1863 Atlantic hurricane season
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![](//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/52/1863_Atlantic_hurricane_season_summary_map.png/300px-1863_Atlantic_hurricane_season_summary_map.png) Season summary map
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First system formed
| May 24, 1863
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Last system dissipated
| September 30, 1863
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Name
| One
,
Two
,
Three
, and
Four
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? Maximum winds
| 105 mph (165 km/h)
(
1-minute sustained
)
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Total storms
| 9 official, 2 unofficial
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Hurricanes
| 5 official, 1 unofficial
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Major hurricanes
(
Cat. 3+
)
| 0
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Total fatalities
| 200
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Total damage
| Unknown
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|
Atlantic hurricane seasons
1861
,
1862
,
1863
,
1864
,
1865
|
The
1863 Atlantic hurricane season
featured five
landfalling
tropical cyclones
. 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 has been estimated.
[1]
There were seven recorded hurricanes and no major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or higher on the modern day
Saffir?Simpson scale
.
[2]
Of the known 1863 cyclones, seven were first documented in 1995 by Jose Fernandez-Partagas and Henry Diaz,
[3]
while the ninth tropical storm was first documented in 2003.
[4]
These changes were largely adopted by the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
's
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis
in their updates to the
Atlantic hurricane database
(HURDAT), with some adjustments.
Although it is not officially listed in HURDAT, Hurricane "Amanda", named after
a ship run aground by the storm
, developed in the Gulf of Mexico on May 24. First documented in 2013 by Michael Chenoweth and Cary Mock, the system capsized several other ships and caused damage along the coast of the
Florida Panhandle
. The cyclone made
landfall
near
Apalachicola, Florida
, exceptionally early in the season, on May 28. Amanda is the only known hurricane landfall in the United States in the month of May since HURDAT records began in 1851. On land and at sea, the cyclone left at least 110 fatalities. Few other storms were notable. In August, the third official storm capsized the American brig
Bainbridge
off
Hatteras, North Carolina
, drowning 80 people. The seventh official cyclone caused 10 deaths near
Tampico
,
Tamaulipas
, after the ship
J.K.L.
sunk.
Timeline
[
edit
]
Systems
[
edit
]
Hurricane One
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| August 8 ? August 9
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Peak intensity
| 105 mph (165 km/h)
(1-min)
;
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A Category 2 hurricane was first encountered by the ship
Francis B. Cutting
about 630 mi (1,010 km) south-southeast of
Cape Race
,
Newfoundland
, on August 8.
[3]
[5]
With winds estimated at 105 mph (165 km/h), the storm weakened to a Category 1 hurricane several hours later as it tracked northeastward. The cyclone was last noted late on August 9.
[5]
Hurricane Two
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| August 18 ? August 19
|
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Peak intensity
| 105 mph (165 km/h)
(1-min)
;
|
---|
The ship
American Congress
first encountered this storm on August 18,
[3]
about 320 mi (510 km) south-southeast of
Sable Island
.
[5]
Reports from
American Congress
and other ships in the cyclone's path suggest that the storm was a Category 2 hurricane that moved east-northeastward offshore
Atlantic Canada
between August 18 and August 19. The hurricane caused the loss of the ship
B.R. Millam
, whose crew transferred to the
Thebes
, while the
Herzogin
lost several masts and sails.
[3]
Hurricane Three
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| August 19 ? August 23
|
---|
Peak intensity
| 105 mph (165 km/h)
(1-min)
;
975
mbar
(
hPa
)
|
---|
A hurricane was first seen by the ship
Addie Barnes
on August 19 in the western Atlantic Ocean, about midway between the southeastern
Bahamas
and
Bermuda
. It headed northwestward, causing heavy rains and damage to the
Outer Banks
of
North Carolina
, but remained offshore.
[3]
It turned northeastward and made landfall near
Dartmouth, Nova Scotia
, before transitioning into an
extratropical cyclone
.
[5]
Several vessels were struck by the hurricane.
[3]
The American brig
Bainbridge
capsized in the storm off
Hatteras
early on August 21 with the loss of 80 lives.
[6]
The sole survivor was picked up by the
South Boston
on the evening of August 22. The ship
American Congress
encountered this hurricane on August 22 off
Georges Bank
. On August 23, the
Minor
was wrecked on the south side of
St Paul Island
, off the northeastern tip of Nova Scotia. Two ships, including the
Ashburton
recorded a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg), the lowest in relation to the storm.
[3]
Hurricane Four
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| August 27 ? August 28
|
---|
Peak intensity
| 105 mph (165 km/h)
(1-min)
;
|
---|
This hurricane is known from two ship reports. The steamship
Dolphin
, sailing from
Key West
to
New York City
, encountered a hurricane on the night of August 27 and for 18 hours thereafter.
[3]
Wind reports from the ship suggested that the storm was a Category 2 hurricane winds of 105 mph (165 km/h).
[5]
The brig
Camilla
was struck about 200 mi (320 km) from
Sandy Hook
in
New Jersey
on August 28 and forced to return to port for repairs.
[3]
The storm was last noted later that day.
[5]
Hurricane Five
[
edit
]
|
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Duration
| September 9 ? September 16
|
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Peak intensity
| 80 mph (130 km/h)
(1-min)
;
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A tropical storm was initially encountered near the
Lesser Antilles
on September 9 by the ship
Frank W.
. Later that day, the ship
Mary Ann
was dismasted.
[3]
It is estimated that the cyclone intensified into a Category 1 hurricane around 12:00 UTC on September 9, with winds reaching 80 mph (130 km/h). The system moved north-northwestward or northward for several days and closely approached Bermuda late on September 11.
[5]
Around that time, some ships to the southeast of the island were damaged during the storm and put into Bermuda as a result.
[3]
By early on September 13, the hurricane was beginning to move in a more northeasterly direction.
[5]
The bark
Machae
was dismasted on September 14.
[3]
The cyclone weakened to a tropical storm early the following day.
[5]
On September 16, the
Glad Tiding
last observed the storm about halfway between Newfoundland and
Ireland
.
[3]
Tropical Storm Six
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| September 16 ? September 19
|
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Peak intensity
| 70 mph (110 km/h)
(1-min)
;
|
---|
A tropical storm formed near South Florida on September 16. Later that day, the sloop
Eliza
was dismantled at Matanilla Reef, about 50 mi (80 km) north of
Grand Bahama
.
[3]
Moving north-northeastward, the storm began approaching the
Carolinas
on September 17. The cyclone intensified and peaked with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h) that same day. Around 13:00 UTC on September 18, the system made landfall in
Emerald Isle, North Carolina
. Thereafter, the storm tracked rapidly north-northeastward and lost tropical characteristics near the
Connecticut
?
Massachusetts
?
New York
state lines early on September 19.
[5]
In
South Carolina
, strong winds and large waves impacted the
Charleston
area. A number of homes were destroyed, forcing some occupants to ride out the storm completely exposed to the weather. Waves overtopped the levees, flooding army camps along the coast.
[7]
On September 18, two schooners were capsized in the Lower
Potomac River
. Crops were also destroyed in the area, while a railroad bridge was carried away. A ship was demasted off
Cove Point
in
Chesapeake Bay
on September 18.
[3]
Heavy rainfall in
Pennsylvania
resulted in flooding along the
Delaware River
and
Lehigh Canal
, especially in
Easton
. In
Jim Thorpe
, then known as Mauch Chunk, three bridges washed away, while a dam was destroyed.
[8]
In New York City, gale-force winds were observed at harbor.
[3]
Tropical Storm Seven
[
edit
]
|
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Duration
| September 18 ? September 19
|
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Peak intensity
| 60 mph (95 km/h)
(1-min)
;
|
---|
On September 18, a heavy northern gale wrecked the ship
Smoker
on the bar at
Tampico, Tamaulipas
, in
Mexico
. On September 19, two ships were capsized, the
John Howell
and the
J.K.L
. After the latter sunk, 10 people drowned, including the captain. No specific locations are known for these shipwrecks so no complete track for this storm is known, but it was active in the western Gulf of Mexico beginning on September 18.
[3]
The storm made landfall early on September 19 in a rural area of
Tamaulipas
to the north of Tampico.
[5]
Based on John Kaplan and Mark DeMaria's inland decay model created in 1995, it is estimated that the cyclone dissipated several hours later.
[3]
Climate researcher Michael Chenoweth does not consider this system to have been a tropical cyclone, instead attributing the squally weather to a cold front and high-pressure area.
[9]
Tropical Storm Eight
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| September 26 ? September 27
|
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Peak intensity
| 60 mph (95 km/h)
(1-min)
;
|
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Three ships reported encountering a tropical storm on September 26 in the western Atlantic, beginning with the
Horace E. Bell
about 320 mi (510 km) west-southwest of Bermuda.
[3]
[5]
Data from these ships indicated that the storm peaked with winds of 60 mph (95 km/h). The storm moved rapidly north-northwestward and was last noted offshore the
Mid-Atlantic
early on September 27.
[5]
Chenoweth also proposed the removal of this storm from HURDAT due to "Insufficient supporting evidence from other neighboring data sources".
[9]
Tropical Storm Nine
[
edit
]
|
|
Duration
| September 29 ? September 30
|
---|
Peak intensity
| 70 mph (110 km/h)
(1-min)
;
999
mbar
(
hPa
)
|
---|
A tropical storm formed offshore southeast
Texas
on at 00:00 UTC on September 29,
[5]
though the system exhibited some non-tropical characteristics.
[4]
Moving northeastward, the cyclone made landfall near
Galveston, Texas
, about twelve hours later with winds of 70 mph (110 km/h).
[5]
Around that time, a barometric pressure of 999 mbar (29.5 inHg) was observed in Houston, the lowest pressure in relation to the storm.
[4]
At 12:00 UTC, the cyclone transitioned into an extratropical cyclone over southwestern
Louisiana
. The remnants moved north-northeastward until dissipating over southern
Mississippi
on October 1.
[5]
In Texas, strong winds and tree damage occurred at
Sabine Pass
, where the schooner
Manhasett
was driven ashore. The
Manhasett
, a
Union
ship, was then captured by the
Confederates
. In Louisiana, heavy rainfall at the
Atchafalaya Basin
over the course of two and a half days forced Confederate troops to remain at Morgan's Ferry. Rainfall from the storm in
New Orleans
ended a drought in the city.
[10]
Other storms
[
edit
]
Hurricane "Amanda"
[
edit
]
Proposed path of Hurricane "Amanda"
Based on analysis from Michael Chenoweth and Cary Mock in 2013, a tropical system developed in the
Gulf of Mexico
on May 24. Named for the
USS
Amanda
, a
bark
which it drove ashore, the tropical cyclone is estimated to have intensified into a hurricane on May 27. It moved northward and made landfall to the west of
Apalachicola, Florida
, on May 28. Early that day,
Amanda
observed a barometric pressure of 975 mbar (28.8 inHg), the lowest in association with the cyclone.
[11]
The storm weakened while moving inland, before accelerating ahead of a
cold front
and becoming an extratropical cyclone over
Kentucky
late on May 29. An extratropical low absorbed the remnants of the storm over
Quebec
on May 31.
[12]
As delineated by Chenoweth and Mock, Amanda would be the earliest calendar year U.S. landfalling hurricane. However, this storm is not listed in HURDAT2.
[13]
Amanda caused heavy damage in the northeast
Gulf of Mexico
and the
Florida Panhandle
. In addition to sinking the
Amanda
, several other ships encountered the storm or were also capsized. At least 38 deaths occurred at sea. In
St. Marks, Florida
, strong winds destroyed homes and fences,
[12]
as well as the salt works, ruining about 40,000 bushels of salt.
[14]
Storm surge inundated crops and the railroad tracks. A total of 40 people and 48 mules and oxen drowned.
[12]
[14]
An additional 32 people drowned at Dickerson Bay and Goose Creek.
[12]
Some coastal forts were damaged, while tents and equipment used by Confederate troops were lost.
[14]
In
Tallahassee
, heavy rainfall and severe gales were reported,
[12]
damaging homes and other properties.
[14]
The hurricane caused upward of 110 fatalities.
[12]
Newfoundland Storm
[
edit
]
On September 11, the ship
North American
reported a 'hurricane from SW' at a position that would indicate a storm center just east of Newfoundland. No evidence of a tropical origin for this cyclone has been found.
[3]
See also
[
edit
]
References
[
edit
]
- ^
Christopher W. Landsea (2004). "The Atlantic hurricane database re-analysis project: Documentation for the 1851?1910 alterations and additions to the HURDAT database".
Hurricanes and Typhoons: Past, Present and Future
. New York: Columbia University Press. pp. 177?221.
ISBN
0-231-12388-4
.
- ^
Atlantic basin Comparison of Original and Revised HURDAT
.
Hurricane Research Division
;
Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory
(Report). Miami, Florida:
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
. 2016
. Retrieved
January 9,
2017
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
q
r
s
t
Jose Fernandez-Partagas and Henry F. Diaz (1995a).
A Reconstruction of Historical Tropical Cyclone Frequency in the Atlantic from Documentary and other Historical Sources: Year 1870
(PDF)
. Boulder, Colorado: Climate Diagnostics Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
. Retrieved
2011-10-14
.
- ^
a
b
c
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 8,
2016
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
g
h
i
j
k
l
m
n
o
p
"Atlantic hurricane best track (HURDAT version 2)"
(Database). United States
National Hurricane Center
. April 5, 2023
. Retrieved
June 15,
2024
.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the
public domain
.
- ^
Edward N. Rappaport and Jose Fernandez-Partagas (1996).
The Deadliest Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1492?1996: Cyclones with 25+ deaths
.
National Hurricane Center
(Report). National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
. Retrieved
January 9,
2017
.
- ^
"From Charleston"
.
The Intelligencer and Wheeling News Register
. New York City, New York. September 24, 1863. p. 3
. Retrieved
January 13,
2017
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
"The Equinoctial Storm?A Flood on the Lehigh and Delaware Rivers"
.
The Baltimore Sun
. Easton, Pennsylvania. September 19, 1863. p. 1
. Retrieved
January 13,
2017
– via
Newspapers.com
.
- ^
a
b
Chenoweth, Michael (December 2014).
"A New Compilation of North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1851?98"
.
Journal of Climate
.
27
(12).
American Meteorological Society
.
Bibcode
:
2014JCli...27.8674C
.
doi
:
10.1175/JCLI-D-13-00771.1
. Retrieved
April 29,
2024
.
- ^
David M. Roth (January 13, 2010).
Louisiana Hurricane History
(PDF)
. National Weather Service, Southern Region Headquarters
. Retrieved
January 7,
2017
.
- ^
"1863 Hurricane Not Named (1863145N27272)"
. International Best Track Archive for Climate Stewardship
. Retrieved
July 12,
2022
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
e
f
Michael Chenoweth and Cary J. Mock (2013).
"Hurricane "Amanda": Rediscovery of a Forgotten U.S. Civil War Florida Hurricane"
.
Bull. Am. Meteorol. Soc
.
94
(11): 1735?42.
Bibcode
:
2013BAMS...94.1735C
.
doi
:
10.1175/BAMS-D-12-00171.1
.
S2CID
123011306
.
- ^
Cokinos, Samara (June 10, 2021).
"A look back: Hurricane Alma marks earliest hurricane to strike contiguous US"
.
clickorlando.com
. Retrieved
November 30,
2021
.
- ^
a
b
c
d
"Terrible Storm"
.
Fayetteville Weekly Observer
. June 8, 1863. p. 3
. Retrieved
January 13,
2017
– via
Newspapers.com
.
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