1932 Cuba Hurricane
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| Category 4 hurricane (SSHS) | ||
|---|---|---|
 Santa Cruz del Sur, Camagüey Province, Cuba after the hurricane |
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| Formed | October 30, 1932 | |
| Dissipated | November 14, 1932 | |
| Highest winds |
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| Lowest pressure | 915 mbar (hPa; 27.03 inHg) | |
| Fatalities | 3,103+ direct | |
| Damage | $40 million (1932 USD) $631.2 million (2008 USD) |
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| Areas affected |
Leeward Islands, Venezuela, Colombia, Jamaica, Cayman Islands, Cuba, the Bahamas, Bermuda | |
| Part of the 1932 Atlantic hurricane season |
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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.[1] 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.
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[edit] Storm history
The storm was first observed on October 30 about 200 miles (320 km) east of 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 on October 31.[2] 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.[3] 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.[2]
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.[3] 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 mph (217 km/h).[2][4] Early on November 6, the steamship San Simeon reported a pressure reading of 964 mbar while just north of the storm's center.[2] At that point, the slow-moving storm began to recurve to the north across the western Caribbean Sea while maintaining Category 3 intensity.[3] The storm intensified once again on November 8 as it approached the Cayman Islands, becoming a Category 4 hurricane as it turned northeast.[2]
Early on November 9, the center passed near Cayman Brac with winds of at least 135 mph (215 km/h).[3] The storm made landfall in eastern Cuba near Santa Cruz del Sur later that morning, as at least a Category 4 hurricane.[3] 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.[2]
The storm accelerated as it tracked northeast into the open Atlantic, gradually weakening.[3] 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.[2] Slow weakening continued as the storm tracked into the north Atlantic, and the storm became extratropical on November 13 south of Newfoundland.[3] It was absorbed by a larger extratropical disturbance soon thereafter.[2]
[edit] Impact
Minor damage was reported in Venezuela 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.[2]
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 32 feet (9.6 m). 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. 70 people died on the islands; one of them was on Grand Cayman and the rest were on Cayman Brac.[5] The ship Balboa also sank as a result of the storm.[6]
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 (21.5 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; $591 million (2006 USD)).[4]
[edit] Records
While the storm is currently listed in the HURDAT as a marginal Category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale with no listed pressure,[3] 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.[4] 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.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Unisys (1932). 1932 Unisys Archive. Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i C.L. Mitchell (1932). 1932 Monthly Weather Review. NOAA. Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
- ^ a b c d e f g h NOAA (2007). HURDAT: 1932 Cuba Hurricane. Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
- ^ a b c Christopher Landsea et al (2003). Hurricane Vulnerability in Latin America and The Caribbean. NOAA. Retrieved on 2007-10-15.
- ^ Cayman Islands
- ^ Balboa
