wind gusts up to 62 mph (100 km/h).[19] The hurricane caused no fatalities across the state, which the Weather Bureau considered unusual due to the storm's path over the densely populated Miami metropolitan area.[2] The passage of hurricane in September, which had resulted in pre-existing damage, mitigated the destruction from the October hurricane.[15] Overall, 36 homes were destroyed and 638 others suffered serious impact, while 45 buildings were demolished and 50 others experienced damage. Total losses in Florida reached $5.5 million, which included $3.5 million to property, $1.5 million to crops, $400,000 to electricity and communications, and $100,000 to roads.[2]
In the
See also
References
- Barnes, Jay (1998). Florida's Hurricane History. Chapel Hill Press. ISBN 0-8078-2443-7.
- Grazulis, Thomas P. (1993). Significant Tornadoes 1680-1991: A Chronology and Analysis of Events. Environmental Films. ISBN 1-879362-03-1.
- Williams, John M.; et al. (2002). Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms: Expanded Edition. University Press of Florida. ISBN 0-8130-2494-3.
Notes
- ^ a b Report on the 1948-49 Post-Analysis Program of the Air Force Hurricane Office (Air Weather Service Technical Report). Washington, D.C.: United States Air Weather Service. 1949.
- ^ a b c d Sumner, H. C. (1948). "North Atlantic Hurricanes and Tropical Disturbances of 1948" (PDF). U.S. Weather Bureau. Retrieved 2009-01-04.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Christopher W. Landsea; et al. Documentation of Atlantic Tropical Cyclones Changes in HURDAT. Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory (Report). Miami, Florida: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- ^ a b c d e f "Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)" (Database). United States National Hurricane Center. April 5, 2023. Retrieved April 19, 2024. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^
- ^ a b "Storm Wrecks Havoc in Cuba". Albany Democrat-Herald. Miami, Florida. United Press International. October 5, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^
- ^ Barnes, p. 181
- ^ "Tropical Storm Nears Florida". Logansport Pharos-Tribune. Havana, Cuba. United Press International. October 5, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 10, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hurricane is Expected to Hit Florida". Sarasota Herald-Tribune. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. October 4, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2016.
- ^ Francis McCartny (October 5, 1948). "Houses are Wrecked by 130-Mile Winds; Miami in Storm Path". Times Herald-Record. Havana, Cuba. United Press International. p. 1. Retrieved January 10, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ "Hurricane Sweeps Over Florida Keys". Albany Democrat-Herald. Miami, Florida. United Press International. October 5, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 9, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Swanson, Gail; et al. "Florida Keys Hurricanes of the Last Millennium". Historical Preservation Society of the Upper Keys. Archived from the original on 2 December 2008. Retrieved 2009-01-10.
- ^ "Hurricane Hits Key West Area". Miami, Florida: Marysville Journal-Tribune. October 5, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved January 10, 2016 – via newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c Barnes, p. 182
- ^ "Hurricane Roars Through Famed Gold Coast Area". The San Bernardino Sun. Miami, Florida. Associated Press. October 6, 1948. p. 1. Retrieved February 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b c d Grazulis, p. 940
- ^ a b "Severe Local Storms for October 1948" (PDF). U.S. Weather Bureau. Retrieved 2009-01-09.
- ^ "Hurricane Passes Over Miami, Speeds Up Atlantic Coast". Abilene Reporter-News. Miami, Florida. October 6, 1948. p. 6. Retrieved February 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Million Damage Done by Bermuda Hurricane". The Bridgeport Telegram. Hamilton, Bermuda. Associated Press. October 9, 1948. p. 11. Retrieved February 26, 2016 – via Newspapers.com.