1919 Florida Keys Hurricane - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

On September 1, 1919, daily weather maps depicted a tropical wave near the Lesser Antilles. The poorly developed system, lacking a low-level circulation, gradually became better defined and was classified as a tropical depression the following day near the island of Guadeloupe. Around this time, the system had developed a closed low with a barometric pressure of 1010 mbar (hPa; 29.82 inHg). Although no gale-force winds were reported in the region, the system is thought to have attained tropical storm status early on September 3 while situated southeast of Puerto Rico. Tracking northwest, the storm grazed the southwestern tip of the island the following day with winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). As a result of the interaction with land, the system weakened slightly before moving back into the Atlantic Ocean near the Dominican Republic.

By September 5, the system had slowed to 4 mph (6.4 km/h) and turned northward after remaining nearly parallel with the northern coastline of the Dominican Republic and Haiti for two days. A northwest, and later westward, track resumed on September 7 as the storm intensified into a Category 1 hurricane on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson Hurricane Scale. By this time, the hurricane had moved over the eastern Bahamas; however, reports from the region only indicated winds of 40 mph (65 km/h). The storm quickly intensified while tracking through the Bahamas, attaining major hurricane status during the afternoon of September 8 near the southern tip of Andros Island. Just prior to moving over the Florida Strait, the hurricane was estimated to have attained Category 4 intensity on September 9. Gradual intensification took place over the following day before the storm attained its peak intensity on September 10 near the Florida Keys.

Several ships in the vicinity of the storm recorded very low atmospheric pressures, with the lowest being 927 mbar (hPa; 27.37 inHg). This reading was the lowest during the storm's existence and presumed to be measured within the storm's eye. Additionally, sustained winds within the eyewall were estimated to have reached 150 mph (240 km/h) as the storm moved neared Key West, Florida. At the time, this storm became the second strongest landfalling United States hurricane on record, only the 1886 Indianola hurricane had a lower pressure at landfall. However, since then, four other storms have surpassed this hurricane, including the 1935 Labor Day hurricane which struck the Florida Keys 26 years later.

After entering the Gulf of Mexico, the system began to weaken. By September 12, the storm had again slowed to 4 mph (6.4 km/h) as well as weakened to a Category 3 hurricane. Ships in the region reported pressures as low as 942 mbar (hPa; 27.82 inHg) near the storm's eye. The following day, the hurricane underwent a period of brief intensification, re-attaining Category 4 status and reaching its secondary peak intensity at the end of this phase. Early on September 13, maximum winds were estimated at 145 mph (230 km/h) and the lowest pressure was recorded at 931 mbar (hPa; 27.49 inHg).

After maintaining Category 4 status for roughly 30 hours, the storm weakened once more to a Category 3 system as it approached the Texas coastline on September 13. The hurricane made landfall between Corpus Christi and Brownsville with winds of 115 mph (185 km/h) late on September 14. Upon making landfall, a pressure of 950 mbar (hPa; 28.05 inHg) was recorded. Rapid weakening took place shortly thereafter, with the system weakening to a tropical depression roughly 24 hours after moving over land. By September 16, the system had degenerated into an open trough with no indications of gale-force winds associated with it.