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The 1931 Atlantic hurricane season was an active hurricane season, with a total of 13 storms recorded, which was the most since 1916. However, only three of them intensified into hurricanes and just one reached major hurricane intensity, which is Category 3 or higher on the modern-day Saffir–Simpson scale. Nine of the tropical cyclones were identified in real-time, while evidence of the existence of four other tropical cyclones was uncovered by the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project in 2012 and added to the Atlantic hurricane database. Additionally, two of the tropical storms were upgraded to hurricane status as part of the reanalysis.|group="nb" The most intense tropical cyclone of the season, it peaked as a Category 4 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). Striking British Honduras, now Belize, at peak intensity, the hurricane caused about 2,500 deaths and about $7.5 million (1931 USD) in damage there. It remains the deadliest hurricane in the history of Belize. The next hurricane caused significant damage in Puerto Rico and resulted in at least two fatalities. The remaining six tropical cyclones left little to no impacts on land.
Season summary
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thumb|right|Damage in [[Belize City due to the British Honduras hurricane]]
Tropical cyclogenesis began in late June, with a system developing over the western Caribbean Sea on June 24. The storm struck Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula and Texas before dissipating on June 28. In July, a cyclone also developed over the western Caribbean and struck the Yucatan Peninsula and Louisiana. August was slightly more active, featuring two tropical systems. Four cyclones originated in the month of September, including all of the season's three hurricanes. The sixth system, also known as the British Honduras hurricane, developed over the southeastern Caribbean on September 6. It became the most intense cyclone of the season, peaking as a Category 4 hurricane on the modern day Saffir–Simpson scale with maximum sustained winds of 130 mph (215 km/h). The hurricane made landfall in Belize at peak intensity on September 10. In October, two additional cyclones formed, though both remained well under hurricane intensity. The season's final three tropical cyclones developed in the month of November, with the last dissipating near the Bahamas on November 25.
A total of thirteen tropical cyclones developed, the most since 1916, though many remained weak, with only three intensifying into a hurricane. Only one system, the British Honduras hurricane, reached major hurricane status, which is Category 3 or higher on the Saffir–Simpson scale. even though the season featured the highest number of tropical storms since 1916. In contrast, the previous season had an ACE value of 50, despite having 10 fewer tropical storms than the 1931 season. ACE is a metric used to express the energy used by a tropical cyclone during its lifetime. Therefore, a storm with a longer duration will have high values of ACE. It is only calculated at six-hour increments in which specific tropical and subtropical systems are either at or above sustained wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h), which is the threshold for tropical storm intensity. Thus, tropical depressions are not included here.
High tides in Boca Chica Village, Texas, in advance of the storm swept over a highway and bridge. Officials undertook evacuations along the coastline. Localized but significant rainfall fell across South Texas, maximized at in Runno, inundating some streets in Corpus Christi to a depth of . Winds there peaked at 39 mph (63 km/h). and farther west in Hebbronville, hundreds of acres of land were flooded. Rising water along the Texas Mexican Railway inundated some tracks, delaying trains for several hours. In the Bay St. Louis area, telephone and telegraph connections were severed by the storm. A boxcar traversing the Illinois Central Railroad at Gulfport was derailed into the sea after part of the track was impacted by storm surge. Further west, the cyclone enhanced the high tide at Caplen, Texas and Gilchrist, Texas, resulting in the evacuation of a hundred people.
Tropical Storm Three
A tropical depression developed between Saint Vincent and Saint Lucia around 18:00 UTC on August 10. It intensified into a tropical storm twelve hours later. As the cyclone turned to the west from the west-northwest, it continued to intensify, reaching maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 km/h) late on August 12. It made landfall a short distance south of Belize City, Belize, around 20:00 UTC on August 15 with slightly weaker winds of 50 mph (85 km/h). While the system fell to tropical depression intensity while over land, it intensified into a tropical storm over the Bay of Campeche early on August 17, regaining peak strength as it made landfall north of Veracruz, Veracruz, just after 12:00 UTC on August 18. The cyclone quickly weakened once inland and dissipated after 00:00 UTC on August 19.
Tropical Storm Four
A tropical depression developed about 70 miles (110 km) north of Barbados around 06:00 UTC on August 16. It moved northwest through the Leeward Islands over the next few hours. While officially recognized as a tropical storm beginning at 06:00 UTC the next morning, there are no conclusive indications that the system ever attained winds of 40 mph (65 km/h); the lack of substantive evidence simply prevented a downgrade during the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project.
Tropical Storm Five
As part of the Atlantic hurricane reanalysis project, a previously unidentified tropical cyclone was found to have developed just north of the Leeward Islands by 00:00 UTC on September 1, although this could have occurred sooner. It moved nearly due west throughout its lifespan, intensifying to a tropical storm early on September 3 and making landfall along the coastline of northeastern Hispaniola around 14:00 UTC that day with winds of 45 mph (75 km/h). Weakening ensued over the island, and the system degenerated into an open trough after 00:00 UTC on September 4. The remnants of the cyclone were later absorbed by a frontal system off the U.S. East Coast after September 9. The normally dry Portugués River was transformed into a torrent of water that carried many small houses and huts downstream, crashing them into a bridge leading to the harbor front in Ponce. There, 90 houses were destroyed and an additional 120 were damaged; this included the Residencia Jacobo Cabassa, considered one of the finest buildings on the island. The flood, in conjunction with landslides, caused significant damage to roads and bridges. Adjacent to Ponce, the Río Inabón caused damage to warehouses. Considerable loss was imposed upon the growing sugarcane crop in Puerto Rico's valleys. Initial reports feared up to 200 people were killed. In the immediate wake of the storm, 30 bodies were recovered, though swollen rivers prevented access to hard-hit locations and that number was expected to increase. Local residents gathered in the street and were apathetic to the cyclone, both because warnings from U.S. ships in the region may have been withheld, and because residents believed local reefs would stunt the impact of any approaching storm. St. George's Caye was reportedly left in ruin. Upon landfall on the mainland, the system delivered winds up to 132 mph (212 km/h) Seventy percent of the city was destroyed, including all properties on six streets being completely washed away. All agricultural plantations within the vicinity of Belize City, as well as along the Belize River, were razed. The mouth of the Belize River was obstructed by the wreckage of numerous small boats, including six schooners and a dredge. Overall, damage throughout Belize was estimated at $7.5 million.
Hurricane Seven
A tropical storm was first noted about 455 miles (730 km) northeast of Barbados around 18:00 UTC on September 8. It intensified on a west-northwest course, becoming a hurricane early on September 10 prior to moving through the U.S. Virgin Islands. The hurricane continued into Puerto Rico – making landfall on the north coast of the island on September 11 – defying initial projections that it would pass safely north. Early on September 12, the storm struck near Punta Cana, Dominican Republic as a minimal hurricane. The cyclone weakened to a tropical storm as it moved south of due west across Haiti, Jamaica, and the western Caribbean. At 19:00 UTC on September 14, it made another landfall north of Belize's border with the Yucatán Peninsula as a strong tropical storm. The cyclone emerged into the Bay of Campeche and quickly strengthened to its peak as a Category 2 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 100 mph (160 km/h), making a final landfall just east of Veracruz, Veracruz, at 06:00 UTC on September 16 at that intensity. It rapidly weakened once inland and dissipated after 18:00 UTC. A total of 200 homes were unroofed in the hardest-hit areas, and flooding from the previous disaster just days earlier was exacerbated. The home of the governor sustained water damage. Fruit, coffee, grapefruit, and coconut districts were most severely impacted, though the coffee suffered only minor losses. At least two people were killed. In the immediate wake of the storm, motorcycle police reported a number of people drowned, but no concrete figure was given. Along the coastline, small craft were pushed onshore. The Spanish training ship Juan Sebastián de Elcano dumped 2,500 cases of garlic into the San Juan Harbor and suffered two small holes through her plates after being battered by the storm. Two people were hurt in vessels along the coast, including one who sustained a broken ship while being knocked into a ship's railing. Eight people were injured in total,
Hurricane Eight
A tropical depression formed about 635 miles (1,020 km) northeast of the Leeward Islands around 06:00 UTC on September 23. The cyclone maintained a general northward heading throughout its duration. Peripheral data from nearby ships indicate it attained tropical storm intensity early on September 24 and gradually strengthened to a Category 1 hurricane four days later, with peak winds of 75 mph (120 km/h). A gradual weakening trend ensued thereafter, and the storm transitioned into an extratropical cyclone around 00:00 UTC on September 28 while to the southeast of Newfoundland. The post-tropical low turned northeast and persisted for a little over a day before it was absorbed by a front or dissipated.