Great Havana Hurricane of 1846 - Meteorological History

Meteorological History

First reported on October 6, the hurricane moved through the Caribbean Sea. It followed a typical track for an Atlantic hurricane in October, moving across southwestern Cuba on October 11 with winds exceeding 215 km/h (134 mph) and central pressure of 940 mbar (28 inHg). It turned northward and struck the Florida Keys as a very intense (possibly Category 5) hurricane, producing a minimum pressure of 938 mbar.

The storm then paralleled the Florida west coast. Its exact track is unknown because no reports exist from Tampa and Saint Augustine. Modern historians estimate the hurricane hit near Cedar Key during the early hours of October 12 and then moved rapidly to the northeast, remaining inland along the East Coast of the United States. It returned to sea near Boston, Massachusetts, on October 14, and likely became extratropical in the following days.

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