1932 Cuba Hurricane
Encyclopedia
The 1932 Cuba hurricane was a powerful and deadly late-season hurricane
during the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season
. It was the tenth tropical storm, fifth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 1932 season. One of the strongest storms ever recorded in the month of November, it devastated eastern Cuba
and the Cayman Islands
, resulting in at least 3,103 deaths, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes of the 20th century.
as a weak tropical storm with 40 mph (65 km/h) winds. It remained a tropical storm as it passed over the Leeward Islands
on October 31. The storm intensified into a hurricane on November 1 as it turned southwestward in the eastern Caribbean Sea
, gradually strengthening and slowing down in forward motion. On November 3, the center of the storm passed only 50 miles (80 km) north of Punta Gallinas
, Colombia
as a Category 2 hurricane, at which point it began to turn back towards the west.
As the hurricane slowly moved west across the southern Caribbean Sea, it continued to steadily strengthen, intensifying into a major hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds by the afternoon of November 5. On the same day, a ship east of Central America and south of Cuba reported a pressure of 915 mbar, at which point the storm may have intensified beyond its official peak intensity of 135 mi/h. Early on November 6, the steamship San Simeon reported a pressure reading of 964 mbar while just north of the storm's center. At that point, the slow-moving storm began to recurve to the north across the western Caribbean Sea while maintaining Category 3 intensity. The storm intensified once again on November 8 as it approached the Cayman Islands
, becoming a Category 4 hurricane as it turned northeast.
Early on November 9, the center passed near Cayman Brac
with winds of at least 135 mph (215 km/h). The storm made landfall in eastern Cuba near Santa Cruz del Sur
later that morning, as at least a Category 4 hurricane. The storm passed over Cuba within several hours and emerged in the Atlantic by mid-afternoon near Nuevitas
, while still a strong Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph (205 km/h) winds.
The storm accelerated as it tracked northeast into the open Atlantic, gradually weakening. It passed near Bermuda
early on November 12 while a strong Category 1 hurricane. Winds of 88 mph (142 km/h) were reported in Bermuda. Slow weakening continued as the storm tracked into the north Atlantic, and the storm became extratropical on November 13 south of Newfoundland
. It was absorbed by a larger extratropical disturbance soon thereafter.
and Colombia
as the storm passed to the north. Jamaica
suffered fairly light damage as well, although some communities saw significant losses to banana
crops. Providence Island
had significant agricultural damage and about 36 homes were destroyed by the waves.
The storm devastated the Cayman Islands
, especially Cayman Brac
which was virtually flattened by the storm surge
, which was reported to be as high as 10 m (33 ft). Many homes and buildings were washed out to sea as a result of the storm and many people had to climb trees to escape the floodwaters. 110 people died on the islands; one of them was on Grand Cayman
and the rest were on Cayman Brac. The ship Balboa also sank as a result of the storm.
The most severe damage was in Cuba
. The town of Santa Cruz del Sur
in Camagüey Province
was virtually obliterated by a massive storm surge
which measured 6.5 m (21.3 ft) in height. Few buildings remained standing in the area. In that coastal town alone, a total of 2,870 people lost their lives. In total, 3,033 people died in Cuba and damage there was estimated at $40 million (1932 USD
; $ million today).
with no listed pressure, according to the Hurricane Reanalysis Project
the hurricane likely reached Category 5 intensity with 160 mph (260 km/h) winds when it made landfall in Cuba with a minimum central pressure of 915 mbar. If that were determined to be correct, it would be the latest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, surpassing Hurricane Hattie
of the 1961 season
by six days. It would also easily be the strongest storm (and only Category 5 hurricane) ever recorded in the month of November, well ahead of Hurricane Lenny
's 933 mbar pressure. In addition, such an upgrade would make the 1932 season
the first of five seasons with multiple Category 5 hurricanes, joining the 1960
, 1961
, 2005
and 2007
seasons; additionally, this such upgrade would also make the 1932 season the first Atlantic hurricane season to have multiple Category 5 landfalls, an event only repeated by the 2007 season.
Tropical cyclone
A tropical cyclone is a storm system characterized by a large low-pressure center and numerous thunderstorms that produce strong winds and heavy rain. Tropical cyclones strengthen when water evaporated from the ocean is released as the saturated air rises, resulting in condensation of water vapor...
during the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season
1932 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1932 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1932. The 1932 season was an active one. An early tropical storm formed in May and hit Hispaniola, causing minimal damage. A Category 4 struck Galveston, Texas and the Galveston Seawall proved its worth. A...
. It was the tenth tropical storm, fifth hurricane and fourth major hurricane of the 1932 season. One of the strongest storms ever recorded in the month of November, it devastated eastern Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
and the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, resulting in at least 3,103 deaths, making it one of the deadliest hurricanes of the 20th century.
Meteorological history
The storm was first observed on October 30 about 200 miles (320 km) east of GuadeloupeGuadeloupe
Guadeloupe is an archipelago located in the Leeward Islands, in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,628 square kilometres and a population of 400,000. It is the first overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. As with the other overseas departments, Guadeloupe...
as a weak tropical storm with 40 mph (65 km/h) winds. It remained a tropical storm as it passed over the Leeward Islands
Leeward Islands
The Leeward Islands are a group of islands in the West Indies. They are the northern islands of the Lesser Antilles chain. As a group they start east of Puerto Rico and reach southward to Dominica. They are situated where the northeastern Caribbean Sea meets the western Atlantic Ocean...
on October 31. The storm intensified into a hurricane on November 1 as it turned southwestward in the eastern Caribbean Sea
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
, gradually strengthening and slowing down in forward motion. On November 3, the center of the storm passed only 50 miles (80 km) north of Punta Gallinas
Punta Gallinas
Punta Gallinas is a headland in northern Colombia and the Northernmost point on the mainland of South America and one of the Extreme points of South America...
, Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
as a Category 2 hurricane, at which point it began to turn back towards the west.
As the hurricane slowly moved west across the southern Caribbean Sea, it continued to steadily strengthen, intensifying into a major hurricane with 115 mph (185 km/h) winds by the afternoon of November 5. On the same day, a ship east of Central America and south of Cuba reported a pressure of 915 mbar, at which point the storm may have intensified beyond its official peak intensity of 135 mi/h. Early on November 6, the steamship San Simeon reported a pressure reading of 964 mbar while just north of the storm's center. At that point, the slow-moving storm began to recurve to the north across the western Caribbean Sea while maintaining Category 3 intensity. The storm intensified once again on November 8 as it approached the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, becoming a Category 4 hurricane as it turned northeast.
Early on November 9, the center passed near Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about 90 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and 5 miles east of Little Cayman. It is about 12 miles long, with an average width of 1 mile...
with winds of at least 135 mph (215 km/h). The storm made landfall in eastern Cuba near Santa Cruz del Sur
Santa Cruz del Sur
Santa Cruz del Sur is a town and municipality in Cuba. It is located in Camagüey Province south of the provincial capital of Camagüey. It lies on the Caribbean coast....
later that morning, as at least a Category 4 hurricane. The storm passed over Cuba within several hours and emerged in the Atlantic by mid-afternoon near Nuevitas
Nuevitas
Nuevitas is a municipality and port city in the Camagüey Province of Cuba. The large bay was sighted by Christopher Columbus in 1492. Founded in 1775, the city was moved to its present site in 1828.-Geography:...
, while still a strong Category 3 hurricane with 125 mph (205 km/h) winds.
The storm accelerated as it tracked northeast into the open Atlantic, gradually weakening. It passed near Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
early on November 12 while a strong Category 1 hurricane. Winds of 88 mph (142 km/h) were reported in Bermuda. Slow weakening continued as the storm tracked into the north Atlantic, and the storm became extratropical on November 13 south of Newfoundland
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
. It was absorbed by a larger extratropical disturbance soon thereafter.
Impact
Minor damage was reported in VenezuelaVenezuela
Venezuela , officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela , is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America. It borders Colombia to the west, Guyana to the east, and Brazil to the south...
and Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
as the storm passed to the north. Jamaica
Jamaica
Jamaica is an island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length, up to in width and 10,990 square kilometres in area. It is situated in the Caribbean Sea, about south of Cuba, and west of Hispaniola, the island harbouring the nation-states Haiti and the Dominican Republic...
suffered fairly light damage as well, although some communities saw significant losses to banana
Banana
Banana is the common name for herbaceous plants of the genus Musa and for the fruit they produce. Bananas come in a variety of sizes and colors when ripe, including yellow, purple, and red....
crops. Providence Island
Providence Island
Providence Island may refer to:*Providencia Island, part of the Archipelago of San Andres, Providencia and Santa Catalina in Colombia, which was settled by the Providence Island Company*Providence Island is an island*Providence Atoll in Seychelles...
had significant agricultural damage and about 36 homes were destroyed by the waves.
The storm devastated the Cayman Islands
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands is a British Overseas Territory and overseas territory of the European Union located in the western Caribbean Sea. The territory comprises the three islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman, located south of Cuba and northwest of Jamaica...
, especially Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac
Cayman Brac is an island that is part of the Cayman Islands. It lies in the Caribbean Sea about 90 miles northeast of Grand Cayman and 5 miles east of Little Cayman. It is about 12 miles long, with an average width of 1 mile...
which was virtually flattened by the storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
, which was reported to be as high as 10 m (33 ft). Many homes and buildings were washed out to sea as a result of the storm and many people had to climb trees to escape the floodwaters. 110 people died on the islands; one of them was on Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman
Grand Cayman is the largest of the three Cayman Islands and the location of the nation's capital, George Town. In relation to the other two Cayman Islands, it is approximately 75 miles southwest of Little Cayman and 90 miles southwest of Cayman Brac.-Geography:Grand Cayman encompasses 76% of...
and the rest were on Cayman Brac. The ship Balboa also sank as a result of the storm.
The most severe damage was in Cuba
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
. The town of Santa Cruz del Sur
Santa Cruz del Sur
Santa Cruz del Sur is a town and municipality in Cuba. It is located in Camagüey Province south of the provincial capital of Camagüey. It lies on the Caribbean coast....
in Camagüey Province
Camagüey Province
Camagüey is the largest of the provinces of Cuba. Its capital is Camagüey. Other towns include Florida and Nuevitas.-Geography:Camagüey is mostly low lying, with no major hills or mountain ranges passing through the province...
was virtually obliterated by a massive storm surge
Storm surge
A storm surge is an offshore rise of water associated with a low pressure weather system, typically tropical cyclones and strong extratropical cyclones. Storm surges are caused primarily by high winds pushing on the ocean's surface. The wind causes the water to pile up higher than the ordinary sea...
which measured 6.5 m (21.3 ft) in height. Few buildings remained standing in the area. In that coastal town alone, a total of 2,870 people lost their lives. In total, 3,033 people died in Cuba and damage there was estimated at $40 million (1932 USD
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
; $ million today).
Records
While the storm is currently listed in the HURDAT as a marginal Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scaleSaffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale
The Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale , or the Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale , classifies hurricanes — Western Hemisphere tropical cyclones that exceed the intensities of tropical depressions and tropical storms — into five categories distinguished by the intensities of their sustained winds...
with no listed pressure, according to the Hurricane Reanalysis Project
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis
Atlantic hurricane reanalysis is an ongoing project within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration which seeks to correct and add new information about past Atlantic tropical cyclones...
the hurricane likely reached Category 5 intensity with 160 mph (260 km/h) winds when it made landfall in Cuba with a minimum central pressure of 915 mbar. If that were determined to be correct, it would be the latest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded in the Atlantic basin, surpassing Hurricane Hattie
Hurricane Hattie
Hurricane Hattie was the deadliest tropical cyclone of the 1961 Atlantic hurricane season, as well as the strongest, reaching a peak intensity equivalent to Category 5 hurricane intensity...
of the 1961 season
1961 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1961 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1961, and lasted until November 15, 1961. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had seven major hurricanes, the second highest number on...
by six days. It would also easily be the strongest storm (and only Category 5 hurricane) ever recorded in the month of November, well ahead of Hurricane Lenny
Hurricane Lenny
Hurricane Lenny was the strongest November Atlantic hurricane on record. It was the twelfth tropical storm, eighth hurricane, and record-breaking fifth Category 4 hurricane in the 1999 Atlantic hurricane season. Lenny formed on November 13 in the western Caribbean Sea, and maintained an...
's 933 mbar pressure. In addition, such an upgrade would make the 1932 season
1932 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1932 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1932. The 1932 season was an active one. An early tropical storm formed in May and hit Hispaniola, causing minimal damage. A Category 4 struck Galveston, Texas and the Galveston Seawall proved its worth. A...
the first of five seasons with multiple Category 5 hurricanes, joining the 1960
1960 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1960 Atlantic hurricane season was the least active Atlantic hurricane season since 1952. The season officially began on June 15, 1960, and lasted until November 15, 1960. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin...
, 1961
1961 Atlantic hurricane season
The 1961 Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 15, 1961, and lasted until November 15, 1961. These dates conventionally delimit the period of each year when most tropical cyclones form in the Atlantic basin. The season had seven major hurricanes, the second highest number on...
, 2005
2005 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2005 Atlantic hurricane season was the most active Atlantic hurricane season in recorded history, repeatedly shattering numerous records. The impact of the season was widespread and ruinous with an estimated 3,913 deaths and record damage of about $159.2 billion...
and 2007
2007 Atlantic hurricane season
The 2007 Atlantic hurricane season was an active Atlantic hurricane season that produced 17 tropical cyclones, 15 tropical storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes. It officially started on June 1 and ended on November 30, dates which conventionally delimit the...
seasons; additionally, this such upgrade would also make the 1932 season the first Atlantic hurricane season to have multiple Category 5 landfalls, an event only repeated by the 2007 season.
See also
- List of Atlantic hurricanes
- 1932 Atlantic hurricane season1932 Atlantic hurricane seasonThe 1932 Atlantic hurricane season ran through the summer and the first half of fall in 1932. The 1932 season was an active one. An early tropical storm formed in May and hit Hispaniola, causing minimal damage. A Category 4 struck Galveston, Texas and the Galveston Seawall proved its worth. A...