Indianola Hurricane of 1886

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Indianola hurricane of 1886
The city of Indianola in 1875

The city of Indianola in 1875
Duration August 12 - August 21, 1886
Highest winds 155 mph (249 km/h) sustained
Damages unknown
Fatalities 74+
Areas affected Lesser Antilles, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Texas
Part of the 1880-1889 Atlantic hurricane seasons

The Indianola Hurricane of 1886 destroyed the town of Indianola, Texas.

The storm began east of the Lesser Antilles on August 12th. The tropical storm moved northwestward through the islands, reaching hurricane strength on the 13th. It hit the Dominican Republic as a Category 2 hurricane, weakened a bit, and hit southeastern Cuba as a Category 2 hurricane, causing 28 deaths. The storm weakened to a tropical storm, but when it reached the favorable Gulf of Mexico waters on the 18th, it again strengthened. As the hurricane approached the coast of Texas, it rapidly intensified to a 155 mph (250 km/h) hurricane. On the 19th, winds increased in Indianola, and on the 20th it made landfall as a catastrophic Category 4 hurricane. Pressure at landfall is estimated to be 925 mb, which would make it the fifth strongest hurricane known to have hit the United States. It obliterated the town that was only just recovering from a powerful 1875 hurricane on the same location. This storm caused fewer fatalities however (46 in Indianola) than the 1875 storm, largely because the storm struck during the day and residents had time to take shelter. The 1875 storm killed as many as 400 people.

The hurricane dissipated over Texas on the 21st. A beneficial part about the hurricane was that it ended a severe drought.

However, Indianola relocated farther inland after the storm. The old town's ruins sit just offshore under 15 feet of water.


Top ten most intense Atlantic hurricanes since measurements began

Hurricane intensity is measured solely by central pressure; source: NOAA

North Atlantic Landfall U.S.
Rank Hurricane Year Minimum pressure
recorded
mbar (hPa)
Rank Hurricane Year Minimum pressure
at landfall
mbar (hPa)
1 Wilma 2005 882 1 Labor Day 1935 892
2 Gilbert 1988 888 2 Camille 1969 909
3 Labor Day 1935 892 3 Katrina 2005 918
4 Rita 2005 897 4 Andrew 1992 922
5 Allen 1980 899 5 Indianola 1886 925
6 Katrina 2005 902 6 Florida Keys 1919 927
7 Camille 1969 905 7 Okeechobee 1928 929
8 Mitch 1998 905 8 Donna 1960 930
9 Ivan 2004 910 9 New Orleans 1915 931
10 Janet 1955 914 10 Carla 1961 931
Based on data from: The Weather Channel Based on data from: U.S. National Hurricane Center

See also

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