Sanibel Island Hurricane of 1944
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| Category 3 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Formed | October 12, 1944 | |
| Dissipated | October 23, 1944 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 968 mbar (hPa; 28.6 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 318 direct | |
| Damage | $10 million (1944 USD) $115 million (2006 USD) |
|
| Areas affected |
Swan Island, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Florida, Carolinas | |
| Part of the 1944 Atlantic hurricane season |
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The Sanibel Island Hurricane of 1944 (or Cuba-Florida Hurricane of 1944) was an intense Category 3 hurricane of great intensity that carved a path of destruction across Cuba and Florida. This late-season October storm was eventually responsible for very heavy rains, a wide swath of destruction, and over 300 deaths, especially in rural areas of Cuba.
Contents |
[edit] Storm history
On October 12 a tropical depression formed near Swan Island, where the first indications of it were detected by the ship Silver Arrow, which was on route from Jamaica to Belize. Inclement conditions were reported over Swan Island, but winds were not particularly severe; the highest gusts on the island were generally below 60 mph.
The storm moved northward slowly, reaching hurricane status as it approached Grand Cayman Island. On October 15 the hurricane brushed the island, bringing 118 mph winds and heavy rains. The next day the hurricane made landfall in Isles of Pines, Cuba, where hurricane force winds were recorded. After hitting Cuba, the storm sped up to 20 mph before it struck the southwest Florida coast. After making Florida landfall near Sarasota, it traveled inland through Georgia, Virginia, and New England before fizzling out over the far North Atlantic.
[edit] Impact
The storm killed 300 people and left $10 million (1944 USD, $107 million 2005 USD) in damage.
[edit] Cayman Islands
Damage was minor and limited to docks and warehouses; however, severe flooding resulted from over 30 inches of rainfall on Grand Cayman Island. A 24-hour rainfall record of 16 inches was reportedly set. [1]
[edit] Cuba
There was severe damage, mostly in the eastern and northern regions of Pinar del Rio. Much of Havana Harbor was strewn with wrecked and sunken ships. About 300 people were killed in Cuba.
[edit] Florida
There was serious tide damage along the southwest Florida coast, and much of the citrus harvest was ruined by the storm. Nine people died when their boat capsized during the storm.
