1949 Atlantic hurricane season
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 Season summary map |
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| First storm formed: | Aug. 21, 1949 |
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| Last storm dissipated: | Nov. 5, 1949 |
| Strongest storm: | #2 - 130 knots (150 mph) |
| Total storms: | 13 |
| Major storms (Cat. 3+): | 3 |
| Total damage: | $58.2 million (1949 USD) |
| Total fatalities: | 4 |
| Atlantic hurricane seasons 1947, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1951 |
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The 1949 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1, 1949, and lasted until November 30, 1949. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin.
1949 was a fairly active season, with 13 storms reaching tropical storm strength, 7 hurricanes, and 3 major hurricanes. 1949 was the last year in which tropical cyclones were not named. Some notable storms of the 1949 season include a Category 4 hitting near West Palm Beach in August, as well as a Category 4 hurricane hitting Freeport, Texas in October.
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[edit] Storms
[edit] Hurricane One
Hurricane One formed north of the Lesser Antilles on August 21. It moved northwestward, gradually strengthening to a peak of 110 mph winds. It brushed the Outer Banks on the 24th, turned east, and became extratropical on the 26th. No damage was reported.[1]
[edit] Hurricane Two
On August 23rd a tropical storm was located northeast of the Lesser Antilles. It moved west-northwest, passing the islands to the north, and became a hurricane on the 25th. Moving through the Bahamas, it rapidly strengthened over the warm Gulf Stream waters, and attained a peak of 150 mph winds just before hitting West Palm Beach, Florida on the 27th. The hurricane turned northward, weakened to a tropical storm, moved up the Atlantic coast states, and became extratropical on the 29th over New Hampshire. Hurricane Two caused more than $52 million in damage (1949 dollars), as well as two deaths.[2]
[edit] Tropical Storm Three
A tropical depression formed to the east of the Lesser Antilles on August 30. It moved steadily west-northwestward, passing over Barbados and the central Lesser Antilles as a 50 mph tropical storm. After entering the Caribbean Sea on September 1, hostile conditions weakened the storm, and the third tropical cyclone of the season degenerated into a tropical wave on September 3 to the south of the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic.[3][4]
[edit] Hurricane Four
A tropical wave, the same one which spawned the previous storm, developed a tropical storm near eastern Puerto Rico on September 3. It moved northward and strengthened to a hurricane later that day. The hurricane halted its forward motion and turned to an eastward drift, and continually intensifying it became a major hurricane on September 6. The hurricane turned to the north on September 7, and after briefly weakening to a Category 2 hurricane it re-attained major hurricane status. It passed about 65 miles east of Bermuda on September 8, and later that day it reached a peak intensity of 125 mph. The hurricane weakened as it accelerating northeastward over cooler waters, and became extratropical on September 10 near Atlantic Canada. Shortly after becoming extratropical, it passed over Newfoundland, and ultimately dissipated on September 11 near southwestern Greenland. The hurricane produced gale force winds on Bermuda, though overall, no damage was reported.[5]
[edit] Tropical Storm Five
A tropical storm formed in the central Gulf of Mexico on September 3. Moving northward, it remained a 45 mph tropical storm until it made landfall on southern Louisiana on September 4. The storm turned northeastward and quickly weakened, and dissipated over central Tennessee on September 5. Damage was minimal in Louisiana and Mississippi, likely amounting to less than $50,000 (1949 USD).[6]
[edit] Tropical Storm Six
The sixth tropical storm of the season was first observed on September 5 about half-way between the northern Lesser Antilles and the Azores. The storm moved to the northwest and reached peak winds of 45 mph on September 6. It turned to the northeast, southeast, then looped back to the northwest. On September 11 it again turned to the northeast, and later that day the storm was last observed about half-way between the Azores and Newfoundland, or about 1000 miles (1600 km) north-northwest of its starting position.[7]
[edit] Tropical Storm Seven
On September 13, a tropical storm developed in the eastern Atlantic Ocean and moved north-northeastward. After attaining peak winds of 60 mph on September 15, the storm began a weakening trend, and dissipated on September 17 to the south of the Azores.[8]
[edit] Hurricane Eight
A tropical wave entered the Gulf of Mexico on September 18. It moved northwestward, slowly organizing, and developed into a tropical storm on September 20 off the coast of Louisiana. The storm continued northwestward, then turned to the southwest, and erratically looped to the south on September 22. Steadily strengthening as it tracked south-southwestward, the storm intensified into a hurricane on September 23, and after turning to the southwest it reached a peak intensity of 105 mph on September 24. The hurricane weakened as it turned to the south-southeast then south, and degenerated into a tropical storm shortly before making landfall between Veracruz and Nautla. The system quickly dissipated.[9]
The storm produced 2 to 3 foot higher than normal tides along the coast of Texas and Louisiana, while its outer rainbands produced locally heavy rainfall. No damage is associated with the system. Operationally, the storm was treated as two separate storms, due to Reconnaissance Aircraft being unable to report a center of circulation on September 23.[10]
[edit] Hurricane Nine
A strong tropical wave approached the Lesser Antilles on September 20. Reconnaissance Aircraft reports indicated the system initially lacked a circulation, though based on a ship report of westerly winds, it is estimated the system developed into a tropical storm on September 21 about 100 miles south-southeast of Saint Croix. A small storm, it quickly strengthened as it traversed west-northwestward, and became a hurricane about 6 hours after forming. After reaching peak winds of 70 mph the hurricane weakened, and made landfall on southeastern Dominican Republic on September 22 with winds of 75 mph. The storm rapidly dissipated.[11]
Strong winds resulted in heavy damage in Saint Croix. In Puerto Rico, where it was known as the San Mateo Hurricane, wind gusts from the hurricane peaked at 64 mph in Ramey. The hurricane dropped heavy rainfall of up to 13.56 inches in San Lorenzo, which caused flooding in several rivers in the northern portion of the island.[12] Damage in Puerto Rico totaled to over $1 million (1949 USD), mainly to coffee crops and buildings. In the Dominican Republic, the hurricane killed 15 people, while damage amounted to $12,000 (1949 USD).[13]
[edit] Hurricane Ten
On September 27, a tropical storm formed in the Eastern Pacific Ocean just off the coast of Guatemala. It drifted northwestward, and made landfall on Guatemala on September 28. It moved northward along the western border of Guatemala, and after crossing southeastern Mexico the storm entered the Gulf of Mexico near Ciudad del Carmen on October 1. As it traversed northwestward it strengthened, and became a hurricane on October 2. It turned more to the north and intensified to a major hurricane on October 3 as it neared the Texas coastline. The hurricane continued to strengthen, and it made landfall near Freeport, Texas on October 4 as a 135 mph Category 4 hurricane.[14] The lowest recorded pressure was 978 mbar.[15] The hurricane rapidly weakened to a tropical storm as it turned northeastward over land, though it maintained tropical storm status until October 6 while over Missouri. As a tropical depression it accelerated northeastward, and later that day it dissipated near Chicago, Illinois.[16]
The hurricane produced high tides along the Texas coast, peaking at 11 feet in Velasco.[17] Moderate beach erosion from the storm damaged streets in Galveston and destroyed a wooden fishing pier.[18] The hurricane dropped heavy rainfall in Texas, including a maximum amount of 14.5 inches in Goodrich. Damage from the storm totaled to $6.7 million (1949 USD), primarily to crop damage. The hurricane also caused two deaths.[19]
[edit] Hurricane Eleven
A tropical storm moved through Cuba on October 12th and 13th. As it moved northeast across the open Atlantic, it reached a peak of 100 mph winds. It became extratropical on the 18th, causing little damage on it way.
[edit] Tropical Storm Twelve
This storm formed over the open Atlantic east of Bermuda in mid-October and moved north-northwest. The storm reached its peak with winds of 60 mph. The storm never threatened land and dissipated over the north Atlantic on October 17.
[edit] Tropical Storm Thirteen
The final storm of the season formed in the Western Caribbean Sea on November 3rd. It drifted west, then moved southward, hitting Honduras on the 4th. It dissipated the next day, causing no reported damage.
